2013, I Welcome You!!

2013 ... Wow! It's a New Year! There is so much promise in a New Year. I can honestly say that I have never been more excited for a new year ...  a fresh start! This year, along with every year in the past, holds so much possibility. 

2013 will be the last year in my twenties and that really excites me. I honestly love getting older because it's another year that I have been blessed to live. So as I gladly & gratefully embrace this new year I have a few goals to see fulfilled before February 10, 2014. I am going to share them with you in order to have some accountability, prayers & encouragement. Without further ado here are the goals & a few ideas of how to see these accomplished.

1. Grow deeper in my relationship with the Lord by being more consistent with my quiet time: Bible study, memorization (I've just joined Beth Moore's Siesta Scripture Memory Team - you learn a verse of your own choosing on the 1st & 15th of each month) and prayer time.

2. Healthier Habits: eat fast food less, cut out soft drinks, exercise, get plenty of rest, drink more water! (I do have some more specific goals in mind for this but I'll reveal those later as I start to see the results.)

3. Manage my finances better: decrease the stupid bills I pay each month, tithe above & beyond, be more charitable in my giving, be more consistent with my savings.

4. Grow my hair out. Yes, grow my hair out. See the healthier habits in order to see how I plan to accomplish that. Ha. I am taking a daily vitamin to help with this as well.

5. Extras: Seek the Lord in all things & in all areas. Look for the evidence of His work around me more. Enjoy life more. Blog more. Write more. Sing more. Laugh more. See my family & friends more. Rest & relax more.

Can I accomplish these? Absolutely because I believe that these goals have been given to me by the Lord & I can't wait to get started. One way I plan to personally encourage myself in this way is by remembering the verse that the Lord has given me for 2013 ...

"Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not." Jeremiah 33:3 (I just love this verse in the KJV language!)

The Lord gave me this verse on Sunday morning during the worship service and this is also the verse that I plan to memorize first! What better way to remind myself to keep on course for this year? When I am discouraged, down, weak, frustrated or in need of wisdom then all I have to do is call on the Lord and He will answer. It may not be right away but I know that by calling on His name then I will be ushered into His presence and where else would I desire to be?

Now, for the sake of being completely honest I've also promised myself a reward for when I accomplish these goals ... a Louis Vuitton purse for my 30th birthday. I know that is an incredibly extravagant gift but I want it to be something I will remember for the rest of my life and something that will last just as long. I do not expect to ever purchase or be given anything like this again in my lifetime which is why I want to gift this to myself. :)

So 2013 I welcome you with open arms, a sincere desire to accomplish great things and with the sweet expectation of seeing the Lord work in mighty ways this year. 

Happy New Year Dear Ones!

I love you all.

Blessings ... 

Melody