I don’t know where I’m going from here, but I promise it won’t be boring.

This post is dedicated to all those who find themselves in a season of quiet, question marks, and, at times, restless expectation. This post is especially dedicated to my single friends who are figuring out how to embrace where they are and live each and every moment to its fullest, trusting God to pave the path they are traveling.

A few days ago, I read an awesome page in Jesus Calling. The very first sentence was (in all caps); YOU ARE ON THE RIGHT PATH.

Wow, did my heart need those words — more than I even realized!

And then this powerful reminder from Him followed: Listen more to me and less to your doubts. I’m leading you along the path I’ve designed just for YOU.

It can be so hard to keep our eyes on our own path. But when we compare, when we doubt, when we question, we are MISSING OUT on all God has for us right where we are.

Comparison cheats us of the opportunity to see and appreciate the adventure to be found in the dips and turns and twists of our own journey.

And when we doubt and fear and question, we are taking on burdens we are not meant to carry.

If we are following Him, we can trust that we are where we are meant to be. We can trust that He knows what today AND tomorrow holds, and that He is working to bring the best out of our current and future circumstances.

I’ll be honest, I have reached the point in my own season of singleness where really the only thing left to do is truly let go and let God.  I have listened to others’ success stories and tried what they’ve tried, I’ve read the articles, and I’ve prayed the prayers — all to no avail.

But I’m beginning to think that maybe I’m not meant to plan or pray or work my way out of this season. Maybe I’m meant to really look at it with new, grateful eyes that are free to see the possibilities it holds. Maybe I’m meant to embrace it with excitement and faithfulness and HOPE.

I used to fear that if I was too content or “successful” in my singleness that maybe God would decide to just leave me in it forever. It seems silly now to believe such a thing, but I have, time and time again. And tonight, I’ve realized that when I’m believing lies like that what I’m really doing is listening to my doubt more than I’m listening to God.

So, tonight, I’m ready to say goodbye to all of that doubt, and I’m ready to listen to what HE has to say about my season instead . I’m ready to fully surrender my hope for marriage to Him (trusting that in His perfect time and way He will lead me into whatever new season awaits).

I’m ready to turn my attention back to today — to the stack of books waiting to be read, the new paints that will soon brighten up a blank canvas, and the words that might find their way into a poem.

Today is right in front of me, exactly as He designed it, planned it, and purposed it. Today is right in front of me, and I choose to call it good. I’m ready to embrace it and make each of its moments count.

I am ready to be and go and do exactly what He has planned for me in this beautiful and sometimes unexpected season, ready to live both with contentment and expectation (if I may borrow that phrase from the fabulous Lindsay Sherbondy).

And it’s true that I may not know where I’m going from here, or when or how I’ll get there…

But He does.

And I promise it won’t be boring.

Neither will today.

P.S. I snagged this post’s title from a piece of art in the new Messy Box from A Beautiful Mess.

Heart of the Word: Ephesians 5&6

Hello, friends,

How are you? Have you been enjoying our time in Ephesians?

The month of February has been a lot more hectic than I ever anticipated, but this study, along with a few other resources I’ve been using, have helped me stay steady in my faith and consistently connect with God. I started 2015 in a very disconnected and dry place spiritually, and I’m thankful that over the last two months, God has been slowly drawing me back to Himself and speaking to me through His word. I’m finding new rhythms and routines, each one breathing new life into my quiet time with Him.

Today, as we close out our first Heart of the Word study through Ephesians, I wanted to share a little bit about the resources that have been blessing me this month.  (And I apologize for the late post today, but like I said. This month. ::insert crazy face emoticon::) ;)

One of the biggest messages God has been speaking to me through all of the resources below is the reminder to remain steady and firm in my faith and trust Him in everything. He has been encouraging me to continue on the path He has marked out for me, leaving comparison behind and fully trusting in the plan He has. The reminder to be steady in my faith is such a good and timely one, because it’s so easy to be shaken in the midst of the unexpected, or when life doesn’t look the way we think it should.

But with His help, I am finding strength, steadiness, and a faith that allows me to live fully and freely for Him, knowing all of my unanswered questions and concerns remain in His hands.

He has also been reminding me of the importance of our thoughts and what we choose to focus our minds on. He has been showing me that I am continually being made new in the attitude of my mind, and that a mind and heart focused on Him brings LIFE and HOPE and PURPOSE.

Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies. – Phil. 4:8

These resources below have helped me to intentionally fill my mind with His truth, His goodness, His promises. They have helped me focus on the best, not the worst, when I am tempted to worry, complain, or compare my life to others’. I hope they encourage you, too.

Heart of the Word Study

I have loved having a book of the Bible to anchor myself in this  month. When I wasn’t sure what to read, I could open up to Ephesians and see what God wanted to reveal.

As I read through the final two chapters this week, I was again reminded of the power of our faith. Ephesians 6:16 tells us to take up the shield of faith. I am so encouraged to remember that our faith is a shield, that there is power in remaining steady and firm in Him.

 

The One Year Praying the Promises of God

Oh, this has been such a blessing to read each morning. I love the combination of scripture, devotional, and prayer. I have felt both empowered and encouraged to be reminded of WHO God is and what He promises.

Wholeheartedly: A Devotional for Singles

This devotional by Natalie Metrejean has been infusing my season of singleness with new joy and fresh purpose.  I am digging into the scriptures and prompts with a hungry heart, excited for the Lord to continue to speak to me and direct my steps.

I Am They album

And finally, this album has been a bit of a soundtrack to my days. It’s another way I am reminded of who God is and all the ways in which He is good and faithful. One of my favorite tracks is Over and Over again.

I will find you over and over again, your love and your mercy begin, no matter how far, you’ll find me where I am. 

And since FIND is my word for 2015 this song is pretty perfect for where I’m at.

Make a Way is also a favorite right now.

Wherever you lead me, I know you won’t leave me. Wherever you call me, you will make a way. Wherever we’re going, I will be holding to the promise You have made. You will make a way.

I totally recommend giving this album a listen. Crank up the sound, sing out loud, dance around…however you most love to worship. Your heart will be blessed for sure, and you will be reminded of just how good and amazing He is and how very much He loves you.

And now I’d love to hear what you’ve been learning and what life has looked like for you recently. What’s God been teaching you? Where has He been leading you? Join the link-up below!

P.S. Stay tuned for future #HeartoftheWord study plans! And thank you for being a part of this first Heart of the Word journey with us!

Goal-Setting with Lara Casey: My 2015 Vision

On Saturday, I posted about the first steps in my 2015 goal-setting process. Tonight, I’m going to share the results of the next few steps: the vision I’ve written for my year, as well as what I’m saying YES and NO to in 2015 to support that vision. I’ve loved writing vision statements the last two years, and I’m excited to take this year’s statement to heart and bring it to life.

My Vision for 2015:

Above all else, I will seek and FIND GOD WHOLEHEARTEDLY this year. I will FOLLOW where He leads, going and doing and creating in line with His heart.  I will live fully in each day without worry, fear, or fretting for what may or may not be ahead. I will have hope for all God has planned, but I will also wholeheartedly embrace right where I am TODAY, because I don’t want to miss one moment of what God is doing right here, right now.  I will keep an open heart to His way, delighting in any unexpected adventures and possibilities He might bring my way. I will make meaningful memories with friends and family, and I will live in a balance of experiencing the stories and telling them — celebrating all God is doing in my life and in the lives of others. I will make the most of this season, filling my life and heart with all that fires me up and points me to Jesus. I will continue to be a woman who lives an inspired life for God, and I will continue to invite and encourage others to do the same.

To support this vision, here is my list of YES and NO for 2015:

I’m saying NO to…

*Comparison
*Fear, worry, fretting (I want to live fully in each day without fear of what tomorrow may or may not hold)
*Doubt that God has a good plan for my life (HE DOES! He is good, and He works all things for good)
*Being late/disorganized
*Extremes (in health, work, life)
*”Shoulds”
*Anything that’s weighing me down (I saw something on Pinterest that said: “If you don’t need it, get rid of it!” I love that! Such a great reminder!)

