Thursday, December 31, 2015

Peace out 2015

2015. It was such a full year. I fell in love. I had heart ache. There were dreams, and there were doubts. I stretched myself to exhaustion, and I was filled with the thrill of adventure on the other side of the planet. This year I met some amazing people, and each and every one left their impression on the soft clay of my soul.

2015. A year brimming with opportunities and shenanigans. So as I reflect, what did I learn? I'm still working on that, but I do know how important it is to know who you are. Don't be afraid of what you'll find within yourself. Don't be afraid to know what you want and to take a stand to get it. Be comfortable in your own skin and embrace who you are as you enter into this new year.

Secondly, it's so important to love boldly and wholly. Whether it ends well or not, it will impact you in such a powerful way. It reveals who you are at your core, and it helps you embrace that. It invites you to laugh and be silly. It brings with it hope, and we could all use some of that. So don't be afraid of letting someone in. Love fearlessly.

Lastly, persevere. Life is going to be hard, and things always seem to have a tendency to take longer than you'd like. But don't give up. Keep working and pushing forward. My dad reminded me that it's easy to give up at the last moment, just as the break through is about to come. That's when you need to hold on the most because you just never know when the break through will come. It could be just around the corner from where you want to give in.

So delve into who you are as a person. Love yourself and love others with abandon. And hold fast to your hope and your dreams. May 2016 bring with it insight and glimmering joy! Happy New Year :)

Tuesday, December 8, 2015

Heart at Rest

And here we are once again, at the turn of another year. It goes by so quickly doesn't it? We all have so much to get done, yet we often don't have the resources - emotionally, physically, materially - to get there. I know I've been running on fumes, and I can only imagine the numerous circumstances and demands you may be facing in this season of your life. Are you finding rest? Are you finding the peace of quiet stillness? I have not been. In fact, I wasn't even going to today until I felt the urge to just sit and listen to worship music. Even then, my mind jumped to all I had to do, and I was going to brush it aside for "later." However, my tired, anxious heart won out. And how sweet and beautiful the quiet peace of simply being still with Christ is.

I try to carry the world on my shoulders, but God whispers to let Him carry me in His palm. To come and lie down in green pastures beside quiet waters. It is not always easy, and it is not always convenient. At first, my rest even felt painfully uncomfortable, like I was wasting time. I think this in and of itself is a sign that you need to take a minute to stop and let your heart rest. There are always going to be a million things you should be doing, but your heart wasn't meant to run on E. You aren't the energizer bunny, no matter how badly you want to be :).

God is the keeper of my heart, and I've often equated this simply to my love story (which is true), but it means so much more. It means when my heart is tired, when my heart is anxious, He will sustain it. Christ will protect it with peace and carry it in love. So be filled. Be still. Be refreshed. May you have a heart-at-rest moment amidst the craziness of your season.