My vision is pretty bad. My prescription is so high that even with thinned lenses and thick frames my lenses still stick out around the edges. I’m not considered legally blind but I’m pretty close. I wear contacts for the most part, and as I’ve been blessed with more years it is getting harder for me to read without reading glasses.

I was recently trying to read and take notes during a church service and I was getting frustrated with the on and off of the glasses. With my contacts I can see far off but up close is blurry, so the glasses go on to read and write and come off to see the preacher. On, off and then on, off. Completely frustrated I finally just snatched those suckers off my face and chunked them into my purse.

I find myself doing the same thing with my life. I do something that is helpful and allows me to focus and then I sabotage myself in one way or another and everything becomes blurry. I used to think there was something wrong with me, but recently I’m coming to a place of understanding.

Look, we all live our lives in the open for the world to see. But, as women, we tend to act like everyone has a microscope that they are viewing us through. We believe the lie that everyone sees everything so we might as well just give up because they know we’re gonna fail and they’re waiting on us to fail so we just quit. But, the thing that I’m coming to learn is that I am the one viewing myself through the microscope. I am the one dissecting every little flaw. I’m the one believing that I will fail. We’re so good at being someone else’s cheerleader that we forget to cheer for ourselves.

So, today, even if it’s hard, cheer for yourself. Put the microscope where it belongs…in the trash. Accept yourself for you! That flaw that you hate makes you relatable to someone else. You, my friend, are beautifully flawed and that makes you magnificent!

We are at the starting line of 2023. Your feet have just left the blocks. It’s time to set your stride and focus on the goal. Don’t look at the runners around you, look toward finishing strong, doing your best, and simply running your own race.

Ready.

Have you mentally and emotionally made ready for the year ahead? Have you set a yearly goal or two? Reading through God’s Word. Learning a new skill. Improving your health. It’s time to do this. Find a moment before you go to bed tonight and settle on one simple goal you are willing to commit to this year. Or maybe a dozen?

Yes, you heard correctly. Short term goals are sometimes easier to keep. So think about setting twelve monthly goals, things like, cooking at home every night or trying a new recipe each day, meditating for 20 minutes a day, using a language app daily, going for a daily run… often short term goals become habits and you may find yourself still doing some of them come December.

Set.

You need to have a plan.

To read the Bible each day you need to pick a version of the Bible you are going to read and a printed or online daily Bible reading plan.

To get fit, you may need to plan to add the expense of a trainer into your budget or buy some light weights and bands if you can’t spend quite so much.

To cook at home daily, pull out your recipe books and plan your first week’s meals and make a grocery list.

Most important things won’t just happen by accident. We must be intentional.

What plan are you willing to commit to?

Go!

You can do this! I can do this! We must hold ourselves accountable. We can hold each other accountable too; some things work better if we have a buddy who has similar goals.

Keep the Nike slogan in mind: Just Do It! When you’re tired and really don’t want too, do it anyway. Post that memory verse on your mirror or make it your wallpaper on your phone or computer where you can review it every day. Support and write to that Compassion child each month; you are changing a life! Water that dying plant and tend it faithfully and watch it grow and flourish. Train for that marathon without missing a day. Scripture says, “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might.” (Ecc. 9:10)

Whether it is memorizing scripture or learning to sew, you have to make a mental commitment, make a plan for how you will faithfully carry out your commitment, then take that all important step and do it! And IF you miss a day, or fail, it’s not a big deal. God gives us a fresh start each morning, a do-over!

Change is not a dirty word. Change is good. Discipline is not a dirty word. Discipline is good. Don’t let this year of life just tick by. Live with purpose. Be intentional.

Ready?

Get set.

Go!

From all of us at Priceless and GFBC Women’s Ministry, we wish you a year full of God’s blessings!