New Year's Resolution

For a while I've been wanting to get a note-taking Bible so I can keep my reflections, prayers and notes altogether and next to the scripture that inspired them. This Christmas I got my wish! Zach ordered me a beautiful note-taking Bible, and I'm so excited to dive into it and fill the pages (or at least the margins)!

But I realized when we ordered it that I've been "waiting on something" to spark more desire for God's presence in my everyday life. I was so excited to start all these new ways of journaling and expressing my heart to God, experiencing him in a "new" way. But I've had him with me in the exact same way this whole time... He hasn't changed, and he hasn't ever left me either. So what is it I was waiting for? I may change up my reading and note-taking habits, but I also want to invite God into every part of my life and really take joy in his constant presence with me. <-- That presence is what I was forgetting I had sometimes.

God didn't come to fill our schedules, take us to church every week, give us a new book to read, or even make us "good people." He came to give us a new life, and he created everything in this world and beyond to be a part of that for us. Where have I been missing him?

My New Year's resolution is to find Him (don't have to look far), and more intentionally take joy in his constant presence in my life. These are the questions I asked myself to help me get started, and a list of some ideas I came up with.

Happy New Year! Share your own ideas in the comments!

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Where do you see God most? How can you more continually and intentionally use that to connect with him?

• Art/creating: reflect and create for yourself what God is showing you, or share with others what God shows to you. Experiment with different mediums that feel best for the spirit of your creation. Create to express your feelings/thoughts about God, his feelings/thoughts about you, your relationship with him, struggles you have that you need his help with, or art inspired by how he has already been faithful to you.

• Writing: reflect on how you see God. Write a poem/song, describe what you see/feel, write your prayer about it. Maybe what you hope for, your thankfulness, repentance, rejoicing in healing, amazement, curiosity, or wonder/confusion. Whatever it is, tell God about it, or share it with others who are experiencing the same thing.

• Singing/playing an instrument: Sing to yourself to bring encouragement, hope, faith and joy into your heart. Play an instrument and whether you write songs or play those that others have written, express your feelings through your playing. Pour yourself out to God and let your music be a prayer to him, confiding in him. If you feel comfortable, sing/play to others to share that gift with them too.

• Gardening/nature work/taking care of people/animals: Spend time doing activities that bring you peace, show you beauty, or help you see God’s care and provision. Our first job as people was to take care of God’s creation, the land and the animals, in the Garden of Eden. Taking care of what God created while walking in God’s company. What’s more beautiful than reminding yourself that we too have the opportunity to live within his presence, doing his beautiful work that we were created for?

• Reading/intellectual experiences: Find good books, blogs, articles, songs, poetry - and of course the Bible! - to read, and find good conversation partners. Dig in deep and often! Challenge yourself to understand more, feel more deeply as you learn more about who He is, and read things even if you don’t agree with them to challenge yourself to always be rooted in God’s word and the Holy Spirit. Talk about the hard topics. Look to God for answers in truth, and share your findings with others.