I’m saying YES to…

*Creating for God
*Memorizing scripture
*A fitness routine I LOVE and will stick to
*Prayer
*Cell-phone-free time
*Fresh, whole foods
*Possibilities
*Hope
*Celebrating all the ways my story is UNIQUE
*Living in the moment
*Mindfulness
*Everyday adventures (like taking myself out to breakfast, coffee, the library, or to an inspiring museum)
*Making art “just because”
*Collaborating and creating with others to make meaningful things (keeping my community focus from last year!)
*Regular journaling
*Thinking about the BEST, not the WORST (Phil. 4 8-9)
*Intentional use of money
*A generous, humble heart
*Mentoring and encouraging others

I really want to live “on purpose” this year, making the most of where God has me and all He’s doing in my life, and I think this vision and these lists will help me do that. I also think they will help me notice and give thanks for the unique ways God has written my story. There have been far too many times I’ve allowed the unexpected parts of my story to cause insecurity and doubt, rather than allowing them to serve as an opportunity to meet and connect with God.

I’ll be back in another couple of days to share my goals for the year. I’m not rushing the process, so I’ll let my vision and lists sink in a bit before moving on to actually writing down the goals that are beginning to take shape.

And now I’m off to make a little cup of cocoa and join in on tonight’s #FireworkPeople chat. If you don’t know about that amazing community, definitely check it out. It’s like hot chocolate for your spirit. Seriously! So wonderful  and encouraging! :)

Are you following along on Lara’s goal-setting process? If so, how’s the process going for you? Have you hit any roadblocks or discovered anything surprising about yourself or God’s plan for you in working through her steps?

 * Image via Lara Casey *

God’s Plan for You is Right on Time

If you follow me on Instagram or Facebook, you may have seen this photo. It’s part of a new ‘lil collaboration I have going with one of my talented friends Kelsey of Pinegate Road. It’s my words + her lovely hand lettering. And while it’s not a fancy or complicated collaboration by any means, it’s giving me lots of fresh inspiration for new stories to write and tell. (You can follow this collaboration on Instagram using the hashtag #aptdnotes.)

You’re blessed when you stay on course,
walking steadily on the road revealed by GOD.
You’re blessed when you follow His directions,
doing your best to find Him.  (‭Psalm‬ ‭119‬:‬ 1-2 MSG)

I’ve been thinking a lot about these verses lately and how it can be easy to take our eyes off the path God has for us. When I start comparing my story with others,’ I’m tempted to veer off course and write things the way I think they should go. I wrestle with God over timing, circumstances, and the way my current season stacks up against those around me.

It’s so easy to think someone else is living a better story than we are, isn’t it? Or that because our story doesn’t look as far along as theirs, something must be wrong with ours — or worse, with us.

But those thoughts are just lies that we believe.

And we don’t have to believe them.

God’s plan for us is right on time, and He will faithfully reveal each next step for us when the time is right.

The second part of those verses in Psalms does require action on our part, though. The writer of this Psalm is reminding us that we are blessed when we FOLLOW God and do our best to FIND Him. That means seeking Him in everything, asking Him for wisdom and guidance, and making Him a part of everything we do.

I find myself comparing more frequently and feeling the most dissatisfaction when I’m NOT seeking God regularly. And I think that’s because when I’m not seeking Him and listening for Him in all I do, I can’t clearly see the path He has marked out for me. Instead, I see the path that everyone else is on and what I think is missing or lacking in my life. I completely miss the opportunity to praise Him for what He’s doing in my life and what is unique and special about the story He has especially for me.

I am so thankful that we can find Him in every season, in every chapter — in both the joyful and the challenging moments of our lives.

And even though I sometimes wrestle with some of my current realities, I take comfort in knowing that when I seek Him, He will continue to reveal the road before me and lead me step by step.

So, today, I am choosing to celebrate this particular part of the road I’m on, this part of my journey. I am choosing to look around at where I am with gratitude and with eyes that can see and appreciate beauty. And I am choosing to live with hope for what’s ahead, for all of the twists and turns and bends that I cannot yet see.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2014 Influence Conference Recap – Be Where You Are and Be All There

It’s been a few days since I returned from this year’s Influence Conference, and I’ve been processing through everything — the notes, the heart stuff, the “what’s nexts…”

To be honest, I arrived at this year’s conference feeling a little heavy…

When I went the previous year, I went with specific hopes and dreams to explore and specific prayers I wanted to pray. I had an eBook I was about to release to the world, and I was just bursting with excitement for all that was ahead.

I was in a quieter, much more tender place this year.

On the drive into Indy, my friend (and conference roomie!) Holly asked me if I had anything I was hoping to hear from God about (she remembered I went with questions and prayers the year before).

But I didn’t.

