How are you doing with the New Year’s Resolutions or goals that you set going into 2014?
If you have fallen off of the wagon, brush yourself off, and get right back on! This is going to be a GREAT year!
Here are a few things to keep in mind as you strive for a healthier you all year through!
First and foremost, trust in the Lord! He knows what the future holds. He holds YOU in the palm of His hand. Nothing that you will encounter this year will come as a surprise to Him! Trust Him. He has plans for us – plans to prosper us, plans to give us hope and a future. If in doubt, refer back to Jeremiah 29:11. That is one of my most favorite bible verses, and one this website is based on as well!
If you set out with great ambition on being healthier in the new year, you still can! Eat more fruits and vegetables and less junk food. Be mindful of what you are putting in your mouth. Do not eat in front of the computer or television. Take time to savor every bite. Then make sure you are drinking plenty of water. If you’ve ever wondered if you’re drinking enough water during the course of the day or just how much you need to drink, this simplifies it for you! No excuses now! Drink more water and less sweetened soft drinks, sweet tea, or juices. Water is so good for you! Add some fresh lemon juice for an added benefit! More
Have you seen this picture before? If so, have you stopped to consider what you would say to your younger self, or did you just sigh and scroll right on past that post on Facebook?
I considered the question, and I took the time to really search my heart. It is hard to answer this with only two words. However, the following keeps coming back to me each time:More
Yep, that’s right. I’m only human. I have days where things bother me, and I am tempted to become discouraged. Try as I may to push the negatives out of my head, they seem to resurface. At times like these, it is important to reach out to someone. There are just some times that you have to pour your heart out. You have permission to feel the feelings and to talk about them, just don’t dwell on them. That is where you get into trouble. The more you dwell on the negatives of a situation, it will start to consume you. As the saying goes,
You can’t live a positive life with a negative mind.
I heard another one today that rings true as well, and it is as follows:
Your thoughts about the situation lead to unhappiness.
I had a very sweet friend pray for me this week. Not only did she pray for me, but she reached out and let me know that I was on her heart and that she just had to let me know she was praying for me. I’m glad she did because her message came at just the right time. It was as if her heart knew that my heart was troubled and her words were like soothing balm to my soul.
What did I do to combat the negative thoughts this week? I prayed, and then I put on praise and worship music. I can guarantee you that if you put on some good uplifting “feel good” type of music and just start singing your heart out, you are bound to drive away those ill feelings! I do not believe that you can remain in a negative frame of mind when you lift up your hands or voices to the Lord to sing His praises. That was, indeed, the solution for me this week, more specifically tonight! More
So here I am proclaiming to the world that this post is part of the Happy Wives Club Blog Tour, which I am delighted to be a part of along with hundreds of inspiring bloggers. ~Insert excited giggle here!~
I just recently discovered Fawn and the Happy Wives Club. In this world filled with negative conversation, I have found that, unfortunately, marriages are on the top of that list! When so many people speak negatively about their marriage or marriages in general, Fawn has encouraged us to join together to tell the world that happy marriages DO still exist! We are living proof! More
We are mixing things up a little today and are doing a little assignment prompted by Lisa Jo Baker {I just love her!}. To find out all about how Five Minute Fridays got started, click here. Basically, you write about whatever is in your heart and on your mind for five minutes straight based on a prompt word. Don’t worry about run on sentences or if you misspell a word, etc. It’s okay! Just write for five minutes, and share with others by linking up on her site. If you don’t have a blog, that is okay, too, as you can add your Five Minute Friday masterpiece in the comment section of her site. I welcome you to add them here on my blog, too, if you feel so inclined.
I would venture to say that I am definitely on the right track with this blog and sharing God’s light, love, and hope. Why do I say this? Because in doing so, I have stirred up the enemy. Remember when I posted previously that he aims to steal, kill, and destroy? He has reared up his head this past week in places you would not even dream of … like church using “church people” or fellow Christians! While it is extremely sad, this is no surprise as we have had this happen to us before in churches. My dad even reminded me this week that the devil is more at work in the churches than one would like to believe. He is. People, beware!
Then today I had a “friend” attempt to launch an assault at me as well. Wow. If you’re wondering why I chose to word it that way … it is because although she attempted, I did not take it on. Although she tried to draw me in to her negativity, I did not allow it. I did not entertain it. I, instead, chose to continue in peace. I chose to continue to remain in a calm state. I chose to not be offended. I chose to hang on to my joy! More
Welcome to the very first day of 2014! We hope you had a wonderful holiday season and safely rang in the new year! Now it is time to get down to business!
