Happy New Year – Walking In Power with Nate Ortiz

Hey everyone, and I am here just to wish you a happy new year.

And as I talk about this walking and power of just the new year, I understand you always

bring mixed emotions for people.

Sometimes people look back at their year and have lots of regrets, so they have lots of

things that were just very difficult for them, and they are ready to start a new year.

And then there's others who they've had a fantastic year.

It's been phenomenal so many different levels.

They don't even know how they could top this year.

No matter where you are as collectively as a group of people, we are stepping into a new

year.

And as we step into that new year, there's lots of things that are unknown for all of

us.

Things that we don't know how they're going to turn out.

Things have been working on that are going to come into the new year.

I just wanted to talk about a couple things as you head into this new year.

I think when I think about my relationship with Christ, that is the thing that always keeps

me grounded, keeps me centered, keeps me just locked in in what life has.

No matter what comes my way, I have to trust and believe that God is for me.

That God is going to guide me, give me where I need to go.

And I hope that's the same for you.

As you step just new year that you do things that are going to help strengthen your relationship,

staying in the word, being around people that are like-minded in the faith, going to church,

whatever it might be.

But you find yourself in the place to say, God, I want to get closer to you.

And I want to sustain a relationship in this new year that we just don't look for external

things to pull us forward, but we take a moment to pause and reflect on what God is doing

on the inside of us.

And so with that being said, I want to encourage you with this.

In this new year, I think one of the greatest things that we can do in starting off any

new year, anything new is always practice gratitude.

Sometimes we always feel like I'll be happy when, fill in the blank.

And I think that's a false way of living because there's always going to be more.

There's always going to be something.

And sometimes people get caught up in the loop of the mantra of more.

Well, if I had more of this, I had more time, I had more money, I had more friends, I had

more of whatever that might be.

And that's a way, just to quickly drain your energy and just bring you high highs and

low lows.

So when you find that more that you're looking for, it feels great for a moment, but then

over time, Missouli diminishes the joy that it brought you.

Then you feel, why do you need more of something else?

But if you can learn to practice gratitude, see, I'm grateful for my life as it is right

now.

Now, you might be sitting there, sitting here listening to the saying, there's not a lot

of great things on it.

I'm actually thankful for the things that I'm upset about, the things that I'm resentful

about.

Sure.

And I get that and I would never minimize that.

I also want to challenge you though, but to practice your gratitude and the misofilament

because when you are able to do that, you're able to put your focus and your attention on

what matters most.

And then you think about it this way, if you've ever been young and driving or you're

teaching someone you're driving with a golf car or something like that, sometimes where

your attention goes, that's where the car, well, that's where things will shift, right?

My kids, I'll have a golf car driving around and they'll look somewhere and their hand

will begin to move the car that way.

Same thing in life.

Sometimes when we give our attention to certain things, we don't even realize it, but

we're shifting and drifting, leaning into those things, the more they should be leaning

into the positive.

So always practice gratitude.

Make a list.

What are you thankful for in this upcoming year?

What are some things in your life right now?

You see, now I'm just saying for this, maybe it's a parent, maybe it is just a relationship

you've, you're currently in, maybe it's just the church you go to.

Whatever you like, what are you truly grateful for?

Were you saying this actually brings me joy?

I'm thankful I have it.

Maybe I'll be able to be born as fortunate as I am.

So practice gratitude.

The second thing I want to challenge you with is that, and I think one of the misconceptions

is that when we live this life, especially in faith, we always want to move at the rate

of ready.

So what I mean by that is we feel like, well, when I'm ready, I will do this.

When I'm ready, I will do this.

But I don't think that's the way God causes this living adventure, right?

We just say, God, whenever you tell me what to do, I'll do it.

I'll do exactly what you need me to do.

And when that be great, if God just cracked open the sky and spoke that to us, but that's

not how relationship works.

It works in this place.

It says, I'm waiting here for you.

I'm locked into what you're speaking with you're saying, I'm quieting myself.

So I can hear you.

So when you think about moving at the rate of ready, people always want to say, well, when

I'm ready, I'll do this.

Or when I know I'm ready, you can't move at the rate of ready, but you get to move

at the speed of solutions.

So what I mean by that is sometimes there are going to be problems, obstacles, challenges,

in your ways.

You have to figure out the solution.

Because once you figure out the solution, you can move quicker onto what's next.

You can move quicker to what's ahead of you.

And you move at the speed of those solutions.

And so sometimes those solutions take a little bit longer and that's okay.

But you want to say, I'm being proactive in trying to come up with ways that I can win.

Ways that can move my life forward.

Because if you don't, then I think that goes back to the first point, you just turn to

this place of, you either don't do anything.

You just say in the place, like, well, what I'm ready, what I'm ready, what I'm ready, I'm

not quite ready yet.

And there's lots of times I've realized we're just not ready.

But the most important thing is we have to make movement.

So if we aren't moving at the speed of solutions, we say, well, I want to get ready.

Over time, when it's up happening, is you either just don't accomplish anything

or you become bitter and you don't practice gratitude.

You're not thankful for who you're becoming in Christ.

I'm thankful for the journey that he's taking you on.

You're not showing appreciation for that.

So in this new year, I want to challenge you with those just two things.

Simply don't move at the rate of, of ready,

move at the speed of solutions.

Think about God.

How can you be creative about the year to solve this problem?

How can you help me to think forward if not you become stuck in the same loop of thinking,

the same loop of troubles or problems?

Don't get stuck in that place.

And then the first thing, practice gratitude, practice it.

I say practice it because it takes practice.

It's always easy to be thankful when things are going great.

Anyone could do that.

But in the middle of difficulties, can you find those things that you say, God, I'm grateful

and I'm thankful for what you're doing in my life.

Hey, much love to you all.

I pray that you have an amazing 2020, 24-year best years yet.

Now I just want to pray for me in this video.

And I just also ask, after this video is done,

that you just take a moment just to pray.

But then also to reflect and say, God, what is it that you would have been

be thankful for?

What are things that you've done in my life?

And then secondly, just think, all right, what are the things that are causing me

pain points in my life?

And what solutions can I come up with?

Because I always just wait to be ready.

I'm never something done.

What solutions can I come up with?

And maybe they don't work out like I think they should.

But I'm making progress and I'm making movement, all right?

So hey, let me just pray and I'll let you guys get on with your day.

And I pray over your amazing 2024.

So father, I just thank you for everyone who's watching this video.

Lord, that you be with them.

Lord, as they quiet themselves right now and just focusing on you,

I pray that you, your Holy Spirit, you would allow them to think through the areas of their

life that they need to grow in what is showing gratitude or finding solutions.

Lord, we know either those places you can help us.

So father, I pray that this 2024 would be an amazing year for them, that they would

grow, that they develop, that they get closer to you.

Father, if you give them their hearts, desires, those are things that they want to do.

But Lord, they would in turn give the glory back to you.

Lord, I pray over them, be with them, take care of them, and have health and prosperity

God in this new year.

May you take care of them.

And you're all going to be praying.

Amen.

Hey, love y'all, I appreciate you.

And I'm sure I'll see you all soon.

Have an amazing new year.