Reflections

Focus. Focus on being fit. Focus on being healthy, my faith, my marriage, my friends, my family, finding a new job. My word of the year for 2017: Focus. 

2017 was a whirlwind of a year. It was filled with uncertainty, extremely scary surgeries, medical issues, tears, and a lot of “the unknown”. It was also filled with a job change, tough discussions and truth with friends, love, laughter, a new {almost!} adopted niece, and more tears. God had us all, though, the entire time. His plan is always bigger than the ones we have for ourselves. 

When I prayed about my word, God led my heart to “Focus”. I wasn’t prepared for what He meant, though. I thought it would be simple things like working out, eating better, reading my bible more, etc. none of those happened. What did happen was His plan. His plan for me to Focus was to focus on family. That was it. Sure, other things like my job change and learning to focus on my finances more came to fruition also. However, God’s plan was always for me to simply focus on family. 

Sometimes we think we have these grand plans of what our life will look like over the next year, but by the end, it’s 💯 different of how we pictured. And that’s okay! What I learned this year was to not focus on my plan, but to focus more on God. Even though I didn’t read my bible or go to church (at all, honestly), He still showed His grand love for me and my family.

Every year I pray that God will lead me to a word for the upcoming year. A few weeks ago, it felt like God smacked me on the back of my head, like your mom may have done as a kid when you did something dumb. I knew what my word for 2018 needed to be in that quick instant. There wasn’t enough time for prayers to make sure that’s what He wanted. I knew. Selah. That would be my word. It appears in Psalms 71 times alone. It means “Pause”. I know what I’d like to happen with this word during 2018, but I’m significantly more excited to see what God’s plan is for this word in my life. 

🥂 Cheers, to a new year. May it be filled with everything God plans for your life. Just remember to keep your eyes and heart on Him and you may not be that surprised by what He does in your life!