#timetoreflect by: Deborah Ard
It’s that time again. This year is coming to a close and the New Year is approaching. As 2018 is ending, let’s each take some time over the next few weeks to reflect on our year. As you may know, Julie and I started a practice several years ago of choosing a “word of the year” to focus on. So I have been reflecting on 2018 through the lens of my word hospitality. My goal for 2018 was to be more hospitable and to teach my children to also be aware of practicing hospitality. However as I look over the year, the greatest lessons in hospitality did not come from me or my demonstrating hospitality. Instead, our family was on the receiving end of a most gracious act of hospitality.

If you are familiar with the 2018 hurricane activity in South Carolina you know about Hurricane Florence. As Florence approached we realized my husband Clark would have to be at work through the hurricane and that it would be best for Preston, Briley and myself to stay somewhere else to be safe. We are so blessed to have had several family and friends reach out and offer for us to stay with them. After prayerful consideration we decided to stay with Clark’s parents. Thankfully, we made it through the hurricane with no major damage or issues. Just as our community was returning to normal a new threat entered the picture; the prediction of unprecedented flooding. The initial prediction was that our home would be under 10-15 feet of water. Let me say, there are no adequate words to explain the flurry of emotions we felt when over and over we heard these predictions and were warned to take precautions. First of all we knew we couldn’t stay in our home so where would we go? Secondly, what measures should we take to secure our home and belongings? Going through this type of event surely puts life into perspective!
Again we were blessed by several offers from friends and family for us to stay with them. After prayerful consideration we decided to stay with our friends David and Dorothy Essex so Clark would be close to work and hopefully be able to come and go without issues. I am not sure David and Dorothy understand how gracious their offer was for us to stay with them. Not only was it the four of us that moved in but lots of our stuff came with us. While our time at their house was filled with anxious anticipation as we watched the water levels, our time was also filled with pleasant memory making and the most generous hospitality. David and Dorothy opened their home up to us for a week that could have been unbearable and through their generosity our family received the biggest lesson on hospitality. They truly made us feel like family and as a result I pray our family will have the opportunity one day to do the same for others. This scripture on hospitality from the Message sums it up:
“Love from the center of who you are; don’t fake it. Run for dear life from evil; hold on for dear life to good Be good friends who love deeply; practice playing second fiddle. Don’t burn out; keep yourselves fueled and aflame. Be alert servants of the Master, cheerfully expectant. Don’t quit in hard times; pray all the harder. Help needy Christians; be inventive in hospitality.”Romans 12:9-13
My idea of how the word hospitality would affect 2018 was different than God’s idea. Nonetheless, hospitality was my word of the year and had a big impact on me! Now I am praying for discernment for my word for 2019. If you already shared with me your word for 2018, I will be contacting you to ask you personally to reflect. Whether you had a word this year or not, I challenge you to spend the next couple weeks reflecting on 2018 and that you prayerfully consider choosing a word for 2019 that will guide and shape your personal growth. I guarantee it will be a learning experience for you as well!