resolutions

My Word of the Year

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I’m a little late to be posting about my word of the year when it’s been all over blogland.  It’s not because I haven’t been thinking about it, rather it’s just been hard to find a word that sums up what I want or need this year.  None of them felt quite right.  I had considered dream, intentional, dare, believe, renew, focus and even outloud.  I didn’t want to casually pick a word, rather I wanted it to be meaningful and prayerful.

Well, this is it….  PURSUE.

It fits in so many ways.  Let me share a little…

My Dream Job – I need to build and grow my hobby from finding treasures and selling in the little space I rent to a whole new level.  I want Farm Girls at Heart to be a brand that becomes bigger than the little antique store I sell out of.  I want to sell more on etsy, I want to do shows in different states.  I want to step out and make my dream a reality.  In order to do that, I have to pursue my dream and not wait for success to find me, I have to pursue it.

Healthy Lifestyle – I am tired of ever changing 15 – 20 pounds that I am constantly losing and gaining.  I don’t want to focus on a size or weight goal.  I would rather focus on eating healthier and being intentional with the food I eat; and to move and exercise more.  Diets don’t work for me, but healthier eating will benefit everybody.

Righteousness – I want to pursue righteousness.  To dig into the word more and grow in my relationship with God.  I want read the Bible more and to continue to journal regularly.  I want to be a good example to my family.  The hardest thing in this one is the the tendency for me to talk negatively.  I am generally a positive person (I’m even criticized for it), but I can’t seem to help but to share my thoughts and feelings about things that happen or my opinions about them.  This may not seem bad, but then I hear my children parrot my previous conversations and I realize that is not a good thing…

Boldness – I want to pursue boldness in my Christian faith.  I have been a believer all my life.  I love God with all my heart and if you ask me, I would love to share my faith with you. Did you notice that I said “if you ask me”.   But for some reason, I can’t seem to step out of my comfort zone and initiate conversations about church and/or God.  I wait for people to ask me questions rather than asking them anything related to church or God.

Why?  I’m not sure and that frustrates me.  I don’t ever want to seem pushy or make people feel obligated and that has kept me from reaching out to people. Often times, I fear being judged and that fear keeps me from stepping out.  That is one of the reasons this blog has never been posted on my Facebook or Instagram because I fear judgement or criticism from people. I would rather speak to a faceless crowd where people don’t know me personally.   I need boldness in this area too, that this blog can be another platform to share my faith.

Authentic Relationships – I want to pursue real relationships with women.  I want to build a small group of ladies where we can share our deeper feelings and hurts and desires without fear of judgement or criticism.  I need to be more open with sharing my home and time with others.

That’s my word of the year.  It has lofty goals and lots of avenues to be used this year.  I pray that this word will weave its way through my heart and life this year; that changes will be made and lives improved as a result.

Do you have a word of the year?  I’d love to hear about it!

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A New Year, a New Beginning

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Each year I think of goals and resolutions. I am just like everybody else and I make a list each year of what I want to accomplish.    I keep some of my resolutions and I forget about most of them.

Beginning image

Source: quotesonimages.com

I  think about my new goals for 2015 and I think about how exciting it is to have a “do over”; a chance where we can start fresh and have a new beginning.  That made me think about what a new beginning is all about.

When I reflect on 2014, I tend to see my failures and regrets.  I remember the the things that I didn’t do, the mistakes I made and the missed opportunities.  Reflection often brings shame and overshadows the many joys of the past year.  Because really,  2014 was a good year.  It was a year of healing, growth and redemption.   It was a year to be celebrated.

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.

The old has gone, the new has come.”  

2 Corinthians 5:17

Paul wrote these words.  He believed these words.  He experienced these words.  If I can think of any biblical character that experienced a new beginning, it is Paul.  Paul knew.  Paul knew the redemptive power of Christ’s love and sacrifice.  He felt the change from his past to his beginning.  Paul was able to overcome who he used to be to who God called him to be.  Paul didn’t let his past keep him from being used by God.  He didn’t let public opinion make him want to keep his story a secret.  He didn’t let shame and regret from past behavior keep him from God’s purpose.  Instead, he used his past to share the power of God’s forgiveness.

God used a man that used to kill Christians and changed his heart and gave him a new beginning that he became one of the most influential man in history.

Our past does not have to define our future.  Our shame does not have to continue to be carried; our fears do not have to hold us back.  Our regrets do not have to be larger than our intentions.  If we believe these lies (and that’s what they are); than we are not acknowledging the full redemptive power of God’s grace.  God is bigger than our past.  He IS our future; He IS our hope.    He IS our new beginning.  The consequences of our past may still be there, but so is God.  And God can use each one of us right where we are.  Even with the garbage that we have created with our choices.

What is holding you back this year?  I encourage you to keep the past from influencing your future.  Join me and let’s make 2015 a new beginning….

source: inspirably.com

source: inspirably.com