Reflections on 2014

Ah, its that time of year again.

The time when we all beat ourselves up for the things we didn't accomplish in the past year and impose incredibly impossible resolutions on ourselves for the coming year.

Almost exactly a year ago, I decided enough was enough. I didn't make any resolutions last year at all, except for the idea that I wanted to improve in 2014. I wanted to look back at the year's end and think, I may not have checked off all the boxes, but look how I've grown as a person!

 And so I did. This year was a seemingly quiet one, full of working, schedules, first-time-tax-filing, and budgets. Lots and lots of budgets.

a couple months ago, I stood on the edge of a metaphorical cliff and jumped. I stopped living the shadow of my own fears and maybes and made a decision. I knocked on a door and asked God to open it only if he wanted it open.

Guess what? He did. (more on that another time.)


In the area of Bible reading, I once again didn't make it through the Bible in a year, but my reading is far more regular than it used to be. So is my prayer. And speaking of prayer...I've started doing something a little strange. I pray specifically. Very specifically. If something pops into my head, like so and so would be great at such and such. Then I ask God to show that person if He has something new in store for them. And so on.

I've come to realize that for me, new year's resolutions usually become more stress than they're worth. Probably because I never got the hang of making realistic goals. Some people thrive with resolutions, and I applaud them.

This was the first full year I worked, and dealing with the public in any capacity goes a long way toward increasing understanding of God and the world. Oh the people I've seen. The things I've thought. The more and more I see of God's world, the more I am convicted that I must do something.

These people must be told. Christ has come to save us!  Unspeakable Joy is ours! Christ has come to set the captives free!

One of the other huge things I've come to realize is that God doesn't want us to live a life of checkmarks. God wants us to live a life of grace. His strength is made perfect in our weakness.

And it's only in admitting that weakness that we can appreciate the strength.

Imperfectly yours,

Shannon.

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