My Goals for 2018

Happy Saturday, friends. :)

January is almost over and all month I've been thinking that I'd like to hop on here and share my goals for this year. I'm not sure if it will be fun for anyone else to read them, haha, but it helps me to write them out again and really make sure they're still sticking a month after setting them.

In past years, I've shared my name for the year or my monthly goals on this blog. It feels good to be back! In December, I used Christmas money to purchase a really great tool called Powersheets (I'll link to them here). Powersheets are an intentional goal planner. It's less of a calendar and more of a process that helps you really think about your life and what matters most to you. From there, it helps you break down those big life goals into tiny daily, weekly, and monthly goals.

I heard a quote once that said, "How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives" (Annie Dilliard). It really is the little stuff in each day that adds up to make our lives. It has also helped me to think about what will matter to me at the end of my life... what will I want to look back on?

By the way, this isn't sponsored by Powersheets or anything like that, I just love this tool and think goal setting is fun! :)

So without further ado, here are my 2018 goals. :) They are really general but below each goal, I've shared a couple of the practical measurable things I'll do throughout the year to make those goals happen.

1. Cultivate my relationship with my husband and best friend, Luke. 
1. How? 
1. Through monthly date nights 
2. Being generous with my words
3. Encouraging Luke to take set aside time for himself each week
4. By praying for him (and us) 
5. Celebrating 6 years of marriage in November!
2. Cultivate my relationship with my girls through presence and parenting led by love, not fear.
1. How?
1. By using the Moment App to spend less time on my phone and more time face to face with them. 
2. Through daily prayer for them
3. Spending quality time with them individually and together
4. By celebrating birthdays!! :) The introvert/nervous nellie in me tends to avoid birthday parties but I want to be led by love not fear in this area.
5. By creating a special place in our house to learn and create together 
3. Cultivate deep, strong roots in my faith and a deeper love for the Church 
1. How? 
1. Using my Write the Word Journal for prayer and Bible reading
2. Joining a women's bible study and staying connected/committed to it
3. Memorizing scripture with my girls
4. Cultivate our peace filled home, to be a place of rest and joy.
1. How? 
1. Inviting people into our home
2. Weekly home improvements - really small, free, or super cheap! :)
3. Regular declutter of spaces, drawers, closets, etc.
4. Daily 15-minute cleaning sprees where I set the timer for 15 minutes and see what I can get done (This works so well in our house!)
5. Cultivate a healthy mind and body.
1. How? 
1. Holy Yoga 5x a week (I love this so much more than I could have guessed!)
2. Starting the day with water
3. Learning to be a good listener to my body
4. Starting the week with a planning time with Luke (then filling in calendar)
5. Scheduling regular haircuts, doctor appointments, dentist appointments, etc.
6. Cultivate a vision for our finances, to be generous and faithful!
1. How?
1. Sitting down weekly to review bills, budget, and tithing (on my own)
2. 1-2x a month check in with Luke on our finances (I handle most finance stuff because I really enjoy it! I just want to make sure we're on the same page and making progress toward our goals) :)
3. Together, write out a vision plan for our finances this year (includes giving, saving goals, paying down debt, large purchases (second car), etc.)
4. Figure out what it means to be generous when it doesn't feel like you have a lot of "extra"
7. Cultivate my style/closet so that it feels peace-filled, easy, and "like me"
1. How?
1. Cleaning out my style Pinterest board to clothes that I'd really wear in real life :)
2. Updating it with new pins and getting a good feel for the style I like.
3. Cleaning out my closet
4. Making a plan - what should be added to make my clothes work better for me? Think, what can be purchased at a thrift store (plain gray tees)? What needs to be bought elsewhere (jeans)?
8.  So this final goal... I'm almost a month into my 2018 goals and I feel like something is missing in the area of friendship or loving other people. Maybe... cultivate my love for other people... cultivate friendships? Something about friendship. :) I'll think on it and update soon!

So there you go! :) I hope reading this didn't feel overwhelming. If it did, remember that your goals don't need to look like anyone else's goals and we all think and plan differently. You've gotta do what works for you. :) The Powersheets took me through hours of prep work so by the time that was all done, my goals really become clear on their own. It becomes easy to let go of the things you "should do" so that you can invest in what really matters to you. 

Finally, after creating my yearly goals and listing some of those "how?" ideas under each (what you see above), I turned them into monthly, weekly, and daily goals. Powersheets provides a neat worksheet to keep them all organized. :) I update my tending list daily to keep track of my progress. 

