Forgetting the Past and Looking Forward

The New Year always brings with it a new hope for a fresh start, don't you think?

New beginnings or should I say new attempts at turning your life around in a different direction is on everybody's mind now that we have welcomed in 2015. We all are about forgetting the past and looking forward to 2015!

• Exercising more
• Praying more
• Reading the Bible more
• Making healthier food choices
• Losing that holiday weight so you can get back into your skinny jeans
• Cutting down your debt
• Going back to school

We sometimes get caught up in all the failures of our past and end up putting high expectations on ourselves as we look forward into a new year. I'm guilty...how about you?

But what if we could forget the past - or better yet - FORGIVE ourselves and move forward into 2015 with a new attitude when it comes to what we want to "do better" in this new year?

That's what I am doing...with God's help!

The past two years {um, maybe more} of bad food choices and lack of exercise have left me with extra pounds that have led to high blood pressure which has led to prescription medication. See the snowball effect?...yep, me too! And.I.don't.like.it!

I've received my "wake-up call" and already began making changes back in December. I've cut out salt in my cooking, I'm buying fresh vegetables, and I'm walking 30 minutes five days a week in our neighborhood to name a few.

I have forgiven myself for the past and eagerly look forward to this new lifestyle in 2015. I actually made it through Christmas with my new attitude of making better food choices and exercising!! WhooHoo!

I go back to my doctor this month and I hope to see a difference on the scales. My ultimate goal is to lose about 20 pounds and - with my doctor's approval - come off of the blood pressure medication. My Word for 2015 is Self-Discipline for that is what I need to accomplish this goal for the new year.

I have two verses that I will focus on throughout this year as I seek to live in the power of God's grace in this area of my life - the first part of 1 Corinthians 9:27 "But I discipline my body and keep it under control" and Philippians 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me".   

**Chime In**

What do you need to forgive in your past so you can look forward in 2015? Let's help keep each other accountable in 2015! If you feel led to share, please do so in the comments below. Happy New Year!

Walking in His Grace, 

Laurie

Word for 2014

Intentional - it's my word for 2014 because it's how I desire to live in the new year... 

Intentional in my spiritual growth.

Intentional in my marriage.

Intentional in my gift of being a mother.

Intentional in my relationships.

Intentional in our homeschool.

Intentional is defined on dictionary.com as "done with intention or on purpose". So for me to be intentional in these five areas, it would make sense to map out a plan, don't you think?

 

Intentional in My Spiritual Growth

• Spend time with God every day in prayer and reading His Word
• Bible study with my Good Morning Girls group
• Scripture memorization
• Read quality books by Christian authors (my reading list for 2014)

Intentional in My Marriage

• Pray daily for my husband
• Speak words of encouragement
• Encourage his spiritual growth
• Speak his love language
• Do a marriage-building activity together (marriage devotional, marriage conference, etc.)

Intentional in My Gift of Being a Mother

• Encourage their personal relationships with Jesus
• One-on-one quality time
• Pray daily for them
• Speak their love language

Intentional in My Relationships

• Pray for the needs of my family and friends
• Call family and friends more often
• Visit family and friends more often

Intentional in My Homeschool

• Begin every homeschool day in prayer
• Continue to plan 6 weeks out
• Offer words of encouragement and praise
• Scripture memorization for my son

So why do I want to be intentional in the new year? Well, as I get older, I'm realizing more and more the value of making every moment count. The life we have been given on this earth is temporary. Our true home (for those who have accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior) is in Heaven. None of us are guaranteed tomorrow, so we must live each day to the honor and glory of God, with hands intentionally opened and outstretched, in the areas God has placed us in. It's only by His grace working in and through me that I will be able to live intentionally in 2014.

I found the following two verses that give me hope and encouragement as I head into the new year with the desire to be intentional. If you desire to be intentional in the new year too, I hope these verses speak to your heart as well! 

"And let us not grow weary while doing good, 

for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart." (Galatians 6:9)

"Commit your works to the Lord, and your thoughts will be established." (Proverbs 16:3)

Happy New Year's Eve! Thanks for a great 2013!

Walking in His Grace,

Laurie 

So, how about you...do you have a Word for 2014? If so, I'd love to know what it is. Feel free to share it in the comments below and why you chose it.  




Need some inspiration for picking your Word for 2014? Find all you need from others on the Schoolhouse Review Crew who are also sharing their Word for 2014! 

Beginning the New Year with a 40 Day Juice Fast {Free Printable}

It's almost time to ring in 2014! When I think of the new year, I think of new beginnings...a time to start with fresh vision as I reflect on where my life has been and my hopes for the road ahead. I can think of no better way to gain a fresh vision for my life than to surrender it completely into the loving hands of my Father in Heaven with a 40 day juice fast.

For the past two years, I've brought in the new year with the Daniel Fast, but when a group of my blogging friends decided to do a juice fast, I decided {after much prayerful consideration} to join the others of the group who are choosing to do a 40 day juice fast. Now please understand that I'm not writing this post or doing this juice fast to draw attention to myself - no, not at all. This journey I'm about to begin is going to take the grace of God moving through me to get me to the end of the 40 days. It will be a time of spiritual growth as I seek the face of God with intentionality and focused purpose. If you've been reading here for a while, hopefully you know by now that I strongly believe in the empowering presence of God - His grace - that enables me to be who He created me to be and to do what He has called me to do. This year's fast is no different. I believe God is calling me to do this - something beyond myself - so that His grace can be magnified in and through me. It's a call to the complete surrender of my will in order to walk in obedience to what I feel to be His call at this particular point of my life.

