The year ahead...

My birthday's coming up...
As with any given year, the past 12 months have been filled with a lot of highs and lows. I'd unfortunately say that I'm not terribly sad to see this age year go....the last 8 or 9 months have had a lot of challenges. Some I'd honestly prefer to forget. But.... I'm also sensing God bringing me out of a tough season into some beautiful truth that I think will shape my next year more around Christ and less around my broken, flawed view of the world.

So ....in the next year:

1. I want to walk in more freedom.
I overfocus on what "should" be, creating ideals that, quite frankly, were never meant to exist this side of Heaven.

2. I want to keep exploring what I'm passionate about.
I'm finally allowing myself to explore and enjoy the talents and interests God's given me and stop concerning myself with what I should do or be. I have a unique identity as a creation of God. About time I started appreciating that and using it to pursue more avenues personally and professionally. This means committing to what I truly want to do and not feeling guilty about the rest.

3. I want to recognize my strengths.
I don't often enough acknowledge what I do well and praise God for those abilities.

4. I want to invest the most time and energy in what I'm meant to have influence over
To focus on whats good around me and let more of the not-so-wonderful fade away, particularly if its something I have no control over. I sometimes look at taking care of myself, standing ground for what I believe is best for me personally, spiritually, emotionally to be naive or selfish. I'm starting to recognize it more as poor stewardship and lack of faith.

5. I want to become a more balanced realist.
Its fine to be a realist but you have to acknowledge when things are good not just look for what could go wrong. I want to embrace change as exciting opportunities for something better!

6. I want to trust God more that I am who I am for a reason.
Exploring my weaknesses and discovering how He's meant them for His glory. Giving myself grace to be who I am and not wishing away the trials.

It goes without saying that I want to be a stronger believer, a better friend and more focused professionally by my next birthday....these are my personal birthday wishes for a year of growth and commitment to good stewardship of the time, talents and ambitions God's entrusted me with.