Okay! I'm at a new pretty Starbucks and ready to work on my goals for February! I'll be back soon with my January goals progress and my new goals for February. 

Happy weekend, sweet people.

Thanks for reading!

Love,

Bonnie

P.S. My husband started a really cool project this month and I'm so proud of him. He loves to write and has such a unique style. Right now, my favorites are his poems and photography. He often casually shows me pictures he's taken and they take my breath away! Haha but anyway, go check out his blog where he shares short stories, reviews, and other creative writing! :) Just click here. 

My June Goals

It's been a while since I've shared my monthly goals here. I used to enjoy it so much, so I thought "why not start again?" I love goals and lists because they help me see how I'm really spending my time.

Now here's a fair warning: My goal list might look a little intense at first. I have monthly goals (individual tasks to complete by the end of the month), weekly goals (things that need to happen once a week), and daily goals (simple things that I can do every day that make a big impact). The cool thing is, they actually all work together really nicely because they're based around a small list of things that really matter to me.

If this list seems a little too much to you - that's ok! The beauty in goal setting is that we can all do it differently and figure out what works best for us. I'll need to keep this list in a spot that I see daily for it to be helpful. I used my Lara Casey Powersheets and put this goal list together this morning while Bekah napped. I feel really good about it - it feels simple and fun but also challenging.

So, here are my goals for the month of June:

My monthly goals:

Write out a book of the Bible by hand
Try a new recipe from the 100 days of real food blog
Fix a couple functionality issues on strong and sweet (there are a couple links that don't work like they should)
Make a blog post idea list and follow up with those ideas (without second guessing them all ;) )
Make a toy drum for Bekah
Share a drawing on my blog
Help my sister with one of her wedding projects
Finish organizing the hallway so there's room to store the vacuum and stroller
Celebrate Bekah!!! (She turns one on June 9th!)
Have an awesome family vacation next week!!!

My Weekly Goals:

Send Luke out for at least two hours a week to go have fun (that guy works so hard for us!)
Blog 2x each week
Complete 6 days of meeting my 10,000 steps goal and 1 day of rest each week
Go outside for a run 1x a week (most of my exercise is indoors or walking outdoors)
Sit down for 30 minutes and work on bills/family paperwork/updating budget
Catch up with Katy and Ann (my best friends from high school who I don't see much)
Go on a date with Luke

My Daily Goals:

Pray daily about a couple upcoming decisions we have as a family
Do the daily Clean Mama house cleaning task (yay for not having to make my own cleaning schedule! yay for a clean house!)
Pick up Bekah's room at the end of the day
Do 30 squats and 30 ab twists daily in combination with my other exercise

I'd love to hear about your goals and plans for June. I think June is one of the best months of the year. This year will be extra special because it's Bekah's first birthday, my mom's birthday, and my brother-in-law's birthday. The cool thing is, we get to celebrate all of them together on vacation next week!

Hope you're having a great week, my friends.

Love,
Bonnie

On My Heart

I was just reading this sweet post by Becky at Farmgirl Paints. She wrote about her daughter who recently turned fourteen and about what it's like to look back at that age from an older, mama-view. It really touched my heart just thinking about what it will be like to sit in Bekah's room with her someday as she shares her happiness and sadness and everything in between with Luke and I. That girl is going to be amazing, I know it already. :) Even at only twenty-six weeks pregnant, I feel very blessed to be her mama.

That post got me thinking about some of the stuff that feels tender and special in my heart lately. So I thought I'd share it here with you as a little sounding board. God is so good and in control of all the things that feel so unknown to me right now. I hope somehow this post encourages you that He knows your heart and cares about the things you care about, that He'll always be there for you to help you work it out and make it through life like the conqueror you are.

First: I've been thinking a lot about counseling lately. I shared a post a couple months back about my heart for girls who are hurting and in need of hope. Did you know I'm a pastoral counseling major at school? I really do enjoy the major and respect my professors a lot. This semester's counseling/psychology courses have made me a much more understanding person, I think. Understanding in the sense that my heart feels a little softer for people in whatever situations they're in. I am less quick to assume I know why someone is going through what they're going through and just more willing to wait and listen. I have to be honest, this area of my life has felt a little confusing lately. Sometimes learning about counseling frustrates me. It messes with my pride because I want to be right. I want to know why things are the way they are and what people mean by the things they say. Does that make sense? I've had days where I've questioned if I'm in the right major and I've felt a little bitter towards the idea of being a counselor. Such a funny position to be in, knowing there is something God will do with this calling but not always feeling that it fits me. But I know I don't need to be tossed around and all over the place by my worries or questions. This is a journey of faith and I can make it through these days that feel sorta confusing and trust God's love for me. Ephesians 3:20, right? He is able to do immeasurably more than all we could ask for or imagine… I believe that about your future, too. Is there anything about your future I could be praying about?

