I have probably mentioned it on here before… But I will say it again– the New Year is one of my favorite moments.
Not because I stay up late to welcome in the new year (because I don’t– at least not on purpose.) It’s not because I have an affinity for a celebratory adult beverage. (Um, hello… Still preggo. And so Young Living NingXia Red was my “stiff drink” of choice.)
It’s because each new year gives me an opportunity to reflect on where I’ve been and where God has taken me the last year… And maybe seek a few glimpses of where my Jesus-Journey might take me in the next 365 days.
But before I can get too wound up about next steps, I would love to take a few moments to personally reflect on my God-sized dreams for 2016.
Side-note: These God-sized dreams are sort of like resolutions… but not. They are God-given and driven. And unlike (most) resolutions, it’s not something I forget about by February 5th. I make a card that I keep in my journal and look at these every single day to *try to stay focused.
Anywho… About my dreams from 2016...
1. Invest in the heart of Brandon (my husband) and Charis (my daughter.)
Result: Achieved… Ish.
All my pro-goal-setter-friends out there are breaking into hives right now thinking, “Pshaw! That’s not a measurable goal! Ludicrous!” Yes. I know this isn’t the most “measurable” goal on the planet, but this is what differentiates God-sized dreams from resolutions. It’s not about the pounds or numbers– but about the heart. I made an effort (note– I said effort– not perfect success) to raise the bar with how I interact with the people who God has placed in my life, specifically, the ones who I am going to be the least-Jesus-like in moments of stress, pressure, etc. I realized during our “Best Deployment Ever” that investing in the heart of Brandon is showing him RESPECT… And for Charis it was LOVE. Again, didn’t do it perfect– ESPECIALLY when pregnancy hormones kicked in– but I *think* I remember something God said about grace…
2. Read 75 Books
Result: Nope.
Every year, I have at least one God-sized dream that I don’t accomplish. And this year, it was this one. I might classify this one as “note even close.” But do you know what? I am completely, truly, 150 percent ok with that! (Which is a huge step for this recovering perfectionist.) The year before, I did (and achieved) the 52 book challenge… But this year, I needed a break. So I am completely satisfied with the 18 books I did read this year.
3. Be Positive
Result: Achieved– ish (again.)
This dream was again an intangible heart thing– I have noticed that in the past few years, I transitioned from a passionate optimist to a more jaded pessimist… and that was NOT ok. So I intentionally focused this last year to ask myself: Did my words, attitude and actions reflect Jesus? Again, much like Dream #1, I didn’t achieve perfection… (Not even close) But I was focusing/praying on it every day. So when we measure heart change as progress in the process (instead of perfection,) I am say it was a win. (And won’t be stopping anytime soon.)
4. Pass the Army PT Test
Result: Achieved… I think.
Near the end of 2015, I achieve the very huge (for me!) God-sized dream of running a marathon– and living to tell about it. I always want to be working on myself not just spiritually, emotionally and mentally, but also physically. But I was kind of burned out on intense training programs after the marathon. So I wanted to be able to just pass the Army PT Test– 2 mile run (for time), push-ups and sit-ups. And I *think* I did that. For some odd reason, I didn’t write down my stats– which is ok, because they weren’t impressive. (And I was soon feeling like blah by May this last year due to pregnancy.) However, my greatest victory physically this year was being able to do “real” toe push-ups for the first time in my life. (Spoiler: This God-sized dream will be a repeat for 2017… Post baby, of course.)
5. Break Emotional Eating Cycle
Result: Achieved!
Thanks to the blogging break I took this summer, I realized that I never let you know how my Whole120 journey went. (I could write about 7 blogs about this topic alone. Maybe sometime I will.) It was hard. But it was a GAME CHANGER for my life! 120 days of following Whole30 protocol… No processed foods, no sugar, no dairy, no legumes– just meat, veggies, fruits, nuts… Coupled with lots of Jesus prayer, the bible study “Made to Crave” and my amazing accountability partner and I experienced freedom from my emotional bondage to food for the first time in my 3-plus decades of life on this earth. I am so looking forward to getting back to this eating style when this new Tiny Human vacates my uterus. (And, although pregnancy greatly intensifies my emotions, the occurrences of emotional eating this round are significantly reduced when compared to being preggo with Charis. #Winning)
6. Hide God’s Truth in my Heart
Result: Achieved!
2016 was the first year that I specifically focused on memorizing Scripture. And I loved it. I used the Scripture Typer App Pro version (highly recommend!) and it revolutionized how I remember God’s Word. My goal was to memorize the book of James plus about 50 extra Scriptures for a total of 150 verses memorized. End result: Conquered the Book of James (105 verses) and various other scriptures, totaling 295 bible verses memorized in 2016. #YesPlease
Overall, 2016 was pretty good to me when looking at it from Jesus’ perspective. Not as “fired-up” and profound as years past (because it did come with some challenges) but it was just what my heart and soul needed.
Friends, how did 2016 turn out for you? Did you do God-sized dreams? Jump in and leave a comment below.
And be sure to stay tuned for the next blog– because my oh-so-excited-nerdy-self will be sharing my God-sized dreams for 2017.
Dreaming Big for Him,
“I thank and praise you, God of my ancestors: You have given me wisdom and power, you have made known to me what we asked of you, you have made known to us the dream of the king.” ~Daniel 2:23
