Well, we have almost completed the month of January, so I wanted to write a blog about my top two priorities for 2018.
My word for the year of 2018 is to be "deliberate." I want to be deliberate in my life this year. I want to be deliberate when reading my Bible, when working on my diet, while working on my REFIT® class, when witnessing to others, when teaching my Sunday school class. In all areas of my class, I want to be deliberate.
The definition of Deliberate is "done consciously and intentionally." I want to do the things in my life consciously and intentionally. It is one thing to go through the motions, it's another thing to think and act intentionally and consciously. I'm thankful for this word for 2018.
Through this first month of the year, I have began a one year bible reading plan. I have been trying to be deliberate to read the Bible in a read. My First priority is Reading the Bible in a year. I am using the OWNit365 Whole Bible Plan this year. I am thankful to have a friend going through this with me. I want to be able to complete this for 2018. I want to be intentional to reading this plan. I want it to change me.
My second priority is track my food each day. I have recently been diagnosed with diabetes. I bought a Mayo Clinic Diabetes Diet book and journal to begin in February. I want to be intentional in writing down what I'm eating. I want to be conscious in my food choices.
These a simple changes to make in being deliberate, but simple changes can lead to more changes. Hope your 2018 will be amazing and that you will find "your word" to help you this year.
This is a song from the movie "The Greatest Showman." I haven't yet seen this movie, but this song was introduced to me through my REFIT® Family. A lot of them have called it our anthem of 2018.
I'm not a stranger to the dark
"Hide away," they say
"Cause we don't want your broken parts"
I've learned to be ashamed of all my scars
"Run away," they say
"No one will love you as you are"
But I won't let them break me down to dust
I know that there's a place for us
For we are glorious
When the sharpest words wanna cut me down
I'm gonna send a flood, gonna drown them out
I am brace, I am bruised
I am who I'm meant to be, this is me
Look out 'cause here I come
And I'm marching on to the beat I drum
I'm not scared to be seen
I make no apologies, this is me
Oh-oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh, oh, oh
Another round of bullets hits my skin
Well, fire away 'cause today, I won't let the shame sink in
We are bursting through the barricades
And reaching for the sun (we are warriors)
Yeah, that's what we've become
I won't let them break me down to dust
I know there's a place for us
For we are glorious!
When the sharpest words wanna cut me down
I'm gonna send a flood, gonna drown them out
I am brave, I am bruised
I am who I'm meant to be, this is me
Look out 'cause here I come
And I'm marching on to the beat I drum
I'm not scared to be seen
I make no apologies, this is me
Oh-oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh, oh, oh
This is me
Oh-oh-oh-oh
And I know that I deserve your love
Oh-oh-oh-oh
'Cause there's nothing I'm not worthy of
Oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh, oh, oh
When the sharpest words wanna cut me down
I'm gonna send a flood, gonna drown them out
This is brave, this is bruised
This is whom I'm meant to be, this is me
Look out 'cause here I come (look out 'cause here I come)
And I'm marching on to the beat I drum (marching on, marching, marching on)
I'm not scared to be seen
I make no apologies, this is me
Whenever the words wanna cut me down
I'll send a flood to drown them out
Oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, this is me.
Songwriters: Justin Paul / Benj Pasek
I teach fitness classes with a company called REFIT® Revolution. One of our biggest guidelines involves building community. Making sure EVERYBODY feels welcomed. All fitness levels are welcomed...it doesn't matter from where you came...it doesn't matter if you don't believe the way I do...EVERY BODY IS WELCOMED!
In our REFIT® community, this song has become an unofficial anthem song for us. WE want those who are involved in our classes that they are glorious warriors. And when the worlds words wanna cut them down, we'll send a flood to drown them out.
Now I see this song as an introduction for me to point those to our creator God who created each of us. He designed us in the image of Him. If we begin to cut each other down, we are actually hurting the very creation of God. We should be building, encouraging, loving each other.
For the past four weeks, my pastor has spoken from I Corinthians 13. Teaching us what love really is. I know I was challenged because my love didn't look like that chapter. Let us challenge ourselves to look at our lives and help us to love others...as God calls us to.
If I speak human or angelic languages but do not have love,
I am a sounding gone or a clanging cymbal.
If I have the gift of prophecy and understand all mysteries and all knowledge,
and if I have all faith so I can move mountains but do not have love,
I am nothing.
And if I donate all my goods to feed the poor
and if I give my body in order to boast,
but do not have love I gain nothing.
Love is patient,
love is kind.
Love does not envy,
is not boastful,
is not conceited,
does not act improperly,
is not selfish,
is not provoked,
and does not keep a record of wrongs.
Love finds no joy in unrighteousness
but rejoices in the truth.
It bears all things,
believes all things,
hopes all things,
endures all things.
Love never ends.
But as for prophecies, they will come to an end;
as for languages, they will cease;
as for knowledge, it will come to an end.
For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.
But when the perfect comes, the partial will come to an end.
A few weeks ago, I asked my REFIT® to be thinking about their favorite movie/book. I wanted to use this as part of my HeartWork. When it came time to share, we had a variety of titles. It was fun because we even discovered new things about each other. (Community)
That night I used the song "Storyteller" as my cool down. I like using cool down songs as a way to enter the HeartWork. I went onto tell them, God has placed us on this earth to tell a story. We go in and out of the lives of others for a reason. When we are able to surrender to be used by God, we are able to bring kindness, encourage and love one another.
The lyrics to the song Storyteller shed light to being a storyteller to others in our life
On a Sunday evening I'm
looking back over all the years
And where I've been
Looking at old photographs
I'm remembering
you were right there
And You have been ever since
With every page that turns
I see Your faithfulness
Oh the mountain where I climb
The valley where I fell
You were there all along
That's the story I'll tell
You brought the pieces together
Made me this storyteller
Now I know it is well, it is well
That's the story I'll tell
There were some nights that felt like
They would last forever
But You kept me breathing
You were with me right then
And all that You have done for me
I could never hold it in
So here's to me telling this story
Over and over again
Oh the mountain where I climb
The valley where I fell
You were there all along
That's the story I'll tell
You brought the pieces together
Made me this storyteller
Now I know it is well, it is well
That's the story I'll tell
You hold the broken
You hear my every cry, every cry
My eyes are open
I know that it is well, it is well
Oh, the mountain where I climb
The valley where I fell
You were there all along
That's the story I'll tell
You brought the pieces togehter
Made me this storyteller
Now I know it is well, it is well
That's the story I'll tell
That's the story I'll tell
For years and years I'll tell
That's the story I'll tell
This past week, I was reading from Genesis when Joseph's brother sold him to the travelers to Egypt. He first prospered, but after his boss' wife gets upset because he won't be with her, she lies about it and his boss sends him to jail. Later in this story, Joseph's brothers end up coming to Egypt and are not aware of who Joseph is, but when they realize it's their brother, they are afraid of what Joseph may do to them. Joseph replies, "Don't be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You planned evil against me; God planned it for good to bring about the present results -- the survival of many people." Genesis 50:19-20. I want to be like Joseph...when my life doesn't go my way, I keep focusing on the goal of bringing glory to God. Because whatever I do go through in my life, I'm able to point people to Jesus and His salvation gift.