To make sure this year gets off to a great start, Holley Gerth has offered a challenge! What exactly does this challenge entail? I’m glad you asked! Holley says:
The concept is simple: I’m asking you to pour out a little love with your words every Wednesday.
How does it work? Each week Holley will issue a prompt for us to ponder and then pour our hearts out into words of encouragement.
Holley goes on to say:
Research shows that those who focus on encouraging others are happier, healthier and live longer. So this could be the best New Year’s resolution you’ve ever made.
If you have a blog of your own, please consider accepting this challenge and posting on your own blog. If you do not have a blog, that is okay, too, as you can post on any social media platform of your choice. If you would rather not do any of these, then I encourage you to simply “reply” and leave a comment here on Light, Love, Hope … share your heart, pour it all out, bless someone with showing your light, love, and hope through words of encouragement. Just take this opportunity to pour out your words of love and encouragement. Your words do not have to be directed to me. Use this space to write whatever is on your heart. If there is something that you would like to say to someone that you haven’t gotten the nerve up to do just yet, consider writing it out here and praying over it. Then as God leads, share those words of love and encouragement! I know you have it in you. It is time to bless someone’s heart and life with your words.
I hope you’ll join me. I am VERY excited about this and thank Holley for this challenge issued to many far and wide!
Wow! The year 2013 is coming to a close in just a few short hours. We are receiving the gift of a new year. What will you do with it? What story will you write on the pages in your book of life in this coming year?
We begin tomorrow on this new journey into the year 2014. Please do not look back on this year or previous ones with sorrow or regret. The past is done, and there is not a single thing we can do about it now. There’s no changing it. Make peace with your past right this minute so that you do not carry around the weight of that type of baggage as we go into the new year.
If there were people that wronged you this past year, forgive them … not so much for their sake as that of your own! When you hold a grudge and carry the weight of that around with you, honestly you are only hurting yourself. This other person has probably gone on about their lives without giving a second thought to that which you are holding on to and that which is eating at you. Anger and resentment only hurt YOU! Pray for God to take this off of you, that He will release you from the chains that bind you!
There is only this moment in time that we are guaranteed. We hope that we’ll wake up tomorrow to be able to share the beauty of another day with our families. We pray that God will allow us a long life full of love. We pray over our family, health, and finances. We pray for healthy bodies, souls, and minds and that we would be protected and sheltered from all harm.
There are so many new opportunities as we ring in the new year. You have a chance to make a difference in the world. Yes, you! If you think you can’t, I know differently! I have faith in YOU! I believe in YOU! You have the power with the help of Almighty God to do great things in this life!
As I was writing the first paragraph about the pages in your book of life, I was reminded about God’s book of life. Is your name written in the Lamb’s Book of Life? Won’t you ask Him into your heart and life today? Will you follow Him and trust in Him? If things haven’t gone right in the past, if you’ve gone down the wrong path, this is your chance to begin again! You can start fresh and new right now by asking God into your heart and life. He won’t promise that there won’t be trials and tribulations along the way, but He will be with you every single step of the way.
If you are already a believer, yet don’t feel God’s presence moving in your life, ask yourself one question. Who moved? It wasn’t God. He has been right there the entire time watching you, waiting for you to come to Him, waiting for you to trust in Him. He’s with you as you read the words on this screen right this minute. When you cry out to God, He will be there to wipe every tear from your eyes! Oh sweet child, if you have strayed, won’t you come back to Him? He’s waiting.
You may have lost some people along the journey this past year. Some friends may have turned away from you. Although it may have hurt deeply, please know that God was pruning people and things from your life. He wants new things to happen in your life, and maybe the things that you have lost or the people you have lost just did not fit into the plan that God has for your life. Maybe they served their purpose and were there for a time, a season. Now that time has passed, the seasons have changed, and their place in your life is no more. Know that while it may have been a surprise to you, it was not a surprise to God. Trust in Him that He knows best. Treasure the time you did have with these people or doing the things that you were once a part of, and keep those fond memories close to your heart as time marches on. Pray that God will take away the sting of lost relationships and friendships. Something better is on its way! Just as the saying goes that if God leads you to it, He will see you through it, there is also another saying that if God closes one door, He will open another. I firmly believe this.
There are so many possibilities for the new year. There will be exciting things for this coming year. So many will embark on a journey that they never imagined possible before. Oh, but God knew … and He has His hands all over it. Some will see great changes in their lives. Carry God with you as you go.
As we say goodbye to the old and usher in the new, shed the old you and put on the new you. This is your chance! Accept the gift of a new year … be determined to be a new you! Embrace change! Take God’s hand on this new journey in your life as you carefully write the words on the pages in your book of life.