“I guess I just want to be a part of God doing something big,” I told her. “I just want to hear from Him.”

After the Black-and-White welcome party hosted by Mocha Club, I started  feeling lighter and more hopeful about all that was ahead. I still wasn’t sure what I hoped to learn or hear from God, but I was sure He would show up.

In my still-slightly tender and uncertain place, I had a hard time selecting the sessions I wanted to hear the next day (they ALL sounded so good)! ;) And as we began that first day of speakers and workshops, I found myself reading the tweets from the session I wasn’t in, feeling restless and like I was missing out.

But then, all of a sudden, I felt like I was finally hearing from God.

Be where you are and be all there.

Yes.

Be where you are and be all there.

And it wasn’t just about those sessions, it was about life in general. It was about continuing to embrace my current season and live it fully and creatively (exactly the topic I had explored in the eBook I wrote the previous year).

Later, in Lara Casey’s session, I stood up in front of a room full of more than a hundred women and gave voice to one of my deepest fears. As other women stood up to share their own, walls and tears came down, and I felt God continue to work something out in my heart.

And even though I was at a blogging conference, He wasn’t speaking to me about how to blog better, create more, or find more followers online…He was speaking to me about my life in general and how I’m living it for Him. He was asking me to trust Him more, surrender more, and make even more space for Him to move.

Lara asked us to answer this fill-in-the blank statement: My life is too short not to______. 

During her session, I made notes, but it wasn’t until a few days later that this phrase stuck with me: “My life is too short not to love the story God has for me.”

It’s such a simple statement but it says SO MUCH.

My life is too short to wait for someday.

My life is too short not to live with purpose — right here, right now.

My life is too short not to pray boldly and with big belief.

My life is too short not to believe that God can do the impossible.

My life is too short not to pay attention to all God is doing.

And my life is too short not to share it…

    

This year’s conference was so much different than last year’s, but in the best of ways.

I did leave with new creative ideas and dreams to explore, but I also left with a deeper desire to truly trust God with my story and a hopefulness about all He is capable of doing in my life and in the lives of others.

He’s written all of our stories differently, and there’s goodness and purpose in that. 

And while He may not give us an outline about what comes next, He has gone before us, and He promises to lead the way in love.

* * *

Before I wrap this up, because I just can’t resist, I’ll leave you with this picture from my departing brunch at Cafe Patachou. (Honestly, that needs to be a Sunday Influence tradition from here on out…) WOW, that waffle was amazing! I’m STILL thinking about it! ;)

If you’d like to learn more about the conference, feel free to email me. I’d be happy to answer any questions you may have, if you’re wondering if you’d like to attend. (You can also check out this fun video recap from The Busy Budgeting Mama. And, yep, that IS me dancing around at minute 3:34.) ;)

 

You Make Me Want to Be Brave

Because it’s been fear that ties me down to everything,

But it’s been love, your love, that cuts the strings…

Friends, for years I have blogged about my hopes to meet and marry my best friend. I have shared with a hopeful heart about my prayers and my journey, but if I’m honest, there have been so.many.times I’ve been scared to really believe God can make that hope a reality — and more importantly, that He will. I tiptoe around it, saying someday prayers and trying not to sound too assured, or even get my hopes up too, too much, because God is God, and we can’t really KNOW what He’ll do in our lives, right?

Well, yes…

* …BUT… *

I don’t want to live with such a fragile faith.

I want to live with a faith that FULLY believes in God and His plan for my life. I want to live with a faith that isn’t afraid to say I believe God can do the seemingly impossible, a faith that trusts that all of the no’s and closed doors have been leading me to a part of my story I couldn’t have imagined on my own, even if I tried (and let me honestly tell you that I’ve tried plenty). ;)

I want to live with a faith that is bigger than my fear, bigger than my doubt, and bigger than every bit of my unbelief.

I want to live with a faith that continues to believe and pray about my hope for marrying my best friend — until God tells me to do otherwise.

And so, that is the faith I am choosing to embrace tonight, the faith that is fueling this blog post, the faith that will give me joy and hope and confidence, as I get ready to celebrate another birthday and continue to follow God on this unique adventure of mine.

I have chosen the way of faithfulness;

I have set my heart on your laws.

I hold fast to your statutes, Lord;

Do not let me be put to shame.


I run in the path of your commands,
    

for you have broadened my understanding.

