Volume 20: Rest in Becoming

 

I'm a big fan of the New Year. I'm a reflector and a goal setter, so what could beat the time of year where you can look back over the past year and get ready for the year ahead!

For me, there is something special about reading back through my journals from the year - pages full of gratitudes, honest prayers, Scripture that stood out to me, things learned from reading, and a lot of stream of consciousness processing. As I read through, I am able to see more clearly the ways that the Lord was working. I already see answered prayers. I recognize how fortunate I am in this life. 

Overall, 2022 was a pretty hard year. Despite my word for the year being HERE, I struggled to be present in the moment. I was continuously praying for a quiet mind, for clarity in the midst of unknown and feeling unsettled. 

However, I don't think it's a coincidence that my most played song was How Great the Lord is by Kingdom Culture. 

When I look back at my life

And I see all that You've done

Countless testimonies of Your love

But the greatest one of all

Is when You rescued me from sin

Led me right into a brand new life

I can't believe how good the Lord is

This year started off with celebrating 8 years with the Lord and then continued to be rich in growth in my understanding of the Bible and Jesus's character. Between listening to Father Mike's Podcast and watching the Chosen, I felt a new excitement for Scripture and a refreshed desire to learn more.

The Lord's greatness has been all around me...

In experiencing ultimate hospitality in Puebla, Mexico.

In witnessing the BEAUTIFUL, amazing marriage of Seth and Elliott. 

In going on my eighth ski trip with VUMC youth and being reminded of the beauty of getting kids out of their routine.

In having to physically slow down after stepping on a stupid SCREW that went into my foot!!

In spending a week on a riverboat cruise in France, being the youngest by at least 30 years.

In playing baseball and soccer and doing some good ole manual labor to prepare for the summer at camp.

In the moment when all of our hard work of recruiting paid off and all staff and kids arrived at Ozark!

In celebrating Maggie and Preston's marriage with my best friends from college. 

In being humbled in my weaknesses and recognizing that God is my strength.

In gaining another baby to the family, yay for Teagan! 

In taking on new college towns of Oxford, Gainesville, Statesboro, and Rome.

In seeing the strength of a friend walking through a breakup. 

In celebrating the holidays with friends and family who love and care for me well. 

And yet, even in all of these gifts that I received, 2022 was a year of a lot of internal turmoil. 

But today, I find rest in the reminder that we are not ultimately made to be "here." While, of course, I want to be living in the present, may I be more focused on who I am becoming and anticipating all that is to come...

Therefore, my word for 2023 is BECOME. As I think about last year, as a whole, I realize that I desired many things, yet was very passive in my attempts to gain them, almost as if waiting for everything to just be handed to me. So here's to a year of being more active in going after the things I want/becoming the person I want to be. 

My main focus of 2023 is to become more like Jesus. To be a student of Jesus and the life that He lived through reading and focusing on the gospels throughout the year. Each day after reading, I will set out to answer the question: "What is one thing I have learned about Jesus? And how does that apply to me in my pursuit of becoming more like Him?" 

I believe that in my attempt to imitate Jesus, I will develop more patience, more trust, more love, more joy, more EVERYTHING good!! 

Even more than striving to become like Him, I also want to become a better follower of Jesus. To seek out community, to be bold in sharing His word, to be content where I am, to trust His plan, to work with excellence in all that I do and to rest in His presence.

HABITS TOWARD BECOMING:

• Become a student of the Word - Immerse myself in the gospels every morning, reading through each book three times by the end of the year. Taking the time to reflect after reading and not just move on, checking it off a "to-do list"

• Become a slower reader - Take notes while reading nonfiction books, allowing myself to retain information and apply it to my life rather than skimming through. Quality over quantity.

• Become a restful person - Sabbath! To continue to become a person who seeks rest in Jesus, especially in the midst of this busy, loud world.

• Become a good friend and family member - Be bold in praying for, encouraging, and loving the people around me.

• Become a hard, positive worker - Give everything I have to everything I do. To put my head down and work hard, wherever the Lord has me. Glorifying Him in all that I do, whether big or small task. 

• Become someone who is present - Enjoy the small moments of each day! Appreciate the outdoors. Don't let phone be a distraction. Quick to listen, slow to speak. Earning the right to be heard. 

• Become a life long learner - Willing to learn different perspectives than my own and topics that may not be my greatest passion. 

Here's to 2023!

To not getting complacent...

To constantly becoming!