Blessings to you and yours for the new year and all year through!
Today there are free e-books from Beth Moore available on Kindle and Nook. If you do not have either, that is okay, too, as you can download them to your computer.
The links will appear on the right hand side to take you to Amazon’s site to download your free copies today! Here’s one, and you can go from there also: Believing God
I have heard a lot of people talking about their New Year’s Resolutions while some speak of goals they are setting for the new year instead. Which path will you be going down on January 1st?
For those that wish to start a work out plan, there’s no need to pay mega bucks to join a gym when you can exercise in the comfort of your own home. My nine year old daughter and I exercise to Leslie Sansone’s Walk Away The Pounds. We can literally walk a mile in 15 to 20 minutes right there in our living room. There aren’t any strenuous movements involved, it’s just all about keeping the pace and your heartbeat up. I absolutely love working out with her! Check out Leslie Sansone here Leslie Sansone: Walk It Off in 30 Days
For those that wish to devote more time to reading the bible, check out YouVersion on your mobile devices to carry it with you. If you don't have any mobile devices, that's okay, too, as you can go to their website and view the material from there. They offer a variety of free devotionals to choose from. Can you guess what my personal favorite is? None other than Joyce Meyer! I have been blessed by reading her daily devotional through YouVersion. She provides a bible verse to reflect on, her thoughts, and she closes with a starter prayer. It is worth looking in to!
For those that wish to save more money but just are not sure how it could even be possible, I've seen a chart going around about this! Simply place $1 in your savings jar for the first week, $2 in your savings jar the second week, $3 in your savings jar the third week, and so forth and so on until you have added $52 for week 52 - all total you will have saved close to $1,400.00 a year by sticking with this plan. See how simple it truly is - you CAN do this!!
For kicking the habit of smoking, this is a tough one! Thankfully I never took up this habit, but I have friends that have. If you've tried before and just haven't been successful, that's okay. Pick yourself up and dust yourself off. This is a brand new year. You can begin again! I've covered in a previous post some things to take the place of your habits - do something positive for yourself instead. Take a nice long hot bubble bath when you feel the urge to grab a cigarette. Turn on some music and sing your heart out or dance until you just can't dance any more. The idea is to shift your focus from that craving to something positive! If chewing gum isn't your thing then grab a nice cold glass of water every time you have a craving instead of reaching for those cigarettes. Water is soooooo good for you, and there are many benefits for reaching for that glass of water versus that cigarette. Add some freshly squeezed lemon juice for a bit of a detox affect also. Winning!
For those that wish to have a more positive attitude, try going through a single day without any complaints whatsoever. This is hard!! Our human side wants to complain about things that we just don't like. We want to verbalize things that irk us. Just be aware that what ever you feed will grow! What is your focus? If it is always on something negative, that is what will grow in your heart, mind, and in your life. Shift your focus to something positive! Every time you want to complain, shift your focus, instead, to things that you are thankful for! Make a list - go ahead, it's okay. Pull out that piece of paper and your pen, and write down things that you are thankful for. We are so blessed in this life, and yet we hardly ever acknowledge the good and the things that are right in our lives and in the world. We focus too long and too hard on the bad, the negative. Let's change that.
Here's another terrific idea. How about we start another jar in addition to the one where we will be saving our money! Let's start a Grateful Jar! Throughout the year as you have wonderfully positive events that happen to you in your life, things that you want to commit to memory, write them down on a slip of paper and place them in your jar. How about this for an added challenge - every time you are tempted to complain about something, instead, grab your pen and paper and write something you are thankful for. Place that in the jar instead of voicing your complaint. Now, don't get me wrong, every one has a time in their life that they just need to get things off of their chest. I know I sure do! There is nothing in the world wrong with this occasionally ... just make sure that your focus is not always on the bad, the ugly, the sad, the depressing, the down right negative. Some times we need to release what is eating at us so it no longer has a hold on us. Just be careful not to dwell on it too long or it will consume you! Instead, shift your focus to something good and positive!
OR ... consider this - for every person that has wronged you, consider doing a Random Act of Kindness either to them or to someone else. Instead of going back on them with hateful vengeance, shift to something positive. I know this is hard. It is incredibly hard to do something nice for someone that has been so mean and hateful to you. If you just can't bring yourself to do something nice to this person, pray for them. That is one of the best things you CAN do for someone else. Even this can be hard to do depending on how they wronged you, but I promise you that the more you begin to pray for this person, the easier it will get. I have been there a few times, but it only hurts ME to harbor ill feelings toward them. It is in MY best interest to release it and move on to happier things in my life. I allow my sadness, disappointment, and often times hurt to surface. I feel those feelings, and then I shift to praying for them. I pray for God to help me find forgiveness so that I can move on.