The other morning, as I read these verses in Psalms, I was reminded of how much I want my love story to be God’s doing and not my own. I am confident that my decision to wait for God’s choice is the right choice for me. And while that doesn’t always make sense to everyone — and it’s certainly not always easy to do — I have chosen to be faithful and trust in Him.

But faithful and trusting doesn’t mean timid.

So, as of tonight, I am going to stop saying someday prayers from a place of fragile faith.

I’m going to stop tiptoeing around my hopes.

I’m going to hold them with open, trusting hands — and with confident, brave belief  — that God will take them, with love and with purpose, and weave them into something more beautiful than I could have ever dreamed.

 

*Lyrics from the song Brave by Nichole Nordeman

The Endings That Lead to New Beginnings

This was it. I was really leaving.

As I shut the door to my now empty apartment, looking around one final time, I couldn’t help but feel I was shutting the door to one season of my life, without knowing what the next one would be.

When I graduated college, full of dreams and passions and plans, I never thought I’d be 25 and unemployed.

But after spending three years writing and editing at a small arts and crafts magazine, I was packing up to head back to my hometown. The magazine that had sparked in me a love of art was shutting down, due to the economy.

And I no longer had a job.

So, on that hot July afternoon, with a car packed so full I could barely see out the rearview window, I set out for the four-hour drive back home.

While I knew the drive by heart, I felt a little lost — directionless — and as I drove, I let the tears freely fall.

What was next?

Where would I go from here?

When would God show up to bring new opportunities and dreams for me to follow?

Would He even show up at all?

For the time being, I was moving in my grandmother who had recently gotten out of the hospital. My family and I agreed that my moving in would help her adjust to being at home again.

I put most of my belongings in storage and moved into the family room of the old, quirky house that my grandfather built. It was cramped, but cozy, and perhaps the best part of my little space was the sliding glass door that opened to a tiny patio and swing. I spent many mornings and evenings sitting on that swing, holding my Bible and my journal, praying, dreaming, hoping — and sometimes pleading — for God to do something new.

There were certainly plenty of moments of despair and discouragement during those uncertain months of waiting. But each of those moments placed within me a deeper need for Jesus and a deeper reliance on God and His plan for my life.

I could apply for job after job — and I did — but what it really came down to was trust — trust that He would provide, despite the economy. Trust that He would lead me exactly where I was meant to go. And even trust that I was exactly where I was meant to be in those very moments of waiting and wondering.

That season built in me a bigger capacity to appreciate the work God was doing — even when I couldn’t see it right away. I was learning to hold things with open hands and to recognize that God is always renewing and redeeming — even in our losses and disappointments.

It’s hard to endure endings — but without them, there aren’t new beginnings.

That season of my life had to come to a close, so God could bring me to a new one.

Had I not moved home, I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to love and serve my grandmother at a time she needed it most. Had I not moved home, I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to explore new career paths. Had I not moved home, I wouldn’t be where I am today, writing and editing for a new company, living in a city that God’s given me such so much heart and passion for.

I’m learning that endings are a part of life, that change is inevitable.

And while that kind of knowledge is bittersweet, it is also impossibly hopeful.

One of favorite quotes from Margaret Drabble says: “When nothing is sure, anything is possible.” And like so much in life, it comes down to our perspective. We can choose to live from a place of hope, or from a place of fear. And while it might take a little bit of grit and grace, every time we choose possibility and hope, over fear and defeat, we open ourselves up to the work of God in a powerful way.

Because when nothing is sure, we can be sure that God is up to something. And when God brings about an ending, we can be sure that in His perfect time, He’ll bring about a new beginning.

:: image ::

{ Editor’s note: This was written for one of my freelance gigs, but didn’t end up getting picked up. It’s something I really needed to read this week, so I thought I would share it with you, too. Just in case you also needed a reminder. }

 

How To Be Brave In A New City

Siempre verde. Always green.

I scribbled those Spanish words and their translation into my art journal, pasting a magazine clipping of bright green leaves next to them.

A reminder of hope, right there on the page.

Always green. Always growing.

At the time, I felt anything but.

I was 24, living in a city that didn’t quite feel like home, and learning to accept the end of a relationship that was never going to be right.

After dating on and off all through college, my boyfriend and I had reached that place of determining whether or not there was a real future for the relationship. As painful as it was to realize, we were two very different people, heading in two very different directions.

