It is another new year. Time to review the past year and think about how I want to live my life this upcoming year. I don’t like to make new year's resolutions as I rarely keep them. Rather, I like to look back at what last year contained and how this next year can provide opportunities of growth. I decided with my new knees in tow, to finally attend a group meeting of one of my mentors. She has been one of those people who have kept me moving forward during the covid isolation and striving to live a life worthy of being a member of the Royal Family of a King. I was not disappointed and brought away actions I had learned many years ago in a different light. I love how she put herself out there and am very grateful for her love of Christ and willingness to step out in courage, I know you don’t mind me sharing your thoughts and dreams Cassie!
As I look through all the bills and receipts for this past year for tax time, (yes, I am doing my taxes already) I am not just looking at what we have spent our money on this year. I am really looking at what we have invested our money and time into. These items we purchased, were they really beneficial for our own growth, were they worth the investment or did they drain our money, time, and emotional resources?
Then, I started a new chapter in my life journal. (Maybe you might want to start a whole new journal book. I hate to waste pages and my book was only half full. Another goal I am repeating for this year) I am writing down all that I have dreams for this year. The habits I like to develop more fully. Those things which are hard to do but you know you should do them. I also included those successes and wins. One of the scariest things was becoming a Host for Educational Opportunities. It weighs heavily on me I am responsible for the safety, financial security, and enjoyment of learning about the Holy Land. It has also been a disappointment we may not be able to take my first trip. However, because I have trusted God to lead me, I have grown so much from just taking that first step. I have come to realize I am human, and I have put way too much pressure on myself. This was a weight never intended for me to carry. Simple, I have to put that weight down. Yes, (I am a perfectionist), it is not easy to not expect high performance from myself. But it is necessary for me to rely on God and the people who are put into my life to achieve the great things God has planned. My purpose is only to do what God has me to achieve. The others are to do their parts. So, I am only holding on to the weight I am intended to carry for a season. Maybe this trip was planned for next year in God’s wisdom and I was only to get the first steps started.
Now I am ready to get serious about what I was called to do. I have to put aside all the frivolous things which will have very little meaning for the next year. Focus my vision on the things necessary to get to where I want to go. Developing habits to feed my mind and staying close to what God wants me to be learning. Taking care of the body I am in while living on this earth. I have to take off all those layers of protection I use to hide behind to keep myself safe. I am getting uncomfortable and taking those leaps of faith of doing things which may cause me to be ridiculed for or may appear to be a failure. It is in the failures we sometimes grow the most in. It is in the times of being in the fog we have true friends and family show up to help us take the next steps. These are gifts of opportunities to walk together instead of alone.
Therefore, as I complete my journey of becoming ACBC certified, I am doing the final look over my exam answers before I hand them in. I am both excited and feeling a little exhausted as this has really been a stretching opportunity. I have been asked what will I be doing and what makes Biblical counseling different from other counseling? To help answer some of these questions I am going to be sharing some of my exam questions as they will help explain what my focus will be.
Finally, for this new year I will be praying for guidance as I complete my ACBC certification; setting the final arrangements for our Holy Land pilgrimage; and new opportunities to stretch into learning skills and using gifts I have been given. What will you be praying for?
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