Celebrate 

New Year often brings with it New resolutions for us.  I am not going to lie.  I to, like most of you, usually make them– and break them by Februaryish.  But I love the space between Christmas and New Years.  I love Christmas of course– (I wrote a whole devotional book about it) but I love the space that comes between the end of a year and beginning of a new year.  It is always great to reflect on the past year, and dream and pray towards the direction God has for the next year.

I am joining up with my friends at www.Godsizeddreams.com to celebrate a year of dreaming! I am so grateful for those gals, many of whom I have not met.  We were apart of a God sized dream team led by our cheerleader Holley Gerth (www.holleygerth.com).  We began a journey of dreaming big bold risky God sized dreams, and found along the way– those dreams changed, morphed, looked totally different then we expected– but the dream maker, our God– He does not change.  He changes us in the process– but He is the same.  That gives me such freedom to dream.

So before I make my new Year’s resolutions, I want to celebrate.  
By the way, I turned over a new “Tree” as my friend Shawna says.  Even before New Years I actually put away my Christmas tree. It was up until February last year.   And I unpacked my room I moved in in October.   And my car . I cleaned it to.  I could have survived a blizzard in my car. 

Ps: that is not a picture of my tree or storage, I am not that organized.

Ok..  Celebration of a year of dreaming.  

This year God taught me so much about leaning in, trusting Him and being Brave.  That was the theme. 
Brave.
God opened the doors for me to publish my first book 31 days to coming alive.  That was an incredible journey.  It feels quite raw to put your heart out there for all the world to see.  It is scary, exciting, and a beautiful journey of trust.  I asked God to help me enjoy every moment of seeing this dream come true– because the easiest thing to happen is to fall into the comparison trap, looking at other people and their books– or numbers of how many should sell. I would find myself slipping into that at times– and then the Lord would whisper.  Jenn– this is not about the dream looking a certain way to be success.. this is about looking to me- the dream giver– and watching others connect their hearts to me through this dream.  i needed that reminder often. 

Every day I wake up excited that I am still getting to live out my dream of Coming Alive Ministries. Me and my crazy awesome board of directors started Coming Alive Ministries in 2012 as a dream God called me to– to invite others to come alive in Christ. In April we were granted 501(c)3 status by the IRS.  That is glory shouting stuff especially as we had no idea really what  we were doing as we filled out that giant tons of paperwork and prayed.. alot! 

I have been so beyond blessed by each retreat , women’s event, ladies night out  I was  able to speak at .  More then ever this year I felt such joy when speaking.  I felt like each time I got to open God’s word and speak that I was the most blessed girl in the world.

It is hard to know what else to say because there is so much to say.  I feel there are so many stories to celebrate.  Some of the deepest heart celebration was not in “ministry or dream success” but is what I learned in moments of failure.

There were lots of times I felt like a  failure.  Many times I had no idea what I was doing.  Several roles I ended up having to let go of.  Dreams that turned out looking completely different then I had planned– which can make you doubt the dreams.

But I learned it is such an adventure to be brave.
And to recognize that my worth is never in my work.  
My worth is never in my role.
My worth is never in my sucess or failure.

My worth is in His words, His truth, His work — already finished– on the cross.

So every brave thing, every bold step, every adventure of dreaming — it’s worth it– because it turns into worship.  
Every brave things, every bold step, every adventure of dreaming you do– it’s worth it, because it turns into worship. 

So let’s celebrate!  

 

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3 Comments

  1. So neat that you published a book this year! Cupcake cheers…virtually! I will put it on my to read list…plus all good things from one Jennifer to another! Jenn Cook
    p.s. Hopping over from GSD page.

  2. Your words make me want to celebrate. I love when I hear stories of God coming through and granting dreams we didn’t always know we had 🙂