One Word

I'll admit I am a big fan of New Year's Resolutions. I love journaling this time of year, reflecting on the past year and looking forward to a new one. I feel emotions of all sorts during this time of the year: excitement, inspiration, sadness, happiness, doubt, worry, fear, and many others. I look to the New Year as a new start, something I think God wants for us. Like Philippians 3:13-14 reminds us, we should forget what is behind and strain toward what is ahead.

Each New Year, I take out my journal and write down all the things I would love to accomplish or improve upon for the new year ahead of me. The other day, I looked back on my writing from last year on the 31st of December. I counted the number of things I had written and the grand total comes to 37. I narrowed it down to five for a clearer focus. These things are smaller "resolutions" such as reading more, finding a mentor, loving those who are hard to love, etc. I focused on this list throughout the year, but it was not my main focus.

Although I love to make New Years Resolutions, I mostly look forward to this time of the year to establish my One Word. One Word is an awesome opportunity to create a positive vision for the road ahead in 2014. Jon Gordon, an inspiration of mine and a key enforcer of this concept, describes it like a marathon. At what mile do you think a marathon runner would quit? It certainly would not be in the first mile because of the excitement and inspiration. They also wouldn't quit in the last mile because they can see the finish line. Many times, marathon runners quit in the 20th mile out of 26.2 miles. As you can see, when you have a vision or goal, it can be very easy in the beginning or the end, but the middle is so challenging. One Word is a great way to have a vision for your new year and to constantly reinforce it. Your One Word can help you reach the finish line, even if the race is tough. The power of the vision is so motivational.

As the New Year approaches, I am encouraging others to join with me in choosing one word that will be your driving force for the year. What word will help you to become more like the person God wants you to be? I encourage you to stop and reflect on your life, bring this to God, choose your one word, and finally live your word all year. It is clear to see that the only way this won't work is if you don't do it. So give it a try! Maybe this one word will change your life forever.

My One Word for 2014? PRAY.

2013: Commitment
2012: Relentless

I have brainstormed some possible words if you are looking for some inspiration and compiled them on Wordle.com. I'd encourage you to reflect and bring this to the Lord and then find your God-given word for 2014!:) Enjoy this journey. I certainly have. Please comment or message me to let me know if you have decided to take this journey with me!

Leslee's Person of the Year

"Person of the Year" is an annual issue in one of the world's best-known magazines-TIME. This issue profiles a person who has shaped and influenced our world in a large way throughout the year. The person has influenced important world events for better or for worse. TIME's often chooses important leaders and presidents to receive the honor. Fun fact: YOU were the "Person of the Year" in 2006! Yes, you!

After I heard this fun fact, I began reflecting on my own life. If I had the honor to give a "Person of the Year" award to someone in my little world, who would it be? Who has changed my life the most since January 1, 2013? Who has influenced my thinking, my actions, and my character? Who has made a visible difference in the lives of others around me? I think this honor would be a tad more difficult in past years, but this year, the decision was as easy as devouring a Hershey's chocolate bar. 

Let me introduce to you "Leslee's 2013 Person of the Year" recipient. The recipient is currently a freshman in high school. She is a 5'1", fiery ball of enthusiasm. She has a twin brother, an older sister, and two wonderful parents. She loves experiencing new things and staying out late with friends. She loves tumbling. You will always see her jumping on the trampoline, blowing us away with her fancy flips and tricks. She is an artist. Duck-tape is definitely one of her fun obsessions. She is a DOMINANT water-skiier. Simply looking at her smiling on the boat displays her love for God's creation. She loves music (a bass guitarist who is smaller than the bass itself!). She can do pretty much anything she wants to do. Needless to say, she is an all-around talented girl. She is a Duck Dynasty girl! Sadie Robertson is retweeted constantly by this year's recipient. A few other people she clearly admires are her beautiful mother, Doug Nix, and Britt Nicole. 

The attribute that stands out to me the most about this year's recipient is her sincerity. She is completely genuine. She is sincere about her faith in the True King. Her heart for the Lord is contagious. She loves the Lord with her heart, her soul, and her mind. Yes, she is human. Yes, she fails all the time. Yes, she is a sinner like the rest of us. The thing that strikes me is that she is consistently "forgetting what is behind and straining toward what lies ahead." She comes before the Lord daily as His humble servant. 

