Welcome back, friends! It’s really good to open the blog curtains, put on the coffee, and welcome you back in to Come Have a Peace. While things were quiet here CHP added new friends on Facebook and others found encouragement in the archives of the last four years. Four years! My heart is still the same here on this space of a blog that God has given to me, that I would share His word applied to real life in a way that brings encouragement and peace to those who read. That’s still the plan for this new year, and I hope you’ll stay with me.
Maybe you’re in the thick of putting away ornaments, figuring our your gift receipts, trying to tackle your Christmas tree (How does a tree become as dry as a woman’s foot in February & as moldy as a teenager’s shower at the same time?) or maybe you’re sitting still, wondering what God has for you this year. In all those places, I am with you today. I have some big things I need to pray through, some problems I need to wade through, and some plans I need to persevere through. I don’t want to do it alone.
Why we fizzle out
Most of us set some new year’s goals, just to fizzle out somewhere around March …. or February! We often lack a PLAN for knowing HOW to start a new year, and we lack a PARTNER to walk it out with us. We spend an hour or a morning or a day trying to come up with some goals, and they last about that long. So this month, in addition to Marriage Mondays and some weekend comfort inspiration (aka food), we’re going to tackle the need for starting the year well.
A new plan
Just once, would you like to accomplish what you aim for? You can.
- We’re going to take longer to do our planning
- We’re going to go slow and pray often
- We’re going to plan together for a great year
- We’re going to use simple tools to look back & ahead
- We’re going to have someone to help us follow through
Honestly, I’m pretty ready to leave December behind and start “new.” December included a lot more heaviness in my life than I planned on, and I can see now why a month of “blog quiet” was one of God’s Christmas gifts to me. He cleared my plate and my mind, so that I could carry an unexpected load. I’m ready for something fresh and new. Are you?
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Have you made new year goals yet? If so, what’s one hope you have for this year?
I’m ready, Julie. I have been putting off making my normal list of resolutions, not even knowing why. I think I just found my answer. I’m excited about this post and excited to join you in starting the year well!
Awesome! I usually have “my list” ready by now, but this time, I’m going to take a little more time and plan for SUCCESS!
I also have decided to be more pensive in what my resolutions will be. i have some ideas, but I am praying more diligently about them. I do think one of them is that I want to return to some better simplicity, but I’m not sure yet what that means for me exactly, so I’m prayerful. I am glad to have you back on posting. I am praying with/for you too, and I am looking forward to making this year a better success, along with you and the other readers.
“praying diligently” sounds like a very good thing. Today I’m feeling like I need to set aside some time to do that in an undistracted way. Might be time for a long walk or a comfy chair and a clean spiral notebook. š Will pray along with you, friend.