New Year...New Me?

Hey mamas! The holidays are over. Perhaps you have been getting a little more rest and a little less stress these past couple weeks? I sure hope so! 

But for most women, January 1st is the beginning of a time of even more stress than the holidays...it's a time of trying to keep up with unrealistic New Year's Resolutions.

Now, I know it's not trendy to call them "resolutions" anymore, but whatever name you use, I think it's safe to say that most people enter the new year with some kind of goals or changes in mind.

I used my Christmas gift card to buy this super in-depth planner so I can be more organized in 2023...This is going to be the year I finally get rid of these extra 20 lbs, I'm going to start working out every day and tracking my calories...This place is such a mess, I vow to go through one room a week to get decluttered and minimalize our possessions...

Organization, better health, decluttering...these are all great things to have in your life, and it has been scientifically proven that they improve your quality of life and reduce stress...unless, of course, you are pushing yourself crazy hard to achieve these goals! 

We'll take the 20 pounds as an example. I'm fairly sure that stressing and overworking your body and restricting your food so that your metabolism slows done (look it up, it's a thing!) is worse for your health than that extra 20 pounds. Just saying...

I totally agree with working on a healthier lifestyle. I feel like God is always showing me ways that I need to improve physically, emotionally, relationally, spiritually...the list goes on and on. But the way He presents these changes to my heart is usually not in a drastic, sink-or-swim, do-or-die manner. Instead, God is incredibly gentle and gives me a lot of grace...because I need it!

So, mamas, I just want to challenge you to think of yourself the way that God does. I don't believe that He looks at you and only sees a broken person that needs to be fixed. He doesn't obsessed over how you need to improve. He doesn't think you will only have value after you achieve this or that or reach this goal...He sees you for who you are now and loves you for who you are now. 

My son is 15 months old and not walking yet. I could be stressing out about this, but I'm not. He didn't start crawling until around his birthday, and I know that its best for babies to crawl a good deal before they start walking. He doesn't yet have the balance to stand unassisted (though he has no trouble climbing things, haha!) or grasped the concept of taking steps without holding on to something or someone. He's just not ready to walk yet. But he will be someday in the near future, I'm sure. Like a good parent, I'm not going to try to force him to do something he isn't developmentally ready for yet.

Maybe before focusing on organizing your activities you need to work on cutting back and providing more time for rest or freedom? Maybe instead of obsessing over those 20 pounds you need to first work on loving yourself as the imperfect mess you are? And what about asking God to change your mindset on what your family really needs so that the decluttering wont be painful or challenging?

Most resolutions require a lot of self control, and the Bible tells us that is a fruit of having the Holy Spirit inside of you. So why don't you ask Him for guidance in the new year? Ask God where He wants to work on you in 2023. Believe me, you will experience a lot more success in your goals if you have the Creator of the universe backing you!!!

Much love, mamas! I look forward to what 2023 will bring for us all. I'm praying that, most importantly, it will bring a closer relationship with our Maker.

Blessings,

Lee