Second: Marriage. Friday through Sunday, Luke and I were blessed by our sweet friends Nick and Kelly with the opportunity to go to Family Life's Weekend to Remember. It was such a beautiful weekend. We stayed at this Downton-like lodge in the Poconos (man, is anyone else already ready for season five?) and we just focused on "us" for a few days. It felt like another honeymoon and it was wonderful. Luke is my best friend and truly a joy to be with. I felt like the luckiest girl at the entire conference to have him by my side. He is an amazing man who loves me in such a selfless way and amazes me with his kindness and strength. As soon as we came home I was reminded how easy it is to not focus on your marriage. School and work and daily tasks make life busy, but it will always be worth it to shut the computer, turn off my phone, slow down a little… and just enjoy being with my husband. Marriage is a wonderful thing. 

Third: Bekah. I shared a little about this beautiful girl in the beginning of the post, but my goodness, what a joy she is already. We love her deeply and can't wait to snuggle her in less than fourteen weeks. 

Of course there's more, but it was helpful to share just those three tonight. What's been on your heart lately? Sometimes it helps to write it all out and remember there's hope and grace available for whatever's going on in our lives. 

Love you, friends! Thanks for reading what's on my heart. 

Bonnie

Made for This: Self Care

Happy Tuesday, friends!

I hope you've had a great start to the week. We're on spring break right now and the weather is so beautiful. We're about to go on our second walk for the day… it's just too nice to stay inside! Last night a bunch of families from our apartment building got together for a potluck dinner. It was a great night getting to know more of the couples that are living here on campus. How's your week going? :)

Do you remember when I wrote about naming my year a few months ago? You can check out that post by clicking here. This year, I chose the phrase "made for this" to name my year. It has been very empowering to have that little phrase to say whenever I'm facing a challenge or feeling afraid. I love that simple reminder that Jesus has made me more than a conqueror. I hope those of you who named your year with me have found it to be a helpful practice, too. Remember, it's not too late to name your year. If there's an encouraging word or phrase you want to speak over the challenges you're facing, give it a try. I'd love to hear about it. :)

Today I'm looking forward to sharing about another area of growth that is a part of my "made for this" year. This year I want to grow in my self-care habits, beauty routine, and clothing choices. I know, I know, that might seem a little shallow at first… but hear me out. :) Through the years I have heard myself say things like "I'm just not good at doing my makeup" or "I'm bad at putting together outfits" or "I can never do my hair how I like it" wayyyy too many times. Those might just seem like silly little comments, but I've learned that if I get in the habit of telling myself that I can't grow in areas that are challenging for me, I'm going to start to believe it.

This year I am going to change the way I think about myself. I am changing the script in my head that says "I am not good enough to meet the challenges of self care" and make it sound more like, "I am made for overcoming the challenges I face with self care". 

So, you may be wondering, what are those self-care challenges for me?


1. Make-up and Hair Care: 
I've become way too good at convincing myself that these are areas I could never grow in. Make-up and hair care are a little intimidating for me, mostly because of all the products that are available. I think the best solution I've found here is to ask for advice from friends who feel more confident or experienced in this area. They often provide helpful, personalized suggestions for products that will suit me best. My friend Alyson and I even talked about getting a small group of friends together for a girls night to learn more about skin care, face masks, and other things like that. And even though I still don't feel very educated about make-up, it really helps me to just give it a try every day. Taking a few extra minutes to freshen up my face gives me a nice boost. :)
Goal: 1. Find a small collection of products that work well for me and use them daily.


