My Word for 2020

I'm not surprised by the pictures chosen for my Instagram Top 9 of 2019 - weddings and babies with some faith reflections sprinkled in there - sounds about right. . .

2019 was the year of giant moves from CT to OH, starting a new job, tons of wedding prep, marrying my best friend, traveling to Thailand and Japan, finding out we're pregnant, adding a puppy to the mix and making preparations for a kitchen and bath remodel that will start in the new year.

So, I had to laugh when Jen Fulwiler's Word of the Year Generator displayed "pause" as my suggested inspiration for 2020. This year has been filled to the brim with newness and transition, with hopeful beginnings and growing pains, with joyful hellos and aching goodbyes -

- but to be honest, I don't know that I've taken the time to process these memories or really let them sink in. The good and the bad have rushed by, swept away by the momentum of what's to come next.

I don't think it's a coincidence that in much of my prayer this Advent, I've felt Jesus gently encouraging me to slow down and rest, to sit in the quiet and just be.

I need to soak everything in and process.

I need to pay attention and reflect.

I need to pause.

Easier said than done, but I find consolation in these little reminders and winks from God that keep showing up - even via a random word generator.

Here's to 2019. Thanks for being one of the best years ever. I cannot wait to see what 2020 has in store.

Happy New Year, friends!

Peace,
Sarah

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Welcome 2019

2018 is going to be a hard year to top, but I have a feeling 2019 is up for the challenge.

This is the year I move home to Ohio after 7 years away.

The year I begin my dream job in college campus ministry after three wonderful years in secondary ed.

The year I marry my best friend.

And the year we move into our home and begin our lives together.

There's a lot happening. Some soon (I move in less than 2 weeks). Some later (179 days until our wedding). Some that I don't even know are coming.

New Years seems to be the time that everyone sets goals and resolutions to make the coming year the best yet. I am all for goal setting, but why is it we wait for January 1st to put our best selves forward? Every day is what you make of it. Don't wait until a certain date to start anew. Start right now, where ever you are, in this moment - whether you're reading this the day it's posted or four months from now. Just start! You can do it! You are capable and you are loved.

I'm not really setting new resolutions this year, but if I had to, I guess it would be to not wait for the new year to make resolutions.

I have goals in mind that aren't 2019 specific and that I have been working toward for a bit now. I have dreams I am chasing and others I can't wait to chase with my husband-to-be. And I know there will be more dreams to come this year that I can't even fathom yet.

What a gift it is that God grants us new days, new moments, and new chances to chase our dreams
a l l   t h e   t i m e !  Take that gift and run with it friend. I can't wait to see where you end up and what dreams you catch.

Happy New Year, loves. May this be the best yet.

Peace,
Sarah

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An Intentional 2017

Happy New Year, friends. 2017 has arrived, and with it a fresh, crisp new year with which we can work to experience in beautiful ways.

This year, instead of setting a typical resolution, I have decided to choose a word to strive to embody during these next 12 months (and hopefully beyond that). As I prayed and reflected on what I wanted that word to be, my heart kept returning me to the idea of being intentional.

That's not to say that I currently spend my days being unintentional and lackadaisical, but there are definitely moments in probably every aspect of my life where I have simply gone through the motions, or carelessly did the  bare-minimum to complete I was doing just to so it would be done. It's not everyday and it's not all at once, but every time it happens I've missed an opportunity to learn and grow as a person.

With intentionality comes reflectiveness and authenticity. It requires awareness and discernment. Actively choosing to be intentional won't be easy, and I will undoubtedly mess up, but I believe that even simply recognizing times where I could strive to be more intentional will allow me to flourish.

I pray that intentional time, relationships and prayer will lead to deeper listening, understanding, and growth.

And so, here's to 2017! May this year be filled with goodness and bring us all closer to God.

Have you set any goals for this new year? Any tips on how to live more intentionally?

Peace,
Sarah

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My 16 Favorite Photos from 2016

Something is going wrong with my blog layout and I can't quite figure it out, so please bear with me as I continue fiddling with it. (If anyone out there is display/HTML savvy, I would love some advice!)

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Hey y'all! You may have noticed some extreme silence in this little corner of the internet lately. I've been settling into life in Connecticut and everything that goes along with it and decided that I should try to get a comfortable hold on the new job, new home, new life, etc. and all of my energies have been geared toward that. I'm not going to pretend like I have this brilliant new life balance where all is mastered and I can easily add on more tasks, but I have been feeling a desire to write again and so here I am back on the blog - for today at least.

No guarantees for how long. I'm simply going to listen to how I am feeling and post based on that.

As 2016 comes to a close I thought it would be fun to share some of my favorite photos from the year. I did a similar post last year and absolutely loved going through my pictures and strolling down memory lane. Not going to lie, it is challenging choosing only 16, but the limit keeps me from oversharing. I mean, just because I love every photo from my trip to Tahoe doesn't mean you want to see 30 pictures of basically the same view...

This year I noticed that the majority of the photos I chose were those with loved ones. I wasn't focused on which looked the most professional(ish) or which necessarily were the most unique. Instead, I found myself drawn to memories of special moments spent with those people who bring joy and grace into my life.

2016 was a bit of a rollercoaster with its fair share of ups and downs, but all of the beautiful people God has placed in my life sure made for an incredible year.

Happy New Year, friends. Sending loads of love and prayers for you and yours as we begin 2017.

Peace,
Sarah

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