A Brave New Year

PINIT

Hello brave and beautiful ones! How’s your heart on this first day of 2015? I’m not sure I know yet, but maybe we can take a deep breath together and notice what rises up in us when we think about a new year.

Breathe in deeply. Pause. And slowly breathe out. The very fact that we have breath today let’s us know we are here. It gives us something to be grateful for in the moment.

PINIT

PINIT

Now notice your heart…that place that is the core of you. Is it peaceful or anxious? Fluttering or swirling? Quiet or racing? Empty or full? Surrendered or resistant? Still or racing? I’m somewhere in between.

PINIT

However your heart is today, are you okay with being in this place? Do you like it here? Do you want more of this kind of heart in the new year, or are you aware of needing a change? Are you willing to be changed? To be broken and stretched? To have your heart’s capacity enlarged? To say yes to life?

Are you willing to say yes to the truth about yourself? Are you willing to believe that you are more brave and beautiful than you think? Would you like to ask God what Bravehearted Beauty looks like in you? I’m asking Him to show you, to whisper it to your heart, to reveal in personal ways what He sees in you.

PINIT

All I know for sure is that what He sees is BEAUTIFUL…

that YOU are beautiful.

And you are BRAVE. You wouldn’t be reading these words if you weren’t brave. You wouldn’t take that deep breath and dare to still your heart and peek inside if you weren’t brave.

PINIT

Maybe that’s what our hearts need today: to count the ways we are brave and celebrate those before we create a new list of things we need or want to do in the new year. I’ll start.

Here’s how I was brave in 2014:

• I hunted for beauty in brokenness
• I believed in a new name even when I didn’t see it in myself
• I started a new blog with that name after 5 years at the old one
• I dared to believe God speaks through my writing
• I unpacked my story with a counselor for the entire year
• I shined a light on depression {and got out of bed on dark days}
• I believed in hope for our marriage during our hardest year
• I shocked the girls with a surprise puppy {the shedding kind!}
• I bought two little lambs when I didn’t know a thing about sheep
• I let my heart break over Lavender {and did all I could to save her}
• I invited strangers to our farm for a family farm day
• I said yes to hosting a 22-year-old in the midst of our mess {we love her!}
• I suggested a family camping trip in a tent {a first!}
• I joined a spiritual direction group with people I don’t even know
• I started a small group in my home not knowing who would come or what we’d do together {I call them Bravehearted Beauties}
• I embraced the mess more this year than ever
• I ditched the plan and said yes to life in so many unexpected ways

And last but not least, I dared to share all of these things with you here in this online, open-to-anyone space. I’m believing that God has something for all of us here.

PINIT

PINIT

PINIT

Now it’s your turn. How were you brave this year? What did you do that surprised you? What did you do that makes you giddy or leaves you gasping as you remember it? It doesn’t have to be a big thing. Brave and beautiful hearts grow out of small places…until one day they are bigger and braver than we ever imagined they could be!

If you can’t think of anything, ask someone to help you see. I promise there are brave and beautiful things inside of you.

Here’s to a brave new year, Bravehearted Beauties!

Are you in?