2. Creating a wardrobe I feel great in:
Pinterest has been an amazing tool in helping me define my style. Just like in any other area of life, it is so easy for me to get caught up in comparing myself to other girls and begin to think that I need to be like them or like what they like… but the beautiful thing is that we all have unique tastes. And we should embrace that! Looking at the pins I've collected over time on my clothing board, I've discovered that I am most drawn to classic shapes, feminine style, and neutral colors. Something about having that board is so encouraging to me because it just makes life feel a little more simple. Shopping has become easier and so has donating clothes that don't fit that general description. Getting ready for the day is fun and stress-free when I like what I own and it feels like me. If you also find it challenging to identify styles you feel good in, try making that Pinterest board. :) Pin images of outfits you're drawn to and go back and review that board every once in a while to see the beautiful picture that is taking shape. Maybe you're like me and sometimes you feel that you just can't make good clothing decisions, well, I just don't think that's true about either of us. :) I think we can overcome the things that feel challenging to us. I also think our clothing style can say a lot about the things that are important to us on the inside… the things God has put in our hearts about how we want to interact with the world and the presence we want to bring with us wherever we go. That might mean your style is a little more wild and bubbly, or a little more sweet and peaceful… either way, you're beautiful and your clothing can express that lovely heart God's given you.
Goals: 1. Donate current 'giveaway' bag and 10 other pieces by April. *if anyone nearby wants to look through that donation bag just let me know! 
2. After Bekah comes, work through Hayley Morgan's 31 Days to a no-brainer wardrobe. 

3. Caring for my teeth: 

Just ask my Mom, I was not a fun child (…or teenager) to take to the dentist. I didn't take great care of my teeth growing up and it is so tempting for me to put off dentist visits. My teeth have had a few issues in the past couple years and I've wasted way too much time worrying about them. Instead of worrying, I should have been trusting that God would take care of the financial costs and that I didn't need to be afraid of going to get them taken care of. This year I've been taking much better care of them on a daily basis and I am finally biting the bullet and finding a dentist in this area so I can't put off visits anymore. :) As funny as it sounds, this year I want to overcome even the smallest fears, like those about my teeth.
Goal: 1. Find a new family dentist by the end of the week and schedule appointment.

4. Getting Active + Exercising
I think one of the most helpful things for me to remember with exercise is that I don't have to do what everyone else does… I just have to do something. I love taking walks and zumba or pilates videos are a lot of fun for me, too! I think we've all felt that discouragement that comes from trying to develop an exercise routine, doing well for a few days, and then feeling totally bummed out when we break the good habits we were building. But just like all the other areas I'm writing about today, I've got to believe I can overcome that discouragement and stay active. It's too easy to focus on how much I don't want to exercise, so instead I'm going to start focusing on what will happen if I stick with it.

Goals: 
1. Create an exercise record chart to hang on the fridge. 
2. Get active for at least 20 minutes 4x a week. 

Whew! It feels good to share all of that. :) I'd love to hear your thoughts on how the name of your year is impacting your daily life. Is there something you need to start telling yourself you are "made for"? Do you have any advice for me as I move forward in my self-care journey?

Love,
Bonnie

My Pinterest Clothing Board - Self Care + Beauty Board - Fitness + Outdoors Board

Hope for Hurting Girls

Hey friends!

What a week it's been! After our three day weekend we ended up having two more snow days. Kind of a strange start to the semester but now things are getting back to normal. :) I want to share with you a story from my own life that God used to encourage+empower me this morning in chapel.

9th or 10th grade Bonnie :)

When I was in ninth grade I went through a short season of prayer where I often asked God what my "calling" was. I had rededicated my life to Jesus about ten months before when I was overwhelmed by the truth that my relationship with God needed to be personal. I couldn't just be a good girl and a Christian because my parents raised me that way… I had to decide if I would follow Jesus by myself, no matter what, for the rest of my life. That was a really precious time where I first started experiencing the power of the Holy Spirit and desiring to do something with my newly refreshed faith.

So in October of my ninth grade year, ten months after recommitting my life to Jesus, and right smack dab in the middle of a season where I was asking God what he made me to do… I attended a "legacy service" for our pastor who was retiring. That night was a beautiful tribute from the church that honored his years of faithful service. My pastor shared about the first time God gave him a deep burden for people who don't know Jesus. Sitting here, about seven years later, I can still remember him saying that he wept bitterly as he envisioned endless floods of people falling over some kind of cliff into hell. He was overwhelmed and broken by the need for those people to be helped.

Pastor Paul continued to carry that burden throughout his life. So many lives were reached and saved by Jesus because of his faithfulness to do something about that burden that God gave him.

