Happy New Years!

Resolutions aren't my thing.  They never have been.  Mostly because I find that the majority of them are abandoned by mid January.  Instead, I have chosen a word of the year for a few years now.  Some of my words have been journey, intention, to be....

Last year I didn't choose a word.  I was just not feeling it.  My year started in a funk (maybe even a little postpartum happening).  Most of my year followed suit.  2015 has had it's highs and lows, but I'd definitely say it was a rough one.

Don't get me wrong.  We are very happy to be back in Texas. That's not it at all. There have just been so many adjustments to go along with that, financial stress, priority shifts, and more.  At points throughout the year I actually joked that I just might be going through a mid life crisis.  I could feel things shifting and an unsettling happening, but I couldn't put my finger on it.

I've been reflecting on the upcoming new year for the past week now, and as I do I realize that it wasn't really a mid life crisis but more of God putting me through a refiners fire, if you will.  He was breaking me to teach me.  To prepare my heart for what is to come.  To change me and soften me.

There were words swirling in my head at the beginning of the month, and I thought I had one that I was going to use.  I went to our women's Christmas party at church.  Our pastor's wife got up to give a little devotional.  It was all about hope.  She said God had very specifically given her the word.  As soon as she gave the definition, I knew it was my word.  It's as if God placed it in my hand himself.

I'm going to live expectantly in 2016! Soon after I chose my word, messages of "hope" started popping up everywhere.  I saw an acronym that said hope is Having Only Positive Expectations.  This is the first time in a while that I am entering a new year excited about what is to come.  I know God has big plans for me (us), and I am looking forward to what those are!

A verse that has spoken to me...

I asked Michael to choose a word.  He chose "muscles" with his goals being "more muscles".  Ha ha.  Of course, he was just kidding.  His real word is "Selfless".  I also challenged my friend Alycia to choose a word.  She liked the idea so much that she then challenged her mom and brother.

What about you?  Do you make resolutions?  Do you choose a word?  Are you looking forward to 2016?

HAPPY NEW YEAR!