New Year, New Beginnings

Ahhh...the smell of freshly laundered linens coming from the dryer!. There is something about that feeling of fresh, clean linens on the bed when you crawl in at night for that long winter's nap...it feels so good!  Speaking of winter, It makes me think of a fresh covering of new-fallen snow that settles over the ground, especially beautiful at night, when the moonlight reflects a blue glow on the smooth winter blanket.  It's still fun, even as an adult, to be the first to make the footprints through the smooth covering and, if I've a mind to, fall back into the soft cushion of marshmallow-like powder and make a snow angel.  It's almost like, for a moment, there is a blank canvas in that snowfall that awaits my input to create whatever I want.

Photo by Ales Kivec on Unsplash

Fresh...new...blank canvas...create--these are the words that give us such hope at the beginning of a new year.  I'm not much on resolutions, but I do believe that when we stand at the threshold of a new year, we have an opportunity that is unique and intentional.  When God created time, he designed into the concept, rhythms and cycles that are healthy for us as humans.  The 24-hour day, 7-day week, months and the year are all markers of time that help us have a sense of cycle and continuity, with increments that give us context as well as grounding.  He knew this would be needed for us to have a sense of the journey we are on, and our unique place in His grander scheme of things.  As the wise man, Solomon, wrote,

For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven...Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart... (Ecclesiastes 3)

The cycle of the seasons provides us with the opportunity to take assessment and consider where we are and where we want to go.  This is a gift from our Creator.  Consider what it means for you!

• A New Start - There is encouragement and excitement in the reality that we can hit reset at certain points in our lives to begin a new path, recalculate our coordinates, and set out for new goals and dreams that are before us. What a gift!
• A Fresh Perspective - Life gets busy, our minds get cluttered, we can become sidetracked, discouraged or disillusioned.  The new year is a great opportunity to sweep away the cognitive cobwebs and re-center on what is really important to us.  Doing a little inventory of our lives, and making a list of the things that are really of value to us, lends a sense of direction and gives us a fresh perspective.  Prayerful self-assessment and a seeking of God's guidance will set us on the path that ensures we are living out our purpose here on earth.
• A New Dream - The new year gives us a blank slate...a "fresh blanket of snow" to create whatever our hearts can imagine as we consider the possibilities that are inspired and empowered by the God of possibilities.  At this new beginning, dare to dream big as God's Spirit fills you anew with the awe and wonder of His plans for you, and the purpose for which you were created.

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.  (Jeremiah 29:11)

Next Steps...

In order to live out our purpose, it's not enough to read a blog or day dream about the future, we have to take the next steps and put our dreams into action...to step out into that new fallen snow and make tracks.  So, what does all of this mean for you?  What are the next steps you can take to realize your purpose more fully?

• Listen

No matter where you find yourself on the path of faith...seeker, newcomer or veteran...you will find that the art of listening is crucial to the success of your journey.  Of all the voices vying for your attention in this media-saturated culture in which we live, it will serve you well to sort them out and note those worth your focused attention.  First is the Holy Spirit.  You will learn, if you pursue this journey and relationship with the awe-inspiring and loving God who created us, that listening to the voice of His Spirit is critical to living fully in our purpose.  This can come in many ways, but I would suggest that prayer and reading Scripture is the primary way we hear what He has to say.  

Secondly, find those people who are on that Purposed trajectory and learning what it means to live it 24/7/365.  Listen to their stories, note their successes and failures, hear what they've learned.  These may be friends, colleagues or acquaintances.  They will also be the people who are sharing their stories here in our community, particularly on the PURPOSED 365 Podcast.  Each episode will reveal insights, inspiration, principles and perspectives that will be invaluable to you, on your own journey of fulfillment and purpose.

• Write it Down

There is power in the process of writing.  As author and speaker, Robin Sharma wrote, "Writing in a journal reminds you of your goals and of your learning in life. It offers a place where you can hold a deliberate, thoughtful conversation with yourself."  The act of transferring what you hear to paper (or electronic device) brings about a level of process that instills your learning and expands your consideration of the possibilities.  Whether it comes in the form of journaling, making notes, or categorized lists, the effort you make to write will enable you to process more deeply what you have heard and develop strategies for action.  One example that may be helpful to consider is to divide your entry on any given topic into four sections: What I Heard, What it Means to Me, How it is Useful, What I Will Do With It.  Adopting some sort of template like this will give you a way to process the information, filter it through your values, and take action.

• Start Somewhere

Analysis can be the enemy of action.  While it is good to gather information, analyze data and make a decision, none of that is helpful if it doesn't result in taking action.  Anything less may be referred to as Analysis Paralysis.  Expressed in the fable, The Fox and the Cat, the fox boasts that he has "hundreds of ways of escaping," while the cat has only one.  However, when the approaching hounds are near, the cat quickly jumps up the tree to escape, while the fox, in his confusion, is caught by the hounds.  The moral of the fable is "Better one safe way than a hundred on which you cannot reckon."  There are many reasons people hesitate and stop short of action, at the end of the day, none of them are valid if we never take action.  Sometimes, after prayerful and deliberate consideration of the data, we need to just take a step forward with our best understanding.  Otherwise, we just stay where we are and will never see any of the dreams come to fruition.  After all, someone has said, God can't steer a vehicle that isn't moving.

New Beginnings Start with First Steps

A new year is the ideal time to start new habits that lead to those first steps of realizing whatever is next for you in fulfilling your purposed life!  Start listening, writing and stepping out on this adventure and see what God does!

What will be your next step?  Identify one thing you're going to do to take the next step in realizing your purpose this year...share with us in the comments!  We are excited to see your thoughts!