I went home that night and when it was time for bed, I laid down and in the dark I started to sing and pray. "Give me one pure and holy passion. Give me one magnificent obsession. Give me one glorious ambition for my life, to know and follow hard after You." I remember I didn't sing or pray too long that night before tears filled me and poured out of me. At that moment, laying there in my dark room, the Holy Spirit spoke to me about the call God had placed on my life.

I saw a bright but blurry picture. I could see two women sitting at a table and I knew one of them was me. The other woman seemed younger than me... maybe a teenager or young adult. She had long dark hair and was wearing a red flannel shirt (funny detail, right?). We were just sitting there working on something together. Even with such a simple image, the Holy Spirit's message was bold and clear on my heart.

That night God gave me a burden for helping young women who are hurting, especially those who have suffered abuse, are stuck in self-harm, or have been neglected in some way. I knew from that night on that God made me to counsel these girls and help them find hope and healing through Jesus. Maybe in a counseling center or maybe in a home where they will come and live for a while. My heart really broke for them that night. I didn't want those girls to feel alone or hopeless anymore.

This morning when God brought this memory back to mind in chapel, it filled me up and refreshed me. I felt like God breathed fresh air into my lungs and set my feet on the right track again. I felt bold and confident and ready to help. The funny thing is, I never dreamed about counseling young women before that October night. But in one instant where the Holy Spirit came and met me, I knew God made me for this. 

Friends, there are so many fears and questions that can fill up our heads when God gives us a dream. I've thought in the past of all the reasons why I wouldn't be good at working with teen girls or why someone else would be better suited for the job. But none of that really matters. God can do it and He will. His spirit is living and breathing and moving in us and it will affect the people He puts us around.

It's been seven years since God first spoke to me about my calling to counsel girls. I never want to loose sight of this gift He's given me because I really do believe that I get to be the hands and feet of Jesus in reaching out to some girls who truly need hope and a fresh start. Every single time over the last seven years that I've asked God to renew the passion in me for counseling hurting girls, He's been faithful to do it in a tangible way. Our dreams really do matter to Him! He cares about them even more than we do! :)

Get the Conversation Going

I started praying today that God would use this post for His purposes. I'd love to get a conversation going where we share about the dreams God has given us and we pray for over each other's dreams, too. Maybe you haven't had an experience quite like this but there's something that has always had a hold of your heart… some circumstance or group of people. Please share them below! And let the rest of us know how we can pray for you.

My prayer for you is that God would breathe fresh air into your life and dreams today as He reminds you that you were made purposefully and will make an eternal impact for Him on this earth. Love you, readers. Can't wait to read what you share!

Love,
Bonnie

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Weekend Recap + Goals

Hope you had a great Monday, friends!

Luke and I both caught a little cold over the weekend which pretty much kept us in our apartment watching movies, eating warm food, and resting (while using a lot of tissues). Since we weren't feeling well there isn't too much excitement to report on from Saturday or Sunday, but I thought I'd share some pictures with you from today. :) Oh! And at the end I'm sharing a few of my goals for the week.

Sitting Down for lunch at home before going out // The Chili is my Mom's Recipe and is a happy taste of home. :)

Have I mentioned here that Luke and I are moving into a new apartment soon? With our baby on it's way, we'll need an extra bedroom and some more living space. Thankfully one has opened up for us down the hall so we will have a very easy move. :) One of our errands today was to HomeGoods where I spent some of my Christmas gift cards and picked up a few things for our new little home. 

This plate was only a few dollars + reminds me of the movie 'Enchanted'.. 
HomeGoods has such fun stuff!

When I came back to take a picture of this blanket I bought today, Luke was already enjoying it. I think that's a sign that it was a good purchase. ;) So I just borrowed it from him for a minute to get that second shot… :)

That last picture is a little creamer (or gravy boat? :)) and some fun dish towels. And of course, to the right are a few of my goals for the week. :) 

1. My sweet friend Alyson and I are hoping to grow together in how we study the Bible. Beth Moore has some awesome books out there… we just need to choose one and get started. ;) 

2. Kelly is a good friend of mine who is also expecting her first baby! Our due dates are only a few days apart. :) This semester we're hoping to do a pregnancy exercise DVD a few days a week together. 

3. Finally, my schedule is a lot different than last semester because I am taking a few less credits. I want to make the most of the extra time I have to grow in different areas, like schoolwork, blogging, my faith, relationships, and housework. I'm hoping to create a "weekly schedule" that will help me understand how I spend my time and give me a little extra structure for each week. 

