It’s time to reclaim the word “intimacy.”
Why? I’ll be honest, I don’t use the word very frequently, especially when it comes to faith. Our society has largely claimed the word, adding heavy connotations of a romantic or sexual nature.
Perhaps that is a reflection of our sinful tendency to try and fill our deepest longings with affirmation from others. But that doesn’t mean that physical intimacy is the deepest connection we can experience.
No, the most profound level of intimacy we can gain in this life is intimacy with the Father. This intimacy supersedes that of all other relationships; it fills us like nothing and no one can.
Do you know that to be true?
During 2018, I turned my focus to prayer. Longing to reignite the flame of faith in my heart, I decided I wanted to truly understand (or begin learning) the beauty of communion with God. As I reflected in another recent post, 2018 was one of the most difficult and rewarding years of my life. I never thought I’d have such a trying year as 2012, but 2018 was a close second.
And I couldn’t be more thankful.
So, as I approached the end of one journey, I began praying that God would show me how I could continue to build off of my year of prayer. Around Thanksgiving, I got my answer.
An Intimate 2019
The word means closeness, informal closeness, to be specific. The kind of deep friendship in which you throw on your comfy sweatpants, sprawl on the couch, and let the authentic you come streaming out. It’s how Jesus wants to know you and me.
Studying the Word is a chief way we can position ourselves for that kind of closeness with God. But there comes a point where we must also pause. Stop and listen. Stop and let ourselves feel the weight of his love. That’s where prayer comes in.
My hope is that as I continue to grow my prayer life this year, I will grow in intimacy with my heavenly Father, and that this closeness with be evident in the way I love others.
It’s far from a passive pursuit though. Cultivating intimacy requires one to let their guard down, something I struggle with. And if you’re nodding your head, thinking, “yep that’s me,” I believe there’s hope for both of us!
The Lord our God is not only mighty to save, He is mighty to continue working in our lives. As Paul says in Philippians, “he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”
Will you pursue an Intimate 2019 with me? Will you turn away from shallow convos with God and deep desires for human affirmation? Friends, it doesn’t get any better than Jesus; and I can’t wait to grasp more of His goodness in 2019.
Love,
Hannah
A Grateful life Lived 
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