I, personally, don't think you can ever go wrong with a random act of kindness or simply paying it forward. If someone has done something nice for you, do something nice for someone else as a way to pay it forward. Think of what a wonderful place this world would be if EVERY one joined in on the random act of kindness. I've heard about people being in line in the drive thru and having a wonderful surprise when they reach the window to pay only to find out that the car in front of them paid for their meal out of the kindness of their hearts! How sweet is that?! What do you do? Thank God for the blessing and then bless someone else's heart by paying it forward.
Last, but not least, choose joy. I know that you won't always feel cheerful or want to smile. I know there will be things this coming year that will try you. There will be storms in your life that will threaten to bring you to your knees. It is hard to smile when troubles are raining down upon you or when you're going through a trial. This is a time when you desperately need to lean on someone. Let them share the load. Allow them into your world to see the real you so that they can pray for you. We like to wear masks. This is something I have mentioned in previous posts as well. We hide behind them and pretend all is well when inside our hearts are breaking. Allow someone to see the real you, the broken you, so that they will know how to help you and how to pray for you. You might be going through something draining right this very minute that is threatening to sap all joy and happiness from your life. Please, look up - God can help you. Get down on your knees and pray to God above. Cling to Him. He will see you through this. He has the ability to heal your broken heart! Trust in Him. Although the storms of life toss you about, you can still praise Him in the storms. Lift up your hands to God. Praise Him.
These are all positives things that you CAN do in the coming year.
I hope you'll join me as we seek to make positive changes in our lives and set positive goals for our new year.
There are some things that you absolutely should not carry into the new year. The very first thing that has to go is your negative thinking and negative self talk. How many times have you looked at your reflection in the mirror and made a horrible remark either in your head or out loud to yourself? What did it accomplish other than making you feel worse about yourself?
You are your worst enemy! If you wouldn’t say it to one of your friends, why, oh why, do you say such things to yourself? Take care of yourself and guard your thoughts! Even if you have to start with words of affirmations taped to your mirror – then start there! Begin each day with words of affirmations. When you walk up to that mirror and are tempted to just pick yourself apart as you usually do, this time shift your focus on the positive and uplifting words right before your very eyes taped on your mirror. Instead of cutting yourself down, how about lifting yourself up?! Speak loving words over yourself such as:
“I am a child of the Most High God!” “I am beautifully and wonderfully made!”
There is such power in your tongue and in your thoughts! I can’t stress enough just how important it is to speak lovingly to yourself and others! There are so many people in this world that just cannot wait to chew you up one side and down the other or who feel it is their place to point out each and every flaw or imperfection – or create ones in their heads just to attack you. Please, do NOT do this to yourself. Build yourself up so when someone tries to tear you down, you do not lay sprawled out on the floor unable to move. Instead you put on your armor of God and as every negative word is launched at you from others, you simply raise your shield in front of you so that those words cannot pierce your heart and soul. You will be protected!
Speak beautiful loving words of light, love, and hope over yourself before you ever think about turning from that mirror and greeting others along your path during the day. Start with loving yourself first! Be mindful of your thoughts, your words, even your actions toward yourself. If you’re having trouble thinking of any loving and kind words to say to yourself, I’m here to help you out! Say things such as:
“I am so blessed!” “I am strong!” “I am confident!” “I have victory in Jesus!”
I am a huge Joel Osteen fan. Some do NOT like him at all, and that is their prerogative. However, I have read his books and have seen him and his family at A Night of Hope just this past August. He encourages in his messages, and that is something this world needs more of – encouragement! He began the night with positive messages of hope, followed by beautiful praise and worship music, and then a message from the bible. My family and I thoroughly enjoyed the entire experience. I came home with a few more books written by Joel, and I have one right in front of me as I type this tonight. I would like to take Day Five straight from his book:
I Declare: 31 Promises To Speak Over Your Life:
I DECLARE I am grateful for who God is in my life and for what He’s done. I will not take for granted the people, the opportunities, and the favor He has blessed me with. I will look at what is right and not what is wrong. I will thank Him for what I have and not complain about what I don’t have. I will see each day as a gift from God. My heart will overflow with praise and gratitude for all of His goodness. This is my declaration.
Will you join me as we say goodbye to 2013 and usher in the new gift of 2014 that we’ve been given? Will you join me in speaking light, love, and hope over ourselves and in our lives?
Be kinder to yourselves as we go into the new year. Leave negative thinking and negative self talk behind. You’re better than that! Start believing it and living it … today!
