Practice, Practice, Practice

Long time no see, right? Here’s to fresh starts and new beginnings and the practice of showing up regularly!

Well, the world didn’t right itself  when the calendar flipped to 2021. Dang it. But God is in control and we trust in His goodness and mercy to us.

Did you take a few minutes in December to thank Him for the lessons you learned in 2020? I’m sure you are like me and the blessings outnumbered the weird and awful if we just took the time to notice. God is always doing something good and lovely because that is who HE IS! Let’s be the thankful ones who are noticers.

The last few years it has been popular to choose a word to serve as a theme for the year. In 2020, my word was “Intention” and I succeeded and failed at living that way.  Life seems to be a lot of 50/50 so I am ok with that. I’m not leaving the goal of living with intention behind in 2021, but am adding another layer to it.

My One Little Word for 2021

This year my word is “Practice”.

Sidebar: Want to read some of my words from previous years? Look here. here.

I love the grace that is implied with these 8 letters. Of course, I need to practice. How can we get better, improve, succeed at anything if we aren’t willing to try, fail, learn, try, fail, learn? I don’t want to be the person anymore who tries, fails and stops. My life has many examples of starting something, seeing I didn’t have a natural ability to do the thing correctly the first time and running to the next new thing.

Like math.

There are other examples that range from making a pie crust to playing tennis to balancing my checkbook to building relationships. Some things I quit didn’t matter in the bigger scheme of things, but I’m sure I missed out on some real blessings that would have come from perseverance and being willing to sit in the uncomfortable seat of “learner”.

This year, I desire to let myself off the hook for not knowing what I don’t know. Does that make sense? I want to apply what I have been learning-and holy cow, have I been learning a lot! Perhaps you need to let yourself off the hook, too.

Let’s be willing to “practice” becoming the person God made us to be-whatever that entails. Some of it will be good and some of it  will probably make us uncomfortable.

I say with a bit of apprehension, I am WILLING to experience it all.

Please tell me in the comments what your word of the year is! I really want to know. Let’s encourage each other along the road to love and good deeds.

Learning from Wise Women

On another note…..Did you know that a bunch of us meet in a FB group called Morning Exhale to read and study God’s word and share how our DAD is moving in our lives? Last year I interviewed some very inspiring people and Karen is one of them. I hope you are encouraged and inspired by our discussion.

Let me know if you want to join us-we need your voice!

Enjoy our interview with Karen…..

Interview with Karen Meinhart

I’m excited about 2021 and I hope you are, too!