Word Of The Year 2019!

I'm not a huge fan of new years resolutions...because it seems we go all in the first of the year and by the end of January we've fallen off the train and we end up getting super hard on ourselves. According to Healthy Living, only about 8 percent of us will actually keep our new years resolutions! (Source: Healthy Living) So, this got me thinking. 

Instead of trying a new years resolution, I chose to pick a word this year. I believe that it's common to not follow through with our new years resolutions because of a deeper route cause...a word maybe? 

Then, with the word I am choosing to back it up with scripture that I will memorize and go back too during the highs and lows that the year will bring. 

So, for 2019 my word is: LISTEN. 

I chose listen because, in 2018 I experienced so much growth. As I sit and reflect this past year it's definitely been one of the most life changing years of my life. I started my own online business that I love but it did come with a ton of learning curves, obstacles, set backs and wins! It really has opened up the world of opportunity for me in the online space. 

My hubby and I also moved this past summer to a new area. I am still trying to get healthy from Lyme Disease (you can hear about my Lyme Disease journey here.) I traveled out of the country for healthcare which was a scary thing for me.  I learned so much about myself through the obstacles, specifically that not everyone will understand my path but God does and I have to be OK with that. 

However, the one thing that really stood out to me this year as I reflected was that I was very quick to make decisions on my own timing and not God's. 

If I'm being quite frank, I'm a very driven person and when I have an idea or goal in my mind I go for it full throttle. While that can be very beneficial, it also can lead to getting caught up in a decision that I may not have gone if I had talked to God more about it and allowed Him to lead me. When I try to follow the worldly patterns of "go go go" it quickly has led to burnout for me. 

If you look at the definition of "listen" there are many but this one is my favorite: 

"make an effort to hear something; be alert and ready to hear something." 

If you read proverbs 3:6 it says that we should be quick to listen and slow to speak! Often times the right answers are easy to find if we are simply willing to humble ourselves before God and trust Him instead of being too proud, impatient or fearful to go against the norm.

Proverbs 3:5 really stood out to me,

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding"

Maybe this is why every time I'd make a quick decision based on my own understanding it always led to anxiety or burnout... This was one of those ah ha moments for me. You see, I was depending on my own ability without trusting and waiting for God too often. 

So, if we trust in the Lord, we cannot also depend upon our own ability to understand everything God is doing.

Jesus died on the cross for each and every person. Gosh, we are so loved. You know what? It is so encouraging to know that I am not in charge of all my plans and that God IS in control. 

This year I want to work on being still and listening for God to lead me. Here's to trusting His plan for my life and to surrendering my agenda, plans and wants to Him.