Faithful

As the year 2014 comes to a close at midnight tonight, I began thinking about the year. A lot of people posted on social media about their year and how it was either really great or really bad. I look back at 2014 and I feel as though my year was not either of those things. It was just another year. No marriage, no babies, no huge life changing event.

Then, as I was cutting up mushrooms to stuff into my overflowing freezer, a word came to my mind: faithful. This was filled with God being faithful to our family.

Andrew had felt called to go to Alaska on missions trip and that required a step of faith in fundraising. It was amazing to see who gave and the sacrifices they made so that he could go on his first missions trip!

God was faithful in providing us with family time. We were able to visit family I had not seen in over 10 years! That was a huge blessing to reconnect with them. 

God was faithful in helping me take and pass two tests to keep my teaching license in South Dakota. He also helped me pass a class on Native American studies.

God was faithful in providing us a place to live, food in our stomachs, clothes to keep us warm, and two vehicles that run (even though one wouldn't start this morning because of the cold!). 

2014 may have seemed like an average year, but it was a year filled with living. We worked, played, and grew as people. 2015 has promise to be a big year, but even if it is not, we will work, play, and continue to bask in the faithfulness of God.We will strive to develop our lives to mirror Jesus in all we do. We will remain faithful to a God who is always faithful to us, in the good and bad! 

But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one.-2 Thessalonians 3:3 

They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness- Lamentations 3:23

2015: A New Year of Goals

2014 was a fun year. A lot of new and exciting things happened. Started my own business, met many new people and wrote a list of goals I wanted to accomplish during the year. 25 of them to be exact. I saw it on another blog and thought, "Hmmm...I could totally do that!"
So I typed up my goals-some for my family, personal life, and marriage. I was on a mission to become a better person. I wanted to embrace life to the fullest and draw closer to my family and God during 2014. The list was posted behind my computer where I would see it every day and be reminded what my goals were. 

I worked towards my various goals all year long, some with more vigor then others. The difference between goals and resolutions is that my goals were not something I declared on New Year's Eve right before the ball dropped and forgot. They were something I worked towards all year. 

2015 is going to be a little different. I an giving my goals a common theme. They will all work towards making me a more rounded, well organized, happier person. Each goal helps the next and all help my family more.

To begin preparing for my list of goals, I realized that this year I wanted to be more real with myself. I became real and raw with myself. I opened myself up to being vulnerable. The reality of setting goals is you are looking at yourself and seeing all your weakness. I began to break apart my life and the areas that I am struggling with. To actually admit to yourself that you struggle with keeping God as your first priority breaks into your heart like a million bricks. Realizing that I am not content with what I have and that I keep buying more is a slash to my pride. When did all that I have not be enough? When did it become this bad? Why do my kids have to have so many jackets? So many pairs of socks? When did my phone replace actually focusing on the people in front of me???? Those were the tough questions I began asking myself.

This is where the deep and meaningful goals come from. You tear down the walls and look back at the year before and you want change to come! You want a break through in life! 

Of course, you may have different goals-less serious goals. I wanted to run a 5K last year and that was one of my goals that I accomplished. I hate running, but it was something fun to do with  my sister. It was a great memory and now encourages me to do another 5K! 

This year I did put some serious goals, but I also threw in there to learn about manners and teach them to my children. I may be 27 but that does not mean I stop using my manners. I also want to tackle our car debt and get both cars PAID OFF!

Goals are great to make, but it is even more rewarding to actually work towards them and ACCOMPLISH them! Pick a number and set some goals! God be with you! I know He is with me always and in 2015, He will be there all the way!

I would love to hear some of the goals you are setting for yourself! Shoot me an email or comment below with your goals!

Finished my first 5K!