Thank you for your love and prayers over my surgery on Dec 5 and recovery! I promise to post an update soon, but tonight this was the message on my heart. And I didn’t want to crowd these words with a boring medical update. I am feeling better than I have & am doing my best to give my body what it needs.

I’m not one for New Year’s Resolutions. 

I don’t think they hold up… not even for me & I am naturally a SUPER intrinsically motivated individual. I don’t need outside motivators or encouragement to stay disciplined if it’s something I really want or know I MUST do. Considering I kept myself from eating even a crumb for nearly 300 consecutive days knowing food was poison for my unrelenting pancreatitis… I would say I’m pretty disciplined. 

Just the word resolution is a bit of a put off. It has a negative connotation for being something negative, not fun, boring, etc. 

That’s why I’m all about making “I Want To” lists when evaluating what I hope to accomplish in a year. On New Years Eve I furiously scribbled away several lists; one with individual desires, one with relationship desires, & one with Still Waters Blog desires. 

I tried to make my lists a combination of realistic goals & big dreams because you NEVER know what God has in store. Don’t put limits on the One who knows nothing of impossibility. I included things I wanted to learn, monthly goals, daily hopes, & things my little mind can’t yet figure out. 

Your list doesn’t have to be long. It doesn’t have to be inspirational. It doesn’t have to be boring. Heck, it doesn’t have to be conceivable. It can be absolutely whatever the heck you want it be.

Simply, I encourage you to make a list. 

Write out some ideas. Maybe you have thoughts floating around that you wouldn’t dare share though your heart urges you to shout it out. If you look back on December 31, 2017 with absolutely nothing checked off your list, oh well. Isn’t that better than looking back at 2017 & wishing you had tried for so much more?

Our Father created us to live thriving lives. It’s up to us to fulfill them. 

On January 1, as I looked back over my “I Want To” lists, I realized I needed some type of daily motivation or reminder to keep me focused on my goals. A mantra, of sorts, that encompassed the most important foundations of my life. 

So… I started writing (again) until I established an affirmation I plan to pray every single day of 2017 upon waking. I think the word affirmation also holds weird, off putting connotations. Maybe I should call this simply a prayer of direction. 

Today I encourage you to create your own prayer…words that will motivate, inspire, push, discipline, & focus your heart & mind on your ultimate purpose. 

Below is mine. If you like it simply copy it & change the specific words that apply to your life. If you hate it…write something that is uniquely yours! 

Here it goes…

“Jesus is first in my life.

Tyler is second.

I will lay down my life for Him and him.

Today I will be a submissive wife, honoring God and my husband with my actions.

I choose to put others ahead of myself.

I wake up today blessed beyond belief and honored to have another chance at life.

I will rejoice in my suffering for pain has purpose and I suffer with Jesus/for Jesus

God’s power is made perfect in my weakness and His grace is enough for me. 

Today I have eternal purpose, meaning and tasks to accomplish for the glory of the Lord. 

I have the opportunity to make this world better for I am known and loved by Jesus. 

My health & healing is my earthly priority. 

I will make the best decisions possible for my body, listening to it & treating it well.  

I will choose to consume/use/expose my holy temple only to ingredients that are pure, real & helpful. 

I will strive to show everyone I encounter how important & loved they are. 

Today I will serve Jesus, be slow to speak, purify my words and thoughts, and stay in constant conversation with my Lord. 

Thank you Father for this day. “

At the start of last year this post from Marian Jordan Ellis, founder of Redeemed Girl Ministires, helped me to create a mission statement for my life. That post was single-handedly the most impactful blog & resource I’ve ever come across. I dare you to read it & do the exercises here. 

Ultimately I challenge you to look within yourself & truly consider, “Who do I want to be in 2017? (Someone like JESUS!!) Why do I want to be that way? What do I want to learn? And WHO will I choose to serve, glorify & belong to?”

This year holds infinite possibilities. And guess what? The first day had already passed us by. Let’s not waste another.