Category: Faith

Daily Life · Faith · Joy · One Word

One Word – 2017

Beth HardwickLeave a comment

Three years ago a former student of mine introduced me to the book, One Word That Will Change Your Life by Jon Gordon, Jimmy Page, & Dan Britton – you can find it on Amazon.  Basically it shows you how focusing on one word for the year can help simplify your life, your business, your general clarity of the world around you, etc.

In 2015, my One Word was Thanksgiving.  I chose it so that I could focus my year on being grateful and appreciating all the blessings I have.  What One Word does is keep you mindful of that focus.  Well, at least that’s what it has done for me.

In 2016, my One Word was softening.  What is softening? According to this article, it’s the ability to respond more lovingly, more patiently, and more opening.  It is pausing, breathing, reflecting, surrendering, accepting, opening, and revealing.

So now here we are, almost to May 2017, and I have yet to proclaim my One Word for the year.  Until now.  My One Word is joy.  I want to be more mindful of the joy in my life – the joy I receive and learning to accept it graciously and more importantly the joy I create.

Joy comes from God and from within, and it pours out of every cell.  It cannot be contained.

Being joyous is not the same thing as being happy.  Joy comes from God and from within and it pours out of every cell.  It cannot be contained.  Therefore, I am choosing this year to reflect on the joy that surrounds me everyday, the wonder of it all, and to hopefully spread it a little further along the way.

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Faith

The Plans I Have For You

Beth HardwickLeave a comment

Jeremiah 29:11-13 (NIV) “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.  You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”  

I’m a worrier.  I have major anxiety issues, that looking back I realize I’ve had most of my life. I just didn’t know it when I was younger.  I take on more than I can handle at times, and then frantically attempt to get it all done and done right.  I can usually complete my mission, but at what cost? Mental and physical exhaustion, pent-up frustration and resentment, and most of all at the expense of time – time I should be spending with my husband and daughter.

We’re programmed to strive for success from a very young age.  Competition drives us forward and opens up new avenues of creative achievements.  Like Ricky Bobby says, “If you’re not first, you’re last.”

But that’s not what the Bible tells us.

God has a plan for us, for me.  I know that I need to let go of my worries and trust in Him and that His will is what is best for me.  Of course, that is way easier said than done.  There are so many times that I have prayed for something to happen, for guidance, for understanding and it seems like those prayers have been ignored.  But that is not the case.  Something may or may not happen in my life in order for something to happen or not happen in someone else’s life.

I may not understand or even EVER understand why this is, but I know God is always looking out for me.  I know my prayers are being heard even if they seem to go unanswered.  I know I need to trust my faith and accept the hope He offers me. I just need to slow down, take a deep breath, keep praying, and embrace the peace found in knowing His plan is infinitely better than mine.