It helps me accomplish so much more when I share my goals with other people and pray over them. I'd really love to hear about your weekend and your goals for the week ahead, if you have a minute to share! Praying for you all this week… it's going to be a good one!

Love, 

Bonnie 

Washing Dishes

Happy Tuesday, friends!

What a week it's been so far! Luke and I arrived back on campus on Sunday night after a month long break back in Gettysburg. Our winter break was so refreshing and we are very excited to be back in the swing of things here at school. We had a baby appointment on Monday and at 16 weeks, the baby is healthy and active! :) I could listen to that strong heartbeat for hours. Thank you for your prayers for Baby Stoltzfoos and your constant encouragement to us. Classes are off to a great start and it's looking like this will be an excellent semester. :)

My favorite guy on his 1st day of classes

Today I only have one class and chapel on my school schedule, so I have had plenty of time to do some blogging and house work. I actually want to share with you about something that happened to me today while I was doing dishes.

There's this beautiful song called "When the Saints"(by Sara Groves). The lyrics share the accounts of people throughout history who have courageously "lived the faithful life" out of love for God and the people He created. Sara sings about all sorts of people, from Paul and Silas who still praised God in prison, to Mother Teresa, an amazing woman who sacrificed her life to care for the poor and needy, and then all the brave people who rescue hurting women from the horrors of brothels. Listening to this song inspires me to follow Jesus unconditionally and love people fiercely. All I'm saying is... you've got to listen to this song. I can't do it justice by explaining it. :) Click here for the youtube link.

So what does that have to do with me doing dishes? Well to be honest I've been thinking a lot about doing dishes lately. Haha, I realize how strange that sounds but stay with me. Last semester I had a really tough time keeping up with housework as my body worked hard to adjust to the first trimester of pregnancy. I was pretty discouraged about that but I started dreaming over break about allowing a passion to develop in me for serving my husband by growing in my cooking and housekeeping abilities. I wondered if silly to be excited about these tasks… I mean it's just housework and cooking, right?

But today I had the neatest experience when I listened to this song and prepared to wash the dishes. I stepped in front of the sink, pumped some soap on the kitchen sponge, and as I reached for my husband's favorite travel mug a very familiar feeling swept over me. I've had this feeling before when I stepped up to preach a message that helped others experience the practical power of God's word. I've also experienced this same feeling when I've been in the middle of a conversation with a friend and we started to see the Holy Spirit give solutions to things they had been struggling with. It's this confident feeling that God is behind what I am doing and that people will see more of Him through it.

And I got that feeling when I was doing dishes today. When I speak God's word or when I counsel a friend through a discouraging time, I feel alive and I feel so purposeful. I feel like other people are getting to see God's heart… and I love that. He is so good and generous in revealing Himself to us!

You want to know what I decided from all this? I don't think it's a silly thing at all to be excited about doing dishes or dream about taking care of your family and house. Today God reminded me that even the small jobs I'll do as a wife, mom, student, counselor, etc. are so precious to Him.  God loves my husband and my future babies and all the people I come in contact with so much. The cool thing is that it really does glorify Him when, as His child, I show them love, because He loved them first.

Today I felt alive, purposeful, and like I was doing something significant when I washed the dishes, as funny as that sounds. It's such a small task but all our small tasks have eternal value when we do them faithfully in love. Wherever God has you serving right now, whether it's an a church building or in an office chair, whether it's in your high school classes or you're a stay at home mom… you can live a well-lived life now. You don't have to wait for the opportunity to move across the ocean or for your pastoral credentials to come in… just start by doing whatever God has you doing faithfully and out of love for Him and people. 

So thankful for Jesus' grace that makes it possible to live a joyful life… even in the everyday tasks. I think these tasks that can seem mundane are beautiful preparation for the bigger things we'll be entrusted with later on. Just like Mother Teresa, Paul and Silas, and the others mentioned in the song today, I want to be like the Saints who have gone before me… being faithful with the tasks at hand and faithful in deeply loving God and loving people along the way.

Have a great week, everyone! As always, I'd love to hear your thoughts. Excited to share a great contributor post from my friend Melissa with you a little later this week.

Love,
Bonnie

Your Names for 2014

Hi, everyone!

I hope you're all having a good week and a great start to Thursday so far. I have been so excited about this post! This morning I get to share a few of the names that were chosen for 2014. These ladies' thoughts are incredibly encouraging so grab some coffee (maybe just a small cup of coffee… this isn't a very long post), find a good place to read, and enjoy. :) And as always, I'd love to hear your thoughts below!

