The challenge was to seek a word from the Lord, a word that would describe what He wants for our lives, wants to do through our lives in 2016. I think this is a fantastic idea not only in the spiritual but also in the natural. You know for everyone! How this can drive a life is limitless in love, family, friends, school, work and well all area’s of life.

For me it’s spiritual and I found it hard to reach deep enough to hear the word the Lord wanted to give me. I am in the best place spiritually I can ever remember, I am feeling strong and alive in my spirit. My life is good, I have a great marriage, great children, I have a great job and a wonderful church. So I searched and asked for this word from God and the only thing I kept hearing was “REAL” and I would shake it off. What the heck does that mean? After a week of this I finally heard the Lord say to me “REAL” with this added to it…. “your pride is exposed as I try to speak this to you”. With that I humbly accept the word “real” for my life this year. I’m not completely sure what it all means but I’m OPEN to it and ready to hear it.

Here is what I do know….. The other day I’m sitting in a meeting with my 2 sales managers and 2 of the owners of the company. The meeting is about the job I do for them. Not a bad meeting but trying to find ways to do a better and more effective job. I was asked my thoughts on the way we are doing things and I responded with how I do them and why I don’t do certain things. In my mind I’m thinking I’m giving a great speech as to why expectations are not being met. In the middle of it all my boss chimes in with…. “well let’s get real here……….”

What does that statement mean? Allow me to tell you… you are about to hear the truth of the situation, not what you think it is or what you wish it was but what it REALLY IS.

Yesterday in church our pastor is preaching away, hitting it hard and on fire. Then all of a sudden he kind of stops and says “can I get real with you?” What does that mean? He was getting ready to tell us reality, not out of a sermon but out of his own life… REAL LIFE. Not what we think it is or should be but the reality of how it is.

I can think of a situation in the Bible when Jesus uses this statement, although its not said that way its the same thing…..

¹⁶ He told her, “Go, call your husband and come back.” ¹⁷ “I have no husband,” she replied. Jesus said to her, “You are right when you say you have no husband. ¹⁸ The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true.”

What Jesus said here was “let’s get real” —-

So today my prayer is asking God to say this to me in every situation in my life. Day by day, hour by hour and minute by minute. One thing I do know and understand is that being transparent in this world is a POWERFUL thing. My relationships, my marriage, being a father, grandfather, worker, church member, preacher, teacher whatever I do or am in this life I MUST be transparent before the Lord and people. NOTHING EVER HIDDEN.

It’s going to be an EPIC year