Standing on my own, in a new place, watching my story unfold much differently than I thought it might, I had an opportunity to choose growth, an opportunity to discover my roots and what they might be preparing me for…

Hop on over to Venture Magazine to read the rest. :) I’m super honored and excited to be a part of their writing team.

Happy Saturday and Happy March, friends!

Hope you’re off having some fabulous weekend adventures!

The Dating Debate: Should You “Settle”?

As a single woman who’s been doing her best to intentionally pray and navigate the dating world, I read a lot of articles on dating. Many of them say “don’t settle” and “hold out for God’s best for you,” while others really push the idea of “settling for a good guy” (because there’s no such thing as perfect).

I’m curious what others’ thoughts are when it comes to these differing perspectives, and I wonder…

Perhaps there’s a healthy balance between the two extremes?

Because here’s the thing: I agree there’s no such thing as perfect, but I’m also not sure I like the term “settling.” I think the idea of settling can often be associated with fear and lack of trust in God’s provision, and I don’t want the fear of remaining single to ever dictate my dating or marriage decisions.

Plus, if we’re dating with marriage in mind, aren’t we essentially searching for a person who would be a great partner and friend to share the ups and downs of life with? Someone who sees the best — and worst — in us (and we in them), but makes the choice to love anyway? Someone we’re better for the Kingdom with (and vice versa)?

And that doesn’t sound like settling to me.

In her post Don’t Short Circuit Your Love Story, blogger Stephanie May seems to strike the right balance between don’t settle and settle. She writes: “We’re not talking perfection here, we’re talking about delaying instant affirmation for a relationship that is full of life.”

A relationship that is full of life.  

Yes.

Amen.

In his post 4 Signs He’s Worth Marrying, Dale Partridge also touches on that idea when he writes that you may have found a keeper if…You have fun together. He poses these questions to his readers: Are you able to laugh, have meaningful conversation, and truly enjoy each other for years to come? I think this point is super important, because it distinguishes between the “good on paper” person and someone you genuinely connect with and want to spend time with — an important distinction to make, I think, when we’re talking marriage.

A few months ago, I decided to really simplify my prayer for my future spouse and start praying simply to meet and marry my best friend. I think in that prayer, I was thinking what Dale Partridge is expressing in his reason #4 — that if you find the blessing of that kind of friendship and connection, you’ve found something worth holding on to, something worth building upon, something worth choosing.

So, perhaps what I’m actually proposing in this post is that we stop using the term “settle.”

Because while I’m certainly still figuring all of this out, I think it’s more about choosing, than settling…

Choosing to take a chance.

Choosing to keep an open heart.

Choosing to trust.

Choosing to love.

And when it really comes down to it…I don’t want marriage to be something I settle for, I want it to be a choice I prayerfully and wholeheartedly make.

::image::

Why My Prayer in Singleness Has Changed

In my dating experiences this past year, I’ve discovered that I want to change my prayer for my future marriage — well, more like simplify it.

While I still have a lot of hopes and dreams for what that relationship might look like, I just simply want to marry my best friend. And within that friendship, I do truly believe there will be many of the things I used to earnestly pray for…understanding, shared creativity, and a desire to learn, grow, dream, and live life fully together.

But I’m no longer complicating my prayers.

In 2014, I’m simply surrendering one very humble and heartfelt prayer: to meet and marry a man who will be my best friend.

I feel a certain freedom in praying that prayer, leaving the other details up to God. I almost feel as though this prayer pushes me to trust more fully, making more space for God to move and less space for me to worry and fret and try to make things happen in my own way and timing.

And that’s a big focus for me in 2014 — making space for God to move. I’ve been learning lately that God doesn’t force us into new seasons or adventures. We open our hearts, and He’s waiting to lead us to new possibilities. And while I do believe that ultimately His Will prevails, I also believe we can partner with Him to follow His path and purpose for us.

And why wouldn’t we want to partner with Him, opening our hearts and hands to receive His best? There have been far too many moments in my own life where I’ve clutched onto broken pieces, rather than releasing them and making space for God to do something new and beautiful.

Do you have any new prayers for 2014? Or prayers you’re praying in a new way? How are you readying your heart for the new year and making space in your life for God to move in mighty ways?

:: image by Max Wanger; Text by me ::