Sometimes the thought of planning something for New Years can be quite intimidating as it is supposed to be an amazing night.  But it seems to be the times that you don't try to plan much, that everything just falls right into place and everyone has a great time.  This, was one of those years.  We had a really lovely celebration as we spent time with friends munching on snacks and appetizers, popping a little bubbly, enjoying a few cocktails and as with any good party we played some fun-filled (and somewhat competitive) board games and had to throw in a good ole college game of flip cup (not going to lie, it's still fun).

But now, all the bubbly has been popped, glasses cleaned and put away, the snacks have found their rightful place in our bellies, the games are stored away until next time, and the happy tiredness that follows a great celebration has ensued.  The end of 2014 has come and gone and it's time to gear up for another year.

I have a good feeling and high hopes for 2015.  After spending some time reflecting on 2014, I found myself hopeful as I looked forward to thinking of goals that I might like to set for the coming year.  Sometimes I have a hard time coming up with goals and picking ones that might be realistic (cause no one likes making a list that never gets crossed off).  But as I've been thinking about the goals I might have for this year, I want to take the pressure off a little bit by making them less about specific things that I need to do, and more about ways that I want to grow in the next year.

Living a life in Christ, our lives are all about transformation - about becoming more and more like Christ as we take off the old self and put on the new as we are made new in the image of our creator.  This thought always excites me.  Who doesn't want to be transformed into a better version of themselves!!?

With that said, I want this year to be one of transformation.  At the end of 2015, I want to look back and be able to pinpoint all sorts of ways that I have grown and been transformed more into His likeness.  Here's a few ways that I hope to transform my life in 2015.

1. Above all else, I want to give myself more to the Lord- to be transformed into a better reflection of Him.  I want to dig deeper into His word and come out knowing more about Him and understanding how I can be a better communicator of his Love. 
2. To become a stronger and healthier person.  Spending time with a physical therapist (who happens to be really amazing) for some pain in my lower back and previously for a clavicle injury, I have learned just how important it is to maintain good posture in everything we do and to strengthen the core muscles that support our body.  I want to continue to practice good posture and be actively strengthening my body so that I can not just keep the pains away, but have a stronger healthier body.  (P.S. Did I mention I started YOGA??  I had this on my to-do list forever ago, and I finally went and I love it.  This is going to be a big part of this transformation goal.)
3. To become a better writer.  I want to actively pursue ways that I can grow in my writing abilities and further use them for the glory of the Lord.  Ways that I intend to do this are: blog more consistently (even when I don't feel like it), help others edit their writing whenever I can, read lots, and pray more intentionally about how God might want to use this gift.  
4. To be a better friend.  As I shared in my looking back on 2014 post, this past year was a difficult one for me in regards to friendships.  I have hopes that 2015 will be one of restoring and reconciling disconnected relationships.  
5. Invest in building a stronger marriage.  It is so easy to flow through life with my sweet husband by my side (which is amazing) but I want to focus on how we can better our relationship.  To learn more about each other, discover how to better support each other, to communicate better, and bring more joy into each other's days. Overall, I want to strengthen our marriage.  Just as I  want to be transformed into Christ's likeness, I also want our marriage to be a strong reflection of His love.  I am really looking forward to pursuing transformation in our marriage-  I'm excited to learn more about my husband and I also think lots of fun dates will be involved.  

5 days into January I am feeling pretty hopeful about this new year, and am praying that my positive attitude and desire to make progress in each area of transformation would continue as the year moves on.  As you, too, set hopes and goals for 2015, please let me know how I can be an encouragement or help remind you of the goals you are reaching for.  And please, if you feel lead, do so for me too! The Lord gave us community so that we may encourage one another and build each other up- and this is just one great way that we can do that.  

Cheers to a wonderful 2014 and a hope, joy, and transformation-filled 2015.  

xoxo

--- linking up with The Tiny Twig - Goals with Grace ---

--image by Marissa Maharaj--

For this first time in what feels like forever, I am sipping on a vanilla latte, gazing out the window watching cars go by as I settle into the comforting feel and buzz of the chatter at my favorite local coffee shop.  Whether writing a paper in college or working on a message for college ministry, planting myself at a little coffee shop to get things done amidst the light chatter and sounds of the espresso machine has always been the perfect environment to encourage the words to pour out from my fingers.   So when I had a little time in between appointments and my computer in the backseat I knew that this was just what I needed to spend some time looking back on 2014 before the next year is here.   

