Some thoughts on turning 24...

I was one of those unusual people who knew at age 16 what I wanted to do with my life. For the last 7 years, I have been working towards the goal of being hired at a church to serve full-time with children. The last 7 years, every class, job and volunteer experience was in hopes of pushing me closer to this goal. This last year has been strange. After so many years of looking ahead to someday having this job as a career, I have made it. I reached my goal and haven't looked ahead at where I am headed like I used to.

The last few days I have sat and reflected more on this and decided that I needed to change that. Goals are important because they push us to do things. They give us something to shoot for. They help give direction. In light of this as I approach my 24th birthday, I have decided to come up with a list of things to do before I turn 25. I am an avid list person because I know that I don't do so well if I don't have a list and it helps me visualize what I am targeting. I thought a blog post would be perfect for some accountability and just maybe, since I am telling others about this list, it might help me actually stay on target and complete these goals before 25. So these are what I am looking to this year...to help me continue to grow in my knowledge and love of Jesus as I seek to steward this life He has given me well.

1. Sponsor a Child - Since going to Haiti in 2012, I knew that someday, when I had a job and could afford it...I would sponsor a child. Because I can't fulfill my dream of adopting my own little one just yet, I will let this be the first step in this process. 
2. Have a regular bed time - They say that having a consistent bed time and wake up time is better for you. Even if this isn't correct and it doesn't make much of a difference this seems like a pretty good goal to have. 
3. Monthly Retreats - In the busyness of life it is so easy to get so caught up in the go-go-go of things that we disregard time spent in silence and prayer with the Lord. This year, I want to start monthly day retreats. Either hiking by myself, driving to the beach for the day or whatever retreat it might be, I want to make this time a priority for just me and the Lord. 
4. Read my Bible through in 1 year - I can't tell you how many times I have attempted this at the New Year and by March have failed miserably. This year, however, I am going to do this. Hopefully being the first of many read-throughs. 
5. Read 12 books - For those that know me well, this is a bit of a large feat. In attempts to be a life-long learner, I want to read 1 book per month. I haven't done much reading for 'fun' since I was in school so this one should be quite interesting. 
6. Prioritize my crafting - Whether it be painting, knitting or scrapbooking, I want to make this time a priority. On a regular basis, I want to use this gift God has given me. To share with others what He is teaching me and simply to learn to rest and have fun using this gift of creativity. 
7. Learn to Cook - This first year of living on my own I have lived off of frozen meals and cold cereal far too much. Even though it is a pain to cook for one person, I want to learn to cook and not only that to enjoy it...because someday I hope to be cooking for a house full...I really should start practicing this now. 
8. Run a 5K -  I have done this once before, but I would love for this to happen again and just be a stepping stone for more in the future. 
9. Develop an attitude of THANKFULNESS - In the easy stuff AND the hard stuff, I want to do better at having a good attitude and not disregard the gifts God has given me. 
10. Blog regularly - Blogging is one way that I process all that God is teaching me. It helps put words to my thoughts and feelings. Even if not many people read what I write, it might be an encouragement to one person and that would be worth it. I also like blogging because it helps me be vulnerable. It helps me to articulate what I am feeling and how people can be praying for me. 

These are some of the things that I want to grow in this year. I am challenging myself to continue to develop a deeper heart for Jesus. A more urgent desire to know Him well and be all he has called me to be. What are some ways God is asking you to be ready to grow in this year? And, for the record, goals like this do not need to be done around New Years only. They can begin whenever. Just pick a day and begin. I am looking forward to all that God will teach me in this 24th year of life and am thankful for each new day...His mercies are new every morning...Great is Thy Faithfulness...