2016 Recap

It was quite a year.  I can hardly believe the 366 days it was made up of has passed.

On January 1, 2016, I published a post reflecting on 2015 and looking towards the coming year.  Interestingly enough, I talked about how I could not survive 2015 again.  I would venture to say the same about 2016 as well!!

I thought through why I want to be vulnerable and then shared some goals for 2016.  If you missed that post, read it here.

In July I wrote an update on how my goals were going.  You can find that one here.

My goals for 2016 were:

• Learn how to and then maintain a budget.  Adulting wants to make me curl in the fetal position and play Stressed Out on repeat, but it has to happen.  I’m doing better with this one.  Budgeting is definitely NOT something that I enjoy, but I know how to make it work.

• Get a job that pays higher than minimum wage. A girl can dream, right? I got a small raise while I was working at the campus bookstore, and then I got hired for a job with pay that was several dollars above minimum wage (…that lasted for only a few days but I digress..).

• Learn ballet.  My lack of grace and balance has kept me away from dance for 19 years, but I would love to care for my body by strengthening it in this way.  Umm…. this never really happened.

• Continue to be mentored.  I am thankful beyond words for the people who wrap there arms around me and live out one of my pastor’s favorite phrases.  This is what we get to do.  We get to love broken people.  It is a privilege to see the lives of others and be there in the hurt and the joy.  While I have learned how to show this love to others, I am not good at accepting it.  I want to keep letting people into my heart.  Still so grateful for the growth that my year has given me in this area.  I love the people that choose to pour into my life and make me a better person.

• Start writing a book.  Lifelong dream, ’nuff said.   I participated in Hannah Brencher’s Year of the Book writing intensive and started writing a book.  I’m at 7,300 words now!!!!

• Be a more consistent blogger, and improve my blog. If you’ve followed me for awhile, you may have noticed that this is the first new post that I have shared on my WordPress blog with my own domain name!! So exciting.

• Bible journal at least once a week.  I am so excited about getting a journaling Bible as a Christmas present, and want to be consistent in using it. Not perfect in this area, but I LOVE how using my journaling Bible encourages me to slow down and take my time when I am in fellowship with Jesus.

• Follow through with the contentment challenge.  Read about it here.  This was so great to be part of.  I highly recommend the challenge.

• Follow through with 30 days of writing.  My friend Sky and I are doing this together! Find her at www.skyvsworld.com   I was not very faithful in this aspect ….

• Keep painting.  I loved watercolor, even though the class was discouraging at times.  I want to keep painting with a few friends because we enjoy painting together.  Yes.  Loving the moments that I have gotten to spend painting, and the ways I have gotten to encourage others through that.

• Learn more graphic design.  I’ve started working on this, and I want to stick with it, and use this as a possible side business, and use the skills to enhance my blog.  I started making pinnable graphics for my blog posts! I am hoping to continue to learn more about graphic design as time goes on.

• Keep sticking out relationships, even when I’m scared.  This is so hard, but I am trying to rely on God for this.

• Be faithful in spending quiet time with God.  It has such a huge impact on me, but I too easily dismiss it when I am short on time.  This is still a work in progress.  I need to trust God for everything.  Everything.

I want to continue to write, so if you find this interesting, come back soon!!