Focus Statements

I am not one to set New Year's Resolutions, primarily because my list of "what needs changing" is too long and overwhelming, and thus, my resolutions end in failure.  I am not one for setting anyone up for failure, and that includes myself.  I am however, a very goal driven person.  Goals help me to remain focused, and serve as guidelines in decision making, which prove to be very important during chaotic seasons.  After years of setting goals that weren't really making a difference in my life, I realized that the idea of a New Year's resolution was not aiding my growth in any way.  I ended up focusing on things that, in light of eternity, weren't really that important.  God helped me to make a very important shift about two years ago, when He gave me Focus Statements.  The past few years I have asked God to give me phrases to propel me forward in my life, in the areas that He sees as important, as opposed to the areas that this world holds in high esteem.  I started with "Nourish to Flourish" and that year God helped me to nourish my soul, my marriage, my relationships, and my body.  Last year, I focused on "Be Present" and "With His Strength." "Be Present" was to help me to be mindful of the current task that I was in, rather than spending time daydreaming, worrying, or planning how to do the next.  It also was intended to guide me to be very careful with social media, emails, and texting, when it came to being with others...be present with them...not stuck into my phone. (I think I may have failed at the latter).  "With His Strength", was the way I approached walking through healing, forgiveness, transition, and establishing healthy boundaries in my life. It reminded me that at every point that I felt that I didn't have the strength to keep walking forward or to keep pressing in, that "With His Strength," I could do all things.

This year, I feel like God has two focus statements for me; Consult God and I am Loved  

I am an extremely relational person, and have been blessed to be surrounded by wise counsel.  I have spent the past year, walking through a great deal of healing, but there is much more ahead of me.  In that, I can often go to the people that God has placed in my life, to help me process through pain, give me strength to forgive, or to help guide me in important decisions in life.  I do this, at times, in the place of going to God.  This year, I want to be reminded to Consult God at every turn, and to allow the wise counsel He has blessed me with, to be simply the icing on the cake.  

I am also realizing that there are moments where I still doubt the love of God, for ME. (I realize that sounds ridiculous, but it is honest.)   I know that His love is real, and I have no trouble believing in that love for everyone around me, but I often struggle to grasp it for myself.  This year, I want to post reminders everywhere to remind me of this truth.  For, we cannot truly love another, without understanding love ourselves.  

And, as a side note...in Paul and I's marriage we have decided to focus on....

Explore: We realize that we still have a ton to learn about each other, we want to explore each other's hearts, explore new hobbies together, explore opportunities for growth, etc...

Endurance: In this season, with managing a blended family with 4 children, me working, and Paul in school & staying home with the kids,  and also walking through some trials together, we need endurance to push through.  

Romans 5:34 "More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope. 

So, there you have it! 2014 here we go!!!