Brenda 

I have known Brenda for several years since I moved to the Gettysburg area. She is a woman of faith who deeply loves her family. She is also one of the most amazing decorators I have ever seen (You should see her home at Christmas)! Last year Brenda's family suffered the loss of their son. I am so touched by the name she has given 2014: "The Year of Restoration". 

Kriston

"[The name of my year is] Going Deep: Deep Intimacy, Deep Desire, Deep Hunger, Deep Faith, Deep Breakthroughs. God is showing me how to go to the Higher level that He called me to live when I didn't know how to do that before and now im learning how… 2014 is my year to go deep with God. It is a new season of joy, of breakthrough, of blessings, of so so so much more."

Caitlyn

"This year I want to focus on and know what God has in store for myself as well as Brian and I's future. It's such an exciting time! So I feel God wants me to name my year: A Year Of Opportunities.  Jesus said in Matthew 7: “ 7 Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened… 11b how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!"

Holly 

Embrace- "This year is going to be all about enjoying every opportunity & developing new relationships. There will be a lot of challenges as I adjust to being a wife & living in a new country so far away from everything I know. But God's got this under control so I'm going to embrace everything He sends my way."

Amanda

"…Over the past few days I have been praying about this upcoming year. Something God is really laying on my heart is intentional relationships. To me this means more than just spending time with loved ones and friends. It means purposefully seeking out people who need encouragement, prayer, a hug, etc. I want to be intentional in the relationships that I have and in starting new relationships so that my time with others is spent in such a way that we are both being drawn closer to Christ. Hebrews 10:24-25 sticks out to me as I pursue this, "And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near…".

  

If you'd like to read more about Amanda's beautiful vision for 2014, you can check out her blog here! Thanks so much to the ladies who shared their hearts here! I can't wait to see how these dreams become reality in the year ahead. So thankful for you all and praying for a powerful and productive week for you, too. 

20 Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. 21 Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen. - Ephesians 3:20-21

Love,
Bonnie

Perfect Timing + a Request

Happy Monday, everyone!

It feels so good to be writing as the week gets started. I really do enjoy writing and love the community blogs can create. I have learned such inspring things about a good number of you since I wrote the New Year's post last week. You know, for so long I struggled with the question of "when is it the right time to just post and get strong+sweet started?". I debated for months about the blog due to all the schedule changes that going back to school brought. Was I too busy? Would I be able to devote enough time to blogging? The questions went on and on but I have been so touched by the Holy Spirit as I have experienced His perfect timing and redemptive work this week. This week several of you have sent me the kindest messages, mentioned something in person about the blog, or have expressed some way that the message of hope for the New Year was helpful to you. I say all of that simply out of thankfulness to God. I love His Word because it carries such amazing power. When we apply it and write it out and share it with others it produces such good things in all of our lives. With that said, keep sharing what's on your heart with me and others, friends and readers.

This is our last week of Christmas Break before heading back to Valley Forge for our spring classes. That means we are soaking up all the time we can with Gettysburg-area friends and family and preparing ourselves for a great semester. We have such good friends to go back to and a new apartment to set up as our first "family home". I am really excited (understatement ;)) about the decorating and having a second bedroom to host guests. It's a little bit difficult to think about going back right now when break has been so good but I am believing that our time in Phoenixville is purposefull and that we will be very surprised to see all God has in store. We are very blessed to have two great places to call home. :)

Now I'd like to request something from you. :) Later this week I'm planning to share a little post with some of the names that you all have chosen for 2014. If you feel comfortable sharing, leave a comment here or send me a message on Facebook and tell me all about it. :) I'd love to hear what you're calling your year, what that means to you, and maybe something about how that changes your approach to a new year. If there's a scripture that is meaningful for this year I'd love to hear about that and share it here for others to be encouraged and empowered! I really do believe that your new and hopeful perspective for the year ahead can make a big difference in someone else's life! 

Love,

Bonnie

Want to stay up to date with Strong + Sweet? Try my favorite blog app, Bloglovin'!

Just download it on your smart phone and search 'Strong and Sweet" to follow. 

Made for This

I had so much fun reading all your responses via Facebook yesterday in response to naming your year! Keep sharing! Facebook comments or comments here under the posts work great… I just love seeing the  excitement God is giving everyone for the year ahead. It's going to be a great 2014, my friends!

