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| Just so this post will have a picture. =) |
Just for this blog, I've added a brief explanation for why I chose each one...
- CHOOSE LIFE
You probably know this has been my theme for 2017, and it was my clear #1 choice for this list. In Deuteronomy, God says that He sets life and death before us, and He encourages us to choose life. This holds true for the millions of choices we make through the course of our lives, major and minor, and I need the constant reminder to choose what will bring life in my thoughts, words, actions, health, and relationships!! ❤ - BE LUMINOUS
This may seem cheesy, but someone in the comments wrote it, and I immediately loved it! My middle name (Claire) actually means "Luminous and noble," and that just makes me happy. =) First and foremost, I want the pure light of Christ to shine through my heart and life, to let the light in and to bring light and joy and hope to the people around me! I also want to embrace my unique beauty and femininity, to be confident and radiant, without apology or shame or hesitation! ❤ - ALWAYS SEEK GOD'S BEST
This was the note Mom wrote in my Bible many years ago... "Always seek God's best for your life!" I love it because it perfectly sums up the most important life advice any parent could ever give any child in seven simple words. And I want to follow that advice... to draw near and pursue and seek God, and to avoid pushing for my own plan and settling for less than His best! ❤ - STAY THE COURSE
This is my favorite line from The Patriot, mid epic battle scene. It's about fighting for an important cause and being faithful to that cause even when everything around you screams that you should give up... "Hold the line; stay the course!" Being faithful to God, being faithful to people I love, being faithful to what I know is right, even and especially when it gets hard. ❤ - CELEBRATE GOODNESS EVERYWHERE
I LOVE this one! I want to be someone who notices and encourages and celebrates the good things that God is doing... the good things in my own life and the good qualities I see in others... I want to avoid the scarcity mindset and to be excited when great things happen for someone I love, to rejoice when they rejoice! I also believe that so much of life is in the details, so I want to continue to be someone who celebrates the beauty of creation, along with good movies, music, food, books, pictures, dreams, and memories!! God is good, and every good gift comes from Him, and I want to celebrate that goodness everywhere I see it! ❤ - BE ANCHORED IN ETERNAL HOPE
This is probably the most important one for me in maintaining joy here and now! Our unwavering hope of eternity in the coming Kingdom of Christ is the only hope strong enough to anchor our souls through certain storms, and I want to hold confidently to that! I want to keep an eternal mindset to help me process and overcome temporary struggles, and I'm so thankful to have substantial truth and hope to cling to there! ❤ - SPEAK THE TRUTH IN LOVE
I nearly went with "Have courage and be kind," but the words of Jesus must trump Cinderella. lol Plus, you can be kind without having a true heart of love toward someone, so speaking the truth in love goes much deeper and often requires more sacrifice and the willingness to confront what is hurting the other person. I want to follow the leading of Christ here, and I want love and truth to hold equal value and balance in my life! ❤ - CULTIVATE HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS
Whether building new relationships, spending time with family, or strengthening my existing friendships... I want to be positive, consistent, and vulnerable. I want to prioritize genuine connections and work to set clear boundaries, be honest, be quick to listen and forgive, and keep my relationships healthy and two-sided as life moves forward! ❤ - KEEP THE WAVES OUTSIDE THE SHIP
There's a meme that says something like: It is not the waves surging outside the ship that sink it, but the water that gets inside the boat. For me, this one means keeping healthy emotional boundaries, basically doing a better job of guarding my heart. I want to keep a calm, peaceful center where Jesus dwells and my soul is anchored in eternal hope, which will not allow my own pain or the struggles and crisis situations of people I love to pull me under. This means supporting others without taking on the unfair responsibility for their well-being or the full weight of their emotional pain. ❤ - REMEMBER WHO THE REAL ENEMY IS
A memorable line from Hunger Games, but very appropriate for the Christian life! When I remember that Satan is my real enemy and he seeks to destroy my relationships and crush my spirit, that helps me to love and forgive other people and to let go of anger. It's so easy to lose sight of who our real enemy is, especially when we've been hurt, so a constant reminder to fight the real enemy is needed! ❤ - LET EMOTIONS SUBSIDE, AND THEN DECIDE
A Joyce quote that has proven helpful a few times... and when I've ignored it, I've quickly seen how it would have been much wiser to take this advice. We simply do not make quality decisions when we're in a fit of anger or sadness or emotional panic. It's always good to pause and sleep on it and let our emotions calm down before we send the email or buy the house or have a big conversation or make any other major decisions! ❤ - EMBRACE THE REMIX
I'm all about comfort and familiarity and security, but life has a way of throwing curveballs when we least expect them. I really believe that in the good changes and the HARD changes, God is working all things out for my good and His glory. We do not grow without change, and I want to continue growing and moving forward. I want to be better at embracing new people and trying new things, and I want to trust God to uphold and sustain me through every major change and life remix! ❤
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