What's your word for 2018?

The past week has been an interesting one.  It has been intense, hectic and challenging at times but what has probably been most refreshing is that I chose to fully let go of 2017!

It started from last Sunday, when as I sat in church listening to the preacher, I found myself have an internal argument with what was being said from the pulpit.  It was an encouraging and timely word but I felt like I was struggling to receive it.   As I reflected, I realised that I was feeling so battered and bruised by my experiences in 2017 that I dare not believe that 2018 may have something good for me!

I felt tired of "believing" and being battered at the end of it ... or so I felt and whilst I had learnt the lessons of 2017, I failed to realise my need to let go of some of the junk from 2017.

I met up with a friend during the week and as I poured out my feelings of despondency and disappointment, she said some really quite poignant to me which forced me to stop in my tracks and re-evaluate.  She said that the words I used for 2017 were not necessarily the word that God has for my 2018.  She said that if I was not careful, I would end up carrying my 2017 words into 2018 (I'm paraphrasing!).  It struck a chord and I instantly knew that she was right.

I was so busy being wrapped up about how I felt about 2017 that I was running the risk of missing what God is saying to me now!  She told me that it was OK for me for mourn what I felt I had lost in the previous year but that I then needed to get up, dust myself off and move on.  I needed to find out what my word for 2018 is..... so that's exactly what I have been focusing on over the last week.  I have had some honest heart to hearts with God and expressed my disappointment, pain and fears - it has been refreshing and healing.  And now, I am standing up and tuning in to hear what His word for me for 2018.

I encourage those of you who need to follow a similar process to do it now.  Reflect on what you learnt, mourn the losses that need to mourned and then get up, dust yourself and tune in to see what He is saying about 2018.

Until next time,
Cece xx

Lessons learned from 2017

Happy 2018!

Before I wrote this blog post, I read my last post which was about a year ago and I couldn't help chuckle to myself.  I predicted that 2017 was going to be a stormy year but I still walked into it rather unprepared.

On the 31st December 2017, I found myself looking back at 2017 with a sense of great disappointment and big questions about 2018.

The personal storms that hit me in 2017 caught me off guard and left me in a head spin!  It was an emotional year for me and I must admit that by the end of it all, I found myself asking, "What's the point?"

I am pleased to say that over the last few weeks I have moved considerably from that position in my mental state.  I realised that if I didn't focus on learning the lessons I needed to from my 2017 experience, I would end up repeating the same mistakes again.

So these are my top 3 lessons from 2017:

1.  Don't neglect your quiet time with God - towards the end of 2016, I found my stride with spending time with God and it was awesome!!! It transformed my life considerably and brought such clarity in my decisions.  Early in 2017, I lost that regularity and it had a significant impact on my year.  I have always known the importance of regular time with God but having got into a rhythm in 2016 and then losing it, I have learnt a greater appreciation for this time.  It really does make all the difference!
2.  Dare to be different - 2017 was the year we started to home educate "Babygirl".  It was not something we had planned to do and there are definitely times when I wonder if we've made the right decision, because it isn't easy but when I see the progress she is making I feel convinced that it is working for her.  If you would like more information about how we ended up being home educators, let me know in the comments and I will do a post.
3.  Learn how to deal with disappointment - I had hoped to launch a major project in 2017 but it didn't happen and I was quite frankly devastated.  All my decisions in 2017 were based on fulfilling this project, and as the end of the year approached, I realised that I was going to have to make alternative plans.  As we start 2018, I am still reeling a little bit from the experience but I am learning how to get on with life and continue to find purpose where I am, in spite of my disappointment!

So those were my lessons from 2017 - what did you learn in 2017?

Until next time,
Cece