word for 2015 | s h i n e

HAPPY NEW YEAR! I am always so excited for a new year, that feeling of a fresh start.

Of course, there are plenty of little goals swirling around in my head right now and I am sure even more will come to mind over then next several days, but instead of sharing those scatter-brained thoughts, I am just going to share the "theme" I've chosen to focus on for this new year. I always love to choose a broad theme that can be a central focus as I make goals & plans throughout the year. As I choose, I always try to think about what the LORD has been teaching me, mostly through His Word. That way, I am choosing something meaningful for me yet basic enough to focus on through all of lives unknowns... So, each new year I choose a word and Bible verse to focus on!

My word for 2015 is  S H I N E

I am a lover of light. I love the way the sun during golden hour makes all things shine. As a photographer, particularly of things in nature, light is everything. It is the most important element in all of my photography and it always inspires me. I guess that would have been reason enough to choose "shine" as my word for 2015. But it goes even deeper than taking a pretty photo... I really decided to choose this word because of several Bible verses that were coming to mind over the past several days and months even. It kind of started back when I designed this print. Anyway, there are so many great verses with the words "shine" or "light" that it was hard to choose which verse I was going to chose to be my focus verse. So really I am going to be meditating on and memorizing several of them over this year.

My verse for 2015 is  J O H N  8:12

{Jesus said} “I am the light of the world.
Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness,
but will have the light of life.”

My main goal this year is to believe Him on a deeper level... To deeply believe that He is a great and mighty God and that He is able to do far more than I can imagine. Naturally I am an introvert, which I don’t think is all bad, but I think I have often allowed it to make me more fearful and timid than He wants me to be. BUT Jesus came to this earth and conquered death, so I can have great hope in Him.

I have His light in me, so I am called to SHINE for Him.

word for 2014 | f o c u s

 Here is one of the first photos I took in 2014 -- taken January 2nd. 

The sky was clear blue and the sun was shining, yet it was cold and the world around me was 

covered in frost. That kind of beauty is always good for my soul. Seeing it and capturing it 

inspires me. How God has created this world is a thing of great beauty and mystery.

* * *

Well, here we are at the beginning of a New Year, so I had to share a few thoughts on my blog. Like every year, there are a lot of  little "goals" that I have... For example, this year I am hoping to learn more about writing with my new calligraphy pens (Christmas gift). I want to push myself to be more creative. And of course, I have the typical goals of being healthier, reading more books & so on... Another goal, that is actually still on my list from last year (really all of them are)... is to finish some of my half-done knitting/crocheting projects. So, of course I have "goals" for this year! I always start off a year, with lots of plans & things I want to do, because a new year always inspires me, so it's easy to have a lot on my mind. It's all exciting and good, but it can also feel overwhelming. Often what I feel like I lack the most is focus...

One of the trends I have noticed in the past couple of years is choosing a positive word for the year. 

I love this idea, because it keeps things simple, more attainable. And if you chose the right word to be 

your "theme" for the year I think it can really benefit you in several areas of your life.

So... my word for 2014  ///  f o c u s

I decided that "focus" would be my word simply because I feel like God brought me to it.

I feel like God is trying to tell me that I simply need to "focus" on Him. All of my other goals and plans

 may work out or they may not... but either way it wouldn't matter if I was not focused on Him.
There is nothing wrong with goals, but if they are taking over my time & effort and
causing me not to grow in the Lord, than it's all in vain.

A couple of weeks ago in Sunday School, I was reminded of these two verses, which go right along 

with my theme, so I have decided to make these my 2014 "focus" verses...

My plan is to always come back to these verses! I will meditate on them and memorize them, as well as other verses that will help me to keep my "focus" on Him. If I get off track, which I probably will, I know that these verses will remind me where my focus needs to be. In addition to the reminders of my theme word and my verses, I will be reading through the Bible in a year, a little bit everyday, which I have never done before. I am certain that there is no better way to stay focused on Him and learn from Him than to read His Word everyday.

So, there is my only real goal for 2014... To "focus" on Him in all I do. To think on things above. 

Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, 

and all these things will be given to you as well. 

Matthew 6:33

Do you have a word for 2014 or any special goals for the year?

2013, a life of purpose

(a little late...)

I can't believe 2013 is here!

It always sounds so glamours to have New Years resolutions, but they don't have a very good reputation
& so often they are not based in reality. We forget about the real work that it takes to reach the rewards.
 However, I do think that it is very important to have goals through out life. We should always be striving for
 growth & joy in life... And I have always felt that the start of a new year is a good time to plan for new goals
 & evaluate past goals. Sometimes in life we quit before we should. Sometimes we fail. Often goals need to
 be changed or re-set... And I think that's OK, because that is reality. As long as we don't give up
& we keep taking steps forward!

So... over the past couple of days I have been making a little list of a few goals that I have for this year...
 Truthfully, most of them are pretty typical goals, for me. They are similar to the goals that I have had years
 before. I think my goals are often the same, because they are very important to me & I don't want to give up
 on them, even if I have struggled in the past. I want to live with them every day of my life, not just for a
period of time. And I need yearly, monthly & daily reminders to strive after them! It is less about making
"New Years resolutions" & more about reminding myself to strive after my "Life Goals"!!

My most important goal is to "live with godly-purpose in all things"! I have seen many people chose a word
 for the year. A word that they will focus on. I thought a good word for me this year would be PURPOSE.
I want to face all of the goals on this list, all of the goals I haven't shared & even everyday tasks with godly
 purpose. I want to be intentional when I pray & read God's word. I want to take care of myself to honor
& bring glory to God, not for vanity's sake. I want to wholly trust God with my life & be used by God!
In everything I do, I want to make sure that I am doing it with pure motives & that it will please God!

So, there are my goals for 2013 & beyond...
They will be easy sometimes & hard other times.

If I mess up one week, I will try again the next!

I love that every new year brings hope.

Every New Day Brings Hope!

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord,
“plans to prosper you and not to harm you, 
plans to give you hope and a future.”
{  Jeremiah 29:11 }