After a little more thought I've settled on a name for 2014. I'd like to call 2014 "Made for This". This is a concept that's been running through my mind often in the past few weeks. I'm currently 14 weeks along with our first baby and pregnancy brings a whole bunch of new thoughts, concerns, and, of course, joys with it. Fear sneaks in quickly so I've been learning the value of speaking faith over every one of those little thoughts that worry me. I like to remind myself that my body is made for this… made purposefully by God to nurture this strong and healthy little baby (and several babies after this one ;)) who will be such a blessing to the world and to our family. I am made for faith… not for fear. I'm made for this and more!

There's a verse in the book of Esther that has always been so interesting to me. Esther's cousin Mordecai encourages the new Queen Esther to speak on behalf of the Jews when the King agrees to destroy them. Check out the following 2 verses…

13 Mordecai sent this reply to Esther: “Don’t think for a moment that because you’re in the palace you will escape when all other Jews are killed. 14 If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance and relief for the Jews will arise from some other place, but you and your relatives will die. Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this?” - Esther 4:13-14 NLT emphasis added

By focusing on the "Made for This" concept, I'm reminded that God has created and empowered all of us to live passionately and actively in this time, in this place, and for this generation. It's not an accident that I was born in 1991 or that you were born when you were. It's not a mistake that Luke and I are living in Phoenixville for a couple years even when it's hard to be away from Gettysburg. We were made for this time… not to be victims but to overcome and influence for good! That encouragement helps me so much! I'd love to hear what you think about that. 

So from where I sit on the second day of 2014, it looks like this might be a year for conquering fears and beating excuses with faith declarations. I hope to try some new things that I thought my body was too weak for (I've got to try a 5k at some point) and take risks that I thought someone else was made for instead. 

Thanks for taking the time to read and also for sharing your thoughts with me! Hope you all had a wonderful January 2nd. 

Love, 

Bonnie

Want to read more about naming your year? I first read about this exercise on in these blog posts by Jeff Leake, Melodie Leake, and Brad Leach. (Click the names to find their posts!)

Welcome 2014!

Happy New Year, friends!

The arrival of December 31st always feels so hopeful and energizing to me. For several years I've tried praying about the year and asking God what I should call the upcoming year. It encourages me and gives me fresh hope that the coming year can be new and exciting and that I can overcome whatever stuff I'm struggling with currently.

For example, a few years back I felt the Holy Spirit was encouraging me to focus on relationship. That's the year Luke and I became good friends, fell in love, and started dating. That order is accurate :). That year I was filled with hope for my relationships and overcome so many people-fears I struggled with. Last year I focused on growth. I wanted to try new things that I had always felt I could never achieve. Thanks to my sweet friend Hannah I got connected with a local coffee shop and bakery that was looking for barista help. I knew absolutely nothing about coffee… which probably didn't make me very qualified to be a barista but I interviewed for the job anyways! I had always told myself I could never work as a barista but the name of the year was Growth and that pushed me to give it a try. I will always be so thankful for that barista job… I made great friends, stretched myself, and I still see so much of God's faithfulness and provision through my time there.

So all that to say, when December 31st snuck up on me yesterday I decided it was time to start praying about a name for 2014. I haven't quite settled on anything yet but I'm thinking something related to relying on God's power… moving in power… being confident that God has made me for this time/these circumstances... something like that. I'm thinking I'll settle on something in the next day or two. :) I like to consider thought processes that weigh down on me or make me feel defeated and talk with God about how we're going to defeat that thing. Sometimes the name comes out of that kind of thinking.

I just felt like I needed to write this morning. Stress and doubt hit me as soon as I woke up today so I needed to get some hope back in my heart. God is doing a new thing in my heart today and I will embrace it and believe for a beautiful and victorious 2014. Have you tried naming your year before? There's nothing magical or spooky about it… I think it's all about setting a belief in your heart that God will move in your life this year and you can partner with Him as He does. I'll keep you updated on what I decide on… I'd love to hear from you as well!

See, I am doing a new thing!

    Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?

I am making a way in the wilderness

    and streams in the wasteland.

Isaiah 43:19

Praying that today you are filled with a deep and confident faith that God has made a way in the situations that have felt impossible for you. And I believe you'll see it happen, too. 

Love,
Bonnie

Want to read more about naming your year? I first read about this exercise on in these blog posts by Jeff Leake, Melodie Leake, and Brad Leach. (Click the names to find their posts!)