Happy 2013, friends! I’ve missed our conversations.
We’re two days into the new year. I have plans for today … and for this year. Based on your Facebook statuses, your emails, your Instant Messages, y’all have plans too.
I’m wise enough to know my plans will be interrupted. Let’s see if I’m also wise enough to embrace the interruptions, adapt to them — rather than grumble about them.
I want to begin with enthusiasm — and I want to finish well.
I want to be bold — but not foolhardy.
I want to be wise — before, during, and after all the activity I’ve got planned.
Odds are, I’ll stumble and fall and skin my knees — and bruise my spirit. But through it all, I am boldly embracing my word for 2013: confidence.
What am I confident in?
I am confident in the love of family and friends. I am confident that I am pursuing the right dreams for me. I am confident that I am standing in the wide open spaces of God’s grace … and that nothing — absolutely nothing I say or do or don’t say or do — will cause God to point me to the Exit door.
In Your Words: What are you boldly beginning in 2013?
Comments 42
Happy New Year, Beth!
I hope you have fun reaching your 2013 goals and your knee scrapes and bruises are minimal!
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Michelle,
There’s always fun involved … and yes, here’s hoping the scrapes and bruises are few and far between!)
I’m embracing freedom in 2013–freedom from past regrets, freedom from unmet expectations, freedom from toxic relationships, freedom to embrace God’s blessings with boldness and joy. Happy New Year, Beth!
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Sounds like you’re giving yourself lots of space this year — emotional and spiritual, Lisa!
Might be reentering the work field (outside the home). Part time so it’s ideal, but we shall see…
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Intriguing, Wendy … will stay tuned.
Happy 2013!!
I love the feeling of a brand new year. It’s like a brand new journal, full of blank pages,with the occasional Big Day already marked for me to anticipate.
Book Two starts soon, with a huge amount of research already done, but much more to go. I’m holding out hope of another research trip!
I’m going to play “stop, drop and roll” this year. No, not the whole fire thing, but “stop lifting the cookie, drop the cookie and drop another roll”. My mom is taking me on a wee trip in June, and I am NOT going to worry about looking good in the pictures!!
Like you said, “I want to finish well”. I am on the precipice of What Comes Next. And I refuse to stand on the ledge in fear.
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Sounds like you’ve pre-loaded 2013 with good things, Jennifer.
I love the idea of “stop, drop and roll” — what a fun way to aim for healthy living.
🙂
I applaud this post. For me I think I’m going to slow down, take a deep breath, and meet demands and challenges thoughtfully and well instead of rushing through, sometimes ill-prepared. This also includes having confidence that even if I don’t see quick results in relationships or accomplishments that good seed planted does produce good and lasting results in its time.
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Excellent insight, Dee: “… even if I don’t see quick results in relationships or accomplishments that good seed planted does produce good and lasting results in its time.”
Great post for the New Year, Beth, and one that is good for this lady to read. Thanks for reminding me to pick my Word for the year. (Somehow I forgot, for the first time in many years.) You seem to radiate confidence. May it become even more a part of your essence this year!!
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Looking forward to hearing what your word is, Patti!
I’ve missed you Beth! 🙂 Glad you’re back bold and confident!
I am boldly beginning an adventure of deepening my knowledge in the Word and applying it to my life joyfully. I’d say organizing my closet too, but I admit…I am not bold about it! Love you, lady!
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Oh, you can always shut the door on your closets, Jess!
😉
Enjoyed your blog post today about diving into the Word.
I’m boldly embracing a new year of better balancing my day job, my writing dream and relationships. It can be done, I’m sure of it. 🙂
So glad you’re back, Beth!
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Remind me to share the visual someone taught me about balance, M-Tagg …
I was looking for a little inspiration today. Thanks Beth, for providing it. My words for this year are: Believe and be bold.
I can’t wait to read your new book! May seems such a long time away.
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Believe + Be Bold … great combo!
Happy New Year, Beth! Glad that you’re back. 🙂
I like your words what an inspiring post to see this morning.
My word for this year: trust. So maybe we’ll add ‘boldly’ to it…to boldly trust my God!
Amen.
A good day to you, friend!
🙂
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Ganise,
You do know that “trust” was my word for 2012, right?
Happy New Year my friend! I’ve missed you on the blogosphere, but I know it was a good break for you. 🙂
2013–looking forward to this year, to studying my one word–perspective (and a focus on Romans 8:29), and finally finishing (every part of it) my first book and beginning my second. I’m going to be more purposeful in fostering deeper relationships with God, family and friends.
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Yay for finishing book 1 and moving on to book 2!
Blessings to you, Beth, and praying for a very productive, grace-empowered confidence for you. I haven’t given it much thought, but “Hope” might be a good word for me to stick on my forehead with a Post-it note in ’13. Or at least to get me through winter. 🙂
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Love that, Camille — “grace-empowered.”
Wonderful word choice for this year, Beth! My word this year is BALANCE. Finding balance in faith, family, health, and career.
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You and Melissa both are focusing on balance, Michelle.
Yahoo!
Rejoicing!
Happy New Year, Beth! I look forward to reading your new book!
E-books…
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🙂
It’s good to have you back! Yay!
This year, I’m beginning a new job as a copywriter (starts in less than two weeks). I’m nervous, but I know it’s the right step. I’m also hoping to make a lot of progress in my writing this year. But I plan to REJOICE (my word) whatever happens…remind me of that if I get lots of rejections, okay? 😉
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How exciting about the new job, Lindsay.
And I am looking forward to seeing how God uses the word Rejoice in your life in 2013.
Being positive in words and thoughts 🙂
It was great to see you in my inbox this morning, Beth!
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Positive … I like that, Melissa.
I’ve missed our conversations, as well, my Friend! Your confident expectation, enthusiasm, and intentionality about 2013 resounds in my soul. We’re two peas in a pod, you and I. God has blessed you greatly and I can’t wait to see what He accomplishes in and through you in 2013. Hugs!
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You put a smile on my face, Donna.
I’ve missed you too!
I’ll be pondering in 2013, and hoping to get comfortable with more stillness than usual.
I’m grateful to you for the idea of choosing a word of the year. I read the suggestion on your blog last January and it was year-changing and life-changing. Thanks, Beth.
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Here’s to more life-change in 2013 — and sharing about it with one another!
Hi Beth! What a beautiful picture. Perfect for starting this new year! I love what you said about finishing well. Oh, how true is that! I start many things, but to finish well…now, that’s worth reaching for. My word this year is relationships. I’m hunkering down and loving on anyone I can find! So consider yourself hugged! 🙂
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I will take that hug, Lacie, and hug you right back!
🙂
Happy new year Beth! The word that’s been floating around in my head for the last week: adventure. 🙂
I’ve missed you. So glad you’re back. My word–humility. God has already shown me why.
Looking forward to your new book.
I’m a couple days late reading this; God’s timing is perfect. God’s whispered my word to me the past couple days: contentment. Many things have changed over the past year and trusting Him enough to be content has been hard. I’m 4 days into the journey and I have a long way to go…but, with God, there’s always joy in the journey!