When a year ends and a new season begins.

I got up early in Bowie, Maryland this morning . 

For the first time in 15 years since I left for Dubai, I was actually with family over the holidays. Usually I have only had expat holidays with the ex-husband and our son.  That means this is Jaja’s first time with extended family in his 10 years. It has been a much needed respite and healing salve for us both.

You may read more of my treasure trove of lessons from previous years or watch the video one from 2022.

As today is the last day of 2023, I felt I needed to rise before the house wakens on this cold winter morning. 

This is the coldest winter Jaja and I have ever experienced (albeit a nice warm one in Maryland standards) but we have gotten used to warmer Caribbean and Middle Eastern Christmases.  He is loving it and we are both enjying  playing winter dress up- layering clothing- which is a whole new revelation temperatures from mid 30s-50s. 

I came here to be ordained for ministry and decided to stay on because I was in desperate need of a vacation (doctor’s orders) due to intense lower back and hip pain from overwork since August. It was only getting worse so I needed some major pattern interruption.

So here I am.

As I reflect on these last 365 days of 2023, I am surprisingly at a loss for words. At least initially. 

I remember starting this year with no real goal in mind- except the vague notion making my first US million. 

This was not usual for me. I am used to clearly defined goals for the year. 

But this year, I focused more on prayer points than my usual SMART goals.

I decided to take all aspects of my life to the altar of prayer that I have cultivated and looking back in that light, I am now seeing that I have had a seismic shift as a result.

Here are all the ways:

1. I finally fully experienced ABBA (the only Living God) as my Father … and me being His baby girl. THIS was by far the most definitive experience of my entire year and set the stage for so many other generational and blood line breakthroughs and shifts.  But even more importantly, it created a deeper, more secure understanding of my spiritual DNA and my God-given identity as ABBA’s baby girl.  I found nourishing for the parts of the little girl in me who was overlooked and healing for those places that had become broken and fragmented.
2. I started a business prayer call every Monday for 6 months.  This completely transformed how I did business and even how I felt about my business in periods of grand intensity (that’s how I prefer to refer to seasons of great challenge). It also allowed me to see business as a tool for nation building and ignited greater passion to inspire and connect other entrepreneurs. 
3. My prayers for my business saved me from entering into a deleterious contract that would have had far-reaching implications for me well into my future.  
4. I have gotten closer than ever to actually re-launchng my ‘Thrive with Kari’ radio show as a video podcast. I went from engaging business partner funding, to approaching two people to help me with sponsorship and now I am back to just believing God to fund it. 
5.  I meticulously prayed and fasted to break down generational roadblocks, curses and hidden covenants from myself and my bloodline. Emphasis on meticulously. I kept driving the sledge hammer to those walls and demonic foundations. I never stopped. I was unyielding in my determination to come out of every spiritual cave and break every chain, fetter and brass ceilings imposed upon my rising. I developed the tenacity to pray until I see it happen. 
6.  After going through years of processing my divorce, I finally emerged from that hell, ready to embrace real, pure love. As much as I am ready, I am not desperate. This is such a sweet spot to be. I consider myself in preparation mode and I intend to FULLY maximize what is left of my single season. I’m not in pursuit of anyone. Instead, I have taken a hands-off, wait-and-see approach. I enlisted ABBA as my matchmaker. No one knows me better than Him and I just know that His choice for me is better than I could choose for myself. So I deleted the few online apps I joined and have completely given Him full matchmaking responsibilities.
7. My earthly father blessed me for my 43rd birthday. This one brings tears to my eyes.  I have been waiting on this for 7 years and finally, God granted me this answer to a deep longing of my soul. This needs an entire blog post for me to explain what this meant and what it has released over my life.  
8. I finally got ordained for ministry in the office of prophet. This was in Delaware. You may watch the video here. This was years in the making but I was finally released this past December in the USA. To think that I ran so hard and so long from my calling for 17 years, only to face the greatest testing when I decisively yielded my life to Christ. I have lost much in this faith walk but I am confident that whatever  I have lost, I have gained in eternal treasures.