She is willing to do hard things for the Kingdom. A major event in the recipient's year was her decision to raise the necessary funds to build a water well for a community in India. She partnered with Missions.Me and Angel House to build a water well by herself. Yes, you read that correctly. BY HERSELF. She knew that she had been called to take this leap of faith. She did not ignore the call. Although she had no idea where the money would come from, she trusted the Lord to help her raise $3,000 in a little less than two months. She has until December 31st to complete this goal. I am more than confident that the recipient will complete the task ahead of her. 

She is a DREAMER. My aunt recently reminded me of an inspiring quote by T.E. Lawrence: "All men dream: but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake up to find in that day it was vanity, but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dreams with open eyes, to make it possible." Upon hearing these wise words, my my flew straight to one of the best dreamers I know. She dreams of opportunities to make a difference in the world. She dreams of lives being changed. She is genuine in her dreams. She believes with all her heart that God is able to above and beyond all she could ever ask or imagine. It is my hope that she never stops dreaming....ever. 

I could go on for days and days with stories and qualities I admire in this year's "Person of the Year." Lastly, I would like to thank her for inspiring me personally. She challenges me to live more like Christ each and every day. She brightens every moment with her encouraging words, sweet smile, and precious hugs. She has changed my life this year. She has taught me more than she may ever realize. She may be younger than me, but she is mature beyond her years. She has taught me what it means to give of yourself. She has taught me how to trust when darkness surrounds. She has taught me what it looks like to be genuine. She has taught me how to love the Lord even more. I will forever hold her in my heart as one of my life-long sisters. 

Allison Conway, all I can say is thank you. Thank you for changing my life. 

Above picture: Allison changing the world, as usual. (Photo Creds: Jenna Clark) 

**Several people have asked how they can become involved with Allison's Water Well. If you would like to help with Allison's Water Well, please send me a message on Facebook or comment below. Thanks!

Thanksgiving to Thanks-LIVING

            Thanksgiving. This time of year is filled with excitement, stress, family, food, busyness, friends, food, thankful words, remembrance, and food. To some, it may be easy to become narrow-minded and caught up in too much worthless living on this day. To some, another normal day to get things done. To others, a day that hurts because of the loss of loved ones. To many, the one and only day out of the year to truly give thanks. What if we changed the way we thought about Thanksgiving? What if Thanksgiving became something entirely different? What if we ignored Thanksgiving Day altogether? What if we tried something new? Imagine a world of thanks-LIVING.

            I am challenging myself to begin a journey of thanks-living. I once heard someone say that the art of thanksgiving is thanks-living. Thanks-living is thankfulness in action every single day. What does thanks-living look like in your life? In my life, I hope to thank God for the gift of my family by being the first to serve them. I hope to thank God for the gift of life by living it victoriously. I hope to thank God for inspiration and encouragement by living a life that inspires and encourages others.

            This Thanksgiving, let’s begin a journey together. Maybe we could flip the cycle altogether. Thanksgiving Day could become a normal day, and we could celebrate true Thanksgiving the 364 days that remain in a year. Maybe we should spend Thanksgiving Day to complain and complain. We should simply get it all out of the way on one day, so the rest of our days will be filled with nothing but thankfulness. Let’s add to our prayers and words of thankfulness. Let’s act on it.

And now.....a funny, yet precious reminder for our Thanksgiving celebration.

A New Journey: BLOGGING!

Friends, family, and curious readers...

So I guess I just began my very first blog entry! I feel sophisticated and accomplished, which is ironic because I am currently only finishing my second sentence. I have recently taken great interest in blogging. I read blogs ALL THE TIME. About thirty minutes ago, a brilliant idea popped into my head! One of my New Year's Resolutions would be to begin a blog! What a great head start I would already have to the new year. Shortly after, I questioned why I would wait for the new year when I could begin now. I have so much I would love to share with anyone who dares to listen to a little seventeen-year-old girl like me. I can't wait to capture tiny pieces of my passions and ambitions through writing. This school year has already been filled with many beginning and ends, triumphs and trials, norms and new experiences. I know these experiences are mere glimpses of what is to come, even within the new year of 2014. This new journey of blogging will be an exciting one for me, and it is my hope that you will jump in and experience it with me. Blessings.

(Picture from: http://profalbrecht.wordpress.com/2008/12/26/why-accounting-profs-should-blog/)