Dear 2019 - My Words for the Year

2018 was a good year. In fact, if you missed my recap last week, you can read it HERE. And I'm fully believing that 2019 is going to be even better.

So without further ado...

Here's my post all about Resolutions (or something else, instead)...



Dear 2019,

Thanks, in advance, for being awesome. And yes, I truly believe that's how you'll be.

Anywho - Normally, I make resolutions for a new year. But for you, 2019, I'm changing things up. You see... I'm not making any "resolutions" this year.

Instead, I've chosen two words to focus on in 2019.

I thought long and hard about these words. I prayed and asked God to help me choose the best ones. And here are the two words God has laid on my heart for me to focus on while you're here, 2019...

~ one ~



The first word is GRACE. 

While in the U.S. for Christmas Break, God laid the word, grace, on my heart, using 2 Corinthians 12:9 as a guide. This verse which says, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness" is such a good reminder for us all. 

When I'm weak and fail, God's grace is there. 

When I'm weak and tired, God's grace is there.

His grace is always there.

And His Grace is always enough.

So 2019, I want you to be the year I focus on the word, grace, and remember that verse. 

I want you to be the year I stop being so hard on myself when I struggle. And God knows I struggle/fail often. But... Grace.

And past that...

I want to extend grace to others. I want to show grace more to my students, to my co-workers, to my family and friends, to the Senegalese I interact with every day, to anyone and everyone I meet.

~ two ~

And 2019, the second word I want to focus on is REST. And God laid this word on my heart long before 2018 was over.

Matthew 11:28-30 was the passage that I kept being drawn to. It says... “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” 

The rest I’m referring to is more than just relaxing/sleeping... Although, let’s face it. I need to catch up on those too. Ha! :)

Instead, 2019, you’re the year I focus on resting more in/with my Savior. I am being more intentional about my personal Bible Study time, with my prayer journaling, with my “quiet” time, etc.

I’m also realizing that (gasp!) I don’t have to work 24/7. There’s often this mindset in ministry that you have to always put in zillions of hours, and stay on the brink of burnout, all to accomplish the mission/call God’s places on our life. But y’all... It’s like the quote below says...

So 2019, you’re the year when I get smarter with my time management skills in work, setting aside good chunks of planning time, and then allowing myself more time of rest. 

And this kind of goes along with my first word, grace. I need to be able to show grace to myself if I realize that I’m physically/ mentally/emotionally exhausted and truly need some rest.

It’s okay to say no to an invite if it’s clear that my body and mind are crying out for rest.

 It’s okay to go home at 4:00 one day. 

It’s okay to spend a few hours of my Saturday morning, reading and studying the Word, listening to and learning from the Master Author, instead of waking up and going straight into my classroom to do prep work.

So to wrap up this “letter”

Dear 2019, 

I want you to be the year when I grow more close to God than ever before. 

I want to experience His loving, gentle grace this year. And I want to do a better job of extending grace to others. 

I want to rest more in my Savior.

I want to give control of my life, my ministry, my everything, back to Him.

I want to see my mind and body renewed and refreshed, healthier, and more able to serve the ones He’s placed in my path.

I want to view rest as a joy and something I crave/look forward to. I don’t want to view it as a speed bump in my busy life.

2019, I want you to be the year when GRACE and REST are words contstantly on my mind. 

I know God placed them on my heart for a specific purpose.

And I want to fully embrace them.

So 2019, here’s to a good year.

Sincerely,

Me

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Today, I am joining Kristin for her monthly Little Letters link-up, where we write "letters," as a way of sharing a bit of our lives at the moment.