2014 and Forevermore...

...This year, I want to have a healthy heart.  Sure, I want the anatomical heart within me to be in good shape!  But I want the very heartbeat of who I am to be as it should, too.  I want this to be a year of growth--of getting to know God and of becoming the me He desires.  I want beauty to mark each page I turn, each trail I blaze, each moment of healing through surrender and submission.

So here's to another year of becoming me as I live for Him! 

This year, I want to make it a habit to...

Create.
Paint.  Draw.  Cook.  Write.

Be Inspired.
Dream.  Hope.  Travel.  Meet people.  Read. 

Live with joy, not just happiness.
Laugh.  Seek the good.  Count my blessings.  Remember God's sovereignty.  Let go of my dreams to embrace His plan. 

Love sincerely. 
Reach out to the lost and broken.  See others as a blessing.  Spend time with friends.  Encourage strangers.  Invest in the next generation.  Serve wholeheartedly.  Listen.  Catch up with the family more often.  

Be Teachable.
Learn from others.  Have a good attitude.  Keep an open mind.  But always remember the Truth.

Be Productive.
Organize and put away my messes.  Retreat from the chaos and spend time with God.  Get some exercise.  Complete my school work.  Make someone's day.   

Pursue Health. 
Stay active.  Eat well.  Be outside.  Drink more water.  Remember: Everything in moderation.

Capture the moment. 
Make memories.  Take pictures.  Journal it.  Enjoy the little things.  Try something new.

Set My Priorities Straight.
Get to know God.  Put Him first.  Read His word.  Pray often.  Value His opinion over the world's.  Act upon convictions and Truth.

Take it One Step at a Time. 
Hang in there.  Take a deep breath.  Cry.  Step away from it.  Remember the Big Picture.  Smile with the memories.  Accept the future.  Trust my Father.  

Relax.
Take the long way home.  Do a puzzle.  Listen to some good music.  Spill my guts to God.  Hear the rain.  Soak in some sunshine.  Feel the wind on my face.  Make time for fellowship.   

Be a Woman of God. 
Embrace and Embody: gentleness, kindness, forgiveness, wisdom, humility, thankfulness, compassion, patience, and peace (Colossians 3:12-17), dignity, hospitality, discipline, purity, victory, perseverance, generosity, repentance, strength, and freedom.


I guess I got a little carried away!  But it's a lot of good stuff--ways to remember that the bad days aren't so bad after all.  They're just helping me remain teachable ;)  Besides, life gets complicated.  Why not have options?  This will give God and me plenty to work with as we go through this next year!

No doubt, our days here get confusing and overwhelming and are always changing.  But they're wonderful.  Each one truly is a gift, and, while I look forward to the perfection that awaits in Heaven, I'm grateful that I'm given the chance to live this earthly life.

May 2014 give us a greater love for one another and draw us ever-nearer to Him.