Growing up in the late 80s/early 90s, when I thought of the year 2020, I pictured an environment very much like the Jetsons.  I figured that we would be driving around flying cars, have robot dogs and live in homes that looked like spaceships.  Although things are not quite as I hoped as a kid, zooming around in flying cars, I am so thankful for where the Lord has lead me thus far. (and I mean shoot, we have 5 years till 2020- you never know what technology will look like by then!)

Looking back on 2014, here are some of the highlights and lessons that I’ve learned:

- In January, we added Finn to our family!! I learned lots about trusting the Lord as he had many health issues as a kitten, and realized just how much having children someday will require every fiber in my being to rely on the Lord. 

- It was a rough winter!!! But that made me super thankful for two things: sunshine and a fireplace!! I cannot tell you enough how much I love making a fire in the fireplace- it is sooo nostalgic of childhoods spent by the fire or trips to Colorado warming up our toes after a long day skiing.  I am soo thankful that we were able to get an insert in our previously unusable fireplace to make it a toasty asset for warming our house!  You can count on me to be making a fire anytime you come over to visit- it might even be borderline warm outside and this girl will still find a reason to get the fireplace going. 

- In March, my sister turned 30!  It was so cool to be a part of this monumental year in her life and to see the way that she embraced the sometimes intimidating big 3-0!  Celebrating with a scavenger hunt was one of the many fun things we did to honor her special year! 

- I definitely learned that friendships are HARD.  Struggling with the ebbs and flows of long-time friendships and others that have dropped off the map, I discovered that my desire for community and deep relationships is as strong as the hulk.  I’ve learned to rely on the Lord to fill the void left by friendships lost, and I am still learning how to adjust to changes.  This has been a huge part of my 2014 and I am eager to see how God grows me and teaches me in this in the next year. 

- Surprising my mom by taking her on a trip for her 60^th birthday was a ginormous highlight of the year.  Thinking she was just going on a trip to an unknown destination with my dad, it was so fun to show up at the airport and reveal to her that we were not just there to send her off but to join for a fun-filled vacay to Maine.  This was a first time with my husband on a family trip- so this was a blessing and a learning curve as well. 

- This past summer, I finally took the jump into all things Young Living. Having used essential oils for several years, I finally took the dive to sign up, learn more about it, and share with others the immense benefits and blessings that can be found through essential oils (and I’ve already reaped some of the financial benefits too!).  They have changed my life, and I can’t wait to put more effort into this endeavor of sharing Young Living in 2015.  P.s. want to know more, please let me know!!

- In November, my husband and I took an anniversary trip to Seattle – this was definitely high on the list of highlights.  Continuing what we hope will be a tradition of taking a getaway around the time of our anniversary, Chris and I explored and relaxed in the delicious food-filled, beautiful although sometimes rainy location of Seattle.  We also marked this 3^rd year as a special one by having anniversary photos taken by our wedding photographers who live in Seattle  (like the one above- can’t wait to share more).    Spending time with Marissa and Meghan, two phenomenal and oh-so-talented photographers who share our love for the Lord, was like donuts for breakfast- a joyful and filling time.  They showed us places of the city we hadn't seen, snapped pics, and chatted and laughed over wine and cheese.  (It's pretty cool how the Lord connects believers together through his Holy Spirit- I LOVE when this instant bond seems visible.)

This is just a tiny taste of my year and the highlights and lessons I have learned.  Don’t get me wrong, there were difficulties and sad moments laced into the good... but overall, I am so thankful because I feel so so blessed.  The Lord has been so good to me and my family and He deserves so much praise and thanksgiving for every way that He cares for us. 

I am looking forward to 2015 and can’t wait to see what the Lord has in store.

May your end of the year be so full of joy and love and bubbly!  Praying that you are able to look back with thanks and look forward with hope to what the Lord has planned for you in the next year. 

xoxo

---- Image by: Marissa Maharaj ----