Hey Friends!
Happy New Year! I hope you had a wonderful, joy-filled holiday season!
True confession: I experienced a deep sense of disappointment this New Year’s Eve. Ugh.
Happy New Year!
From the outside, all seemed fine. My husband John and I took the kids to a family-fun indoor water park, and enjoyed three days of games, swimming, mini-golf, and hotel food. The problem wasn’t my family or my surroundings.
But on the inside, I was struggling. Big time.
I felt a huge sense of guilt, condemnation, despair, and I completely lost my joy.
Thankfully, one early morning while the kids were still sleeping (not too early—goodness knows my kids would sleep until noon if I’d let them), I had the chance to spend some alone time with God and the Word. I desperately wanted to get to the bottom of my sadness and discouragement.
After some time in prayer, I quickly realized I was deeply disappointed in how my 2015 turned out.
You see, last year I set lofty 2015 goals. Since I was turning 45, I set “45” as my theme—
- Lose 45 pounds
- Memorize 45 new Bible verses
- Write 45 new blog posts
You get the idea.
And now here we were, 365 days later, and I didn’t meet one of my 2015 goals. In fact, during a year that I thought I would spend writing and blogging and accomplishing much for the Kingdom, I sensed God was calling me to take the summer off.
Instead of writing a book and/or expanding my blog readership, I hosted sleepovers. We played lots of card games, spent a week unplugged at the lake, and I took my kids and their friends on an overnight mystery day. We flew to Colorado, hiked up mountains, rode a jeep through rugged canyons, and experienced five new states. I said “yes, sure!” a lot more to my kiddos, instead of “not right now, I have to work.” I hosted a yummy Mexican fiesta for my son Jake’s 21st birthday, and helped him pack and prepare for his fall semester overseas in Spain. (Thankfully he arrived home this weekend after four months away!)
Welcome Home, Jake!
Overall, my plan for 2015 was very different than God’s plan for 2015.
How about for you? Did you meet your New Years goals and resolutions for 2015, sweet friend?
If you did, congratulations! I celebrate YOU! Woo Hoo!
But if you didn’t, please know, you are not the only one.
As I sat before God with my open Bible and sad heart this weekend, I realized these thoughts of disappointment were not the voice of my Heavenly Father speaking to me. Our God does not say to His dearly loved kids things like:
- You blew it again.
- What a disappointment you are.
- How can you teach on fullness and freedom when you can’t even keep a few simple resolutions.
- You are not enough.
Our God is not a big bully, a critical coach, a demanding dad, or a faithful faultfinder.
He is a God of love, compassion, encouragement, peace, and delight!
source: allgodwallpaper.com
And that, dear friend, is GOOD NEWS!
Can I get an Amen?! 🙂
Now does this mean we don’t make resolutions or goals or prayerfully pick our #onewords? That’s not what I’m saying.
But let’s not allow the pressures of the world or the season or social media or weight loss commercials get in the way of the peace, the freedom, the wholeness, the grace that is available to us through Christ.
So, did I set new resolutions for 2016 and/or pick my #oneword? I’ll be back later this week to fill you in. But first, tell me how YOU are, sweet friend.
How was your New Year’s? What’s on your heart these days? I would love to hear from YOU!
Sweet blessings,
Well Cindy your not the only one! 2015 did NOT go at all as I planned, but it did it did go how God planned. I’m praying that 2016 is year filled with prosper and hope. My two resolutions are to develop a deeper relationship with God and to guide my daughter to a relationship with God as well. She is now 11 and I’m hearing a lot about boys and there’s a lot of time being spent texting and on the iPad?. It’s time for me to stand up and be a godly mom and take control…..single parenting is tough! God bless Cindy!
Michele, although 2015 did not go as either one of us had planned, I am so grateful our paths crossed! May God bless you as you seek a deeper relationship with God and your daughter! I cannot wait to see what God will do in and through you! You are not alone! xo
Cindy, I see the list of what you did over the past year, and those things are amazing–you practiced a lot of hospitality, you went on adventures with you family and gave them memories that will last them a lifetime! Lots of times God shows up when we think we’ve made other plans or even resolutions. What I see is that you’ve been obedient to God’s call for you life over the past year, and that’s the main thing. I’n sorry you felt sad and disappointed over the past weekend but were open to God’s loving kindness for you.
Should read “I’m glad you were open to God’s loving kindness…” at the end. 🙂
Cindy- Thank you for sharing your heart! I am so glad we serve a God whom loves and approves of us no matter what we accomplish! And that we can find freedom in his boundaries of truth and love (Thank Goodness!) Looking forward to a New Year! Happy New Year!
Cindy love your honesty. I have things in mind for resolutions but I seem to always mess it up. Trying now to just do my best. Praying for God’s help to show me what he wants me to do not what I think I should do. I easy can feel that I am being rejected and constantly remember God never has and never will reject me. By the way did you buy your wonderful salsa?
Oh this is quite refreshing in a sick kind of a way. Thank you for sharing. Sorry to find such satisfaction in some of your unmet goals but seriously it was sort of thrilled my heart. Ha!! Okay, you totally peeked my interest in the mystery night/day thing…..could you maybe tell us more about that at some point? You have such great creative family ideas. I need to revisit some good ideas for older kids now. I sort of stopped doing fun creative family nights as the kids got older and too cool for play dough. Happy New Year my friend.
Cindy, I so appreciate your honesty. I don’t know why, but I tend to look at God as a critical coach or a demanding dad and it brings me down all too often. I love your reminder that He’s not any of those things. It’s nice to know that I’m not alone in my struggles. I pray for a great 2016 for you and your family. You got me thinking and out the ’45’ thing. It’s my year this year. Thanks for letting God use you!