I'm sharing my heart with you today so that I can ask for your prayers for me and the others who will be taking this journey with me. There are many on my prayer list who I will be interceding for during the 40 day juice fast which begins on January 1, 2014. There are areas of my life that need the touch of the mighty hand of God. I want more of God in 2014...more of Him and less of me...this is my heart's desire.

I have to admit I'm nervous about starting this 40 day juice fast on January 1. My spirit is willing, but I know how weak my flesh is. Realizing this, I have made a 40 Day Juice Fast Scripture & Prayer Journal printable that I'm going to be using to feed my spirit during this 40 day journey with Jesus. It's the main reason I'm writing this post today. I want to share my 40 Day Juice Fast Scripture & Prayer Journal with anyone else who may be on the same journey as I am on at the beginning of the new year. It is my gift to you, and I hope it will be a blessing to you on your 40 day juice fasting journey. Not feeling a call from God to do a 40 day juice fast? That's okay...you can still download this printable to use to bring in the new year with a focus on your relationship with God.

Click on this link to get your free copy of my 40 Day Juice Fast Scripture & Prayer Journal
 (This printable is my gift to you. If you choose to share it, please do so by directing others to this blog post where they can download it for their own personal use. Thank you!)

My prayers are with you all! May 2014 be a year filled with all the blessings of walking in the grace of Almighty God!


May God's Grace Abound in You, 

Laurie

My Reading List for 2014

I love to read, and since we are almost ready to say goodbye to 2013, I thought I would create a reading list for 2014. I did not get to read as many books this year as I had hoped, but then again, I didn't sit down to make a reading list either. The books I did enjoy reading this year include:  

• The Hole in our Holiness by Kevin DeYoung
• Impact My Life! Biblical Mentoring Simplified by Elisa Pulliam
• What Happens When Women Say Yes to God by Elizabeth George
• Anything: The Prayer that Unlocked My God and My Soul by Jennie Allen
• How to Control Your Emotions So They Don't Control You: A Mom's Guide to Overcoming by Brooke McGlothlin
• Devotions from the Torah by Nicole Halbrooks Vaughn (Devotions from Genesis and Devotions from Exodus Part 1)
• Putting on the Spirit: Ten-Minute Devotions for Busy Moms by Katie Hornor
• Weeding Out Wheat by Luke & Trisha Gilkerson {affiliate link}

I have blog posts on the book studies I did this year with What Happens When Women Say Yes to God and How to Control Your Emotions So They Don't Control You: A Mom's Guide to Overcoming. I really enjoyed reading these books with other like-minded women - we learned a lot! If you've never been a part of a book study, I highly recommend it. I'm praying about leading a book study of Putting on the Spirit: Ten-Minute Devotions for Busy Moms in the new year, so stay tuned...I'd love to have you join me!

I hope to read more in 2014, so with that goal in mind I thought I'd better come up with a written plan. My goal is to read one book a month.

I enjoy reading books for spiritual growth (my Bible being my main source). I'm always on the lookout for books that fit into this category. Whenever I find a deal in our local Christian bookstore or a freebie for my Kindle or Nook, I always get it! Needless to say, I have lots of titles to choose from on my Kindle and Nook. I also have a bookshelf in our homeschool room that holds the books I have enjoyed as well as the books I've bought with the intention of reading one day. To say it was hard to pick from such a plethora is an understatement! I even requested book recommendations of a pastor friend who enjoys reading as much as I do. I'm so glad I did because I found some great books from his suggestions that I'm looking forward to reading.

So after much thought and consideration, here is my reading list for 2014...

January - A Mind for God by Dr. James Emery White

February - Gideon by Priscilla Shirer

March - A Woman's High Calling by Elizabeth George 

April - The Normal Christian Life by Watchman Nee

May - The Power of Suffering: Strengthening Your Faith in the Refiner's Fire by John MacArthur

June - Be Committed (Ruth & Esther): Doing God's Will Whatever the Cost by Warren Wiersbe 

July - Women Living Well: Find Your Joy in God, Your Man, Your Kids, and Your Home by Courtney Joseph

August - The Pursuit of God by A.W. Tozer

September - The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom

October - Just Like Jesus by Max Lucado

November -  Knowing God by J.I. Packer

December - God in the Manger by John MacArthur


I didn't realize it would be so hard to make my choices...there are so many wonderful books that I wanted to include! Who knows, maybe I'll be disciplined enough to read more than one book per month. We'll see! I'll keep you updated on what I'm reading each month with a blog post.

So...how about you...do you have a reading list for 2014? I'd love to hear if you do, and the titles you have on your list, so please share in the comments!

Walking in His Grace, 

Laurie

2013...A New Year with God

As I sit here thinking back on 2012,  I am thankful to God for His grace that got me through many moments of my life that were trying to say the least. I also am reminded that those trying times were also opportunities for growth in my life and in my personal relationship with Jesus. It is one thing to know how to talk ABOUT God, but it is totally another thing to KNOW God. Even now as I enter 2013 facing the unknown in a less than desirable circumstance, God is teaching me to trust in Him as He gives me the grace to walk through this.

God is also teaching me that to truly KNOW Him, I've got to have these kinds of "not so desirable" circumstances to experience His goodness and His power. These can be moments of experiencing God if I keep my eyes focused on Him. I am thankful for my husband whose faith and encouragement have been a witness to me as we have walked together with God these past 15 years (16 years on April 5th, praise God!).

At the beginning of 2012 my prayer was to grow closer to God. I am thankful that God has answered my prayers. It may not have always been in ways that were cozy and pain-free, but I can say that as I start 2013 I know that God has used all things to work together for my good. (Romans 8:28)

So here is to another year of Grace-Filled-Moments with God. Welcome, 2013!

Walking in His Grace, 

Laurie