Free to Be in 2014

Every year at this time I do one of two things: weep at the loss of what was, or breathe a huge sigh of relief knowing that I get to start with a fresh slate.

As the New Year approached, my head began to spin with what I should be doing as far as setting goals for the coming year. Should I make resolutions? Pick a One Word or scripture focus? Start a new diet? Join a Facebook accountability group? All of these are good and often necessary things that will help to keep one focused throughout the year. In past years, I would be ridden with guilt and a sense of failure if I didn’t make good on a commitment. So I had to stop and ask myself,

What is God saying to me?

And it was that simple. This year’s focus will be on listening to the Holy Spirit, taking the revelation that He brings to me through the reading of His Word and in prayer, and moving where the Spirit of God takes me. Of course, I still believe in setting goals. Goals give a person something to pursue, something to grab a hold of.

Here are a few things that I will be doing, which will still allow me to change direction should the Holy Spirit move me.

Spiritual Growth.

I want to be very intentional in positioning myself to receive all that God has for me this year. At the same time, I’d like to commit to a daily reading plan which will help me to read the entire Word of God in a year. This year, I will be joining Tricia Goyer using the Women’s Guide to Reading the Bible through in a Year. I am hoping this will help me in my quest to stay focused while receiving fresh revelation from the Lord.

Journal.

I am famous for starting something and not falling through. I have a love/hate relationship with journals. Two years ago on my birthday God gave me the idea to color His Word by art journaling. I think I lasted 30 days. I get hung up in perfection — is my writing sloppy? are my drawings good enough? This year, I am focusing more on the revelation and less on what it looks like.

Capture beauty.

I am not a photographer by nature. I find it hard to stop long enough to truly see the beauty in the normal, often mundaneness of life. I’ve started and stopped many photography challenges due to my perceived lack of creativity. I know this is something God wants me to do. It’s not about the photo. It’s about seeing, really seeing the beauty that is all around me. For this goal, I will be joining Elisa Pulliam to capture a God aware life in 2014 by capturing just one distinct photo each week.

Be Free to Be.

This is what I will be most focused on, being free to be all that God has intended me to be in 2014. If I fail at all of these other things, it won’t matter, as long as I’ve heard Him, seen Him and have allowed Him to move me where His Spirit will take me.

How about you? What are your goals for 2014? Perhaps you’d like to join me in one of the above suggested goals.

*photo credit