MY "TOP TEN"

     2011 dawns with so much to hope for and so much to look forward to...so much to accomplish. And as for that, the list seems endless as the ADD mentality kicks in. But just as I encourage my women to set definable, reachable goals, I should do the same in my own personal life. We were asked, "What are 10 things you want to accomplish in your personal life this year?" So here is my "Top Ten" so to speak but as God works, they are in no particular order. I believe God works things all together--all in rhythm and motion like cogs in a clock...
     I want to...

1. To be more vulnerable. I love to reach out to others--to let God use me to make a difference to others who are broken...I don't have any trouble getting involved in the lives of so many others but I don't tend to let in my own life. I don't like to be vulnerable--to let others see me broken or to risk being hurt. I'm ready to let others into some of those deepest parts of my heart, I think.
2. To make my house a home--a place where my kids can truly come home to and a place where my friends are welcome. For a very long time, my "dwelling place" has been just that...a place to hide and shut out the world. And suddenly this year, I find myself wanting...needing a home filled with love, laughter, grace, and--of course--hope.
3. To finish "the books"--writing projects I began with Chad...Not just to publish books but because of all that God accomplishes in me in the process of it. It's time to break some new ground and I've been resistant.
4. To begin my own book...One that uses some of my own story to reach others...To share grace and offer hope.
5. To simplify and declutter my life. Not just my possessions, but my time, my plans, and --most of all--my heart so that I can focus on what God really has for me rather that getting hopelessly tangled in the demands of the world.
6. To become healthier and more fit...both physically and spiritually.  
7. To draw closer and closer to Jesus, Lover of my Soul--so that those lost or desperate moments are fewer. To know Him and to be known by Him so that His voice and His purpose are clear. To trust Him so much that I don't even hesitate to follow where He leads. 
8. To build some new bridges and avenues of relationship with my children and to open doors that have been close far too long. To share more openly with them so they know me better as a person, not just mom--and so I know them better as adults, not just my kids. To help them understand some of the past and how it has shaped them as well so that they can overcome that which has damaged and build on that which has made them strong.
9. To build a ministry that reaches out more to the women of the street--prostitutes, the and the homeless. To actively see them as Christ sees and to love them as He loves so they can see they are beautiful in the eyes of grace.
10. To enjoy and cherish life more...To take the time to laugh and to love with friends and family. To take time for me just to rest and rejuvenate and recenter when life gets too chaotic and overwhelming.