How has your new year started? Are you feeling energized by the fact that you are starting to write on new pages in your life this year? Are you feeling a bit like you are in a funk? Maybe you don’t see this year as any different from the last year?
I have found myself energized by the new year. I have received a lot in this last year:
- Insight and wisdom
- Made it through some very hard times
- God has strengthened my resolve
- I have left some old things behind
- Embraced new things
- Did some heart excavating
- The importance of family and friends
- Seeing life differently both with my eyes and my camera
- Learning what to say yes to
- No fear of saying no more often
- Renewed my love of making music
- Learning more and more to lean in and listen to the Whisper
I know there is much more to learn this year too, and I am happy to say that I have entered this new year without regrets. What was hard, made me stronger. I reviewed what was going on and examined my reaction to it. I believe in changing what I can to make it better. Most of the time, if I am honest, my reaction to something is really just not allowing God to handle it. I feel excited about what is to come this year! I have purchased a ukulele and mandolin to learn, got new strings on my guitar, budgeted a little for photography investments, started reading again everyday in those books I purchased. I approach it just like it is a class I attend. I give myself time for lessons to learn more, I give myself quiet time to reflect. I take in the moments in my day rather than moving so fast that I don’t “notice”, or hear God”s whisper.
As I am reading in a current study, I find myself in total agreement with the author who says we can get deafened to hearing from God because we have so 
many loud noises trying to get our attention. He also says that we become deaf to God speaking to us. He needs to be our loudest voice. I think so too. When I am living more like I shared above, I am more relaxed and just enjoy the moment for what it is. A mocha, a phone call from a friend, a prayer request that I immediately pray for, time with a child, listening to a great song, playing a tune I just made up, or spending time with hubby doing some of our favorite things. For example, I don’t just drink a mocha. I savor the warmth of the cup, the flavor of the drink, who I am with, where I am at….all those things. I’m thankful. Some do not have a warm drink, let alone a warm home. So I say thank you that I can enjoy this moment because He has been provided for that. When I sing and play, I am thankful for the gift of a singing voice and that I can even still sing; not like I used to, but at least I can still sing. I sing my thanks, I listen to the lyrics as I sing…it is all about taking the time to hear what song God even brings up in my spirit TO sing. That can be a message all by itself! That is listening! The new year for me brings up all the things that are right in my world, not all the things that are wrong. I look for good when I make my goals, and let God show me what He will willing to do with this year.
The gift that my hubby and I gave each other this year for Christmas was a spa type hot tub. It is portable and not real big, but it fits us and has a semi hard casing around it. We are excited about spending time enjoying a good soak when these bones and muscles are kind of stiff. It will be outside amongst the trees and cold air, while we are relaxed and refreshed by the heat of the tub. I can’t wait to try it out with a mocha in hand! I hope it will be ready soon!
I just got a new journal that I love. It is very old-fashioned and that draws me to it. It’s blank pages are screaming for a story, and…I just might have to write one. It may be for my own eyes only, and 
something I pass on, but it may be a treasure some day for someone else. There are mysteries in our lives, and I think we need to be more open to sharing them while we are here to share them. I encourage my boys to ask me what they want to know if I haven’t shared it with them already. So if you aren’t a journal type person, remember, it doesn’t have to be a page; it may only be a paragraph. It may even be a sentence or two. Great! Just put it down.
My new year’s wish for you is that you take this new year as an opportunity to mix things up a little bit. Do something new. Change what you don’t like and replace it with something you do! Become a an artist of your own life; a writer of your own story. There are times in my life where a certain situation comes up and I would love to see God change that, like… immediately. But of course, that is not the case. God has His own time frame, and His own reasoning for where I am and what I am doing. So instead of complaining about it, I’m learning to ask Him to help me understand it, AND the process. That way my focus is more on solution than complaint. You see, if we change how we look at things, we change everything about it. I can’t take a picture of a flower if I’m focused on the sky. I have to get down where the flowers grow, maybe even grovel on the ground a bit to get the best view. THEN… I can see the beauty that is there to see. It is all about our perspective.
Let me just say that I hope you will grab that extra cup of coffee or what ever your favorite is, and take a moment to ponder this post. See and ask what you are supposed to put your eyes and ears to this year. What does this mean for you? What is my heart telling me about my adventurous journey? Not adventurous, you say? Well then! You have your first goal for the new year! Adventure! Seek out something new! Go for it! I am!!! 🙂
See you on the Adventure trail!
Until next time…
~JoAnn
I still don’t know. We think we see the light at the end of the tunnel, but then there are the signs that tell us, no entry. We have had a hiccup in the process and we are waiting to see how big the buyers think the hiccup is. The kicker? If we have to put more money into the house to sell it, hubby wants to invest in the house for ourselves, and stay. WHAT?!?!?!???? I have packed half of the house up to do what???!!! STAY here? Oh boy! Breathe girl… breathe!
Today as I opened my Bible, I turned to Psalm 116. It talks of the author’s love for the Lord, and all that the Lord has done for him. He is praising the Lord for His goodness. That was lifting to my spirit today, as well as, a gentle reminder to stay in gratitude. What refreshment to my soul! My Gratitude Jar hasn’t been growing over the last month or so. That’s not good. When I am not dropping those hearts in my jar, I can easily let other things that come my way get the best of me. Of course, that is exactly what satan wants; he wants to discourage me in every way possible. So today, I have dropped a few hearts in my jar and told God I will continue as I always do to remember (my word for the year) to always live in gratitude. Today, I am very grateful for U-Turns that we are allowed in life. Wow! What a blessing to be able to know that God will forgive me, gently lift me up and turn me back around. What a picture word that is…u-turn. I have to allow it. I have to be willing to turn back around. I am the “U” in u-turn. I can either keep struggling, or surrender and let Him do what He needs to do in me.
allow a u-turn. You may be carrying around a huge amount of guilt from your past. Don’t be a martyr and carry that heavy load around. Unload it at the cross. Surrender it. We just experienced Easter and that is what Easter is all about. He doesn’t want you to have to live under the burden. Let Him pick you up, clean you off, set you down in the opposite direction, and walk the rest of the way with you. It is what He desires. You have the decision to make. I would love to walk up to the window of my life and look in to see what He has in store for me. But I can’t. However, He sees the end from the beginning and He will eventually help me see clearly through the window with out cracks, or brokenness.
journeysofmyheart.com 