To reflect on this past year, I chose my favorite inspirational quotes I feel are worth a review. Looking back on my writing, I am reminded of many important principles, values, and messages that are worth reflection. I hope these chosen snippets of my posts encourage you to live a life of intention, fulfillment, and purpose through the coming year. Happy 2017!
On remembering those in our lives who are hurting…
“And although we all lead busy active lives, full of a variety of needs bombarding us every day, let’s not forget those who are hidden from our view.”
From “Five Steps We Can Take To Care For Those Who Are Suffering This Season.”
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On God’s place in our country’s future…
“I wrestle my hopelessness to the ground of faith in an all knowing, all seeing, all powerful, mighty God.”
From “One Nation Under God. Come Election Day… God Still Reigns.”
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On raising our children with Trump’s leadership…
“Aside from politics and the mess of this divided nation, what I struggle with the most is the impact Trump’s leadership will have on the next generation. I am going to safely assume that no matter what side of the ticket you were on, you will face a new force-field of difficult challenges in how you parent your children.”
From “Five Ways We Must Parent Our Children With Trump’s Leadership.”
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On caring for those with chronic illness…
“People who endure long-suffering are in all of our lives. Let’s make sure we walk alongside them with the love and support they deserve.”
From “Eight Extraordinary Things You Need To Know About People With Chronic Illness.”
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On where we best grow…
“As beautiful as this world is to live in, I’ve found that our greatest moments come from the hardest places. When we are faced with difficult decisions in the throes of challenging circumstances, this is where our principles can either crumble or shine.”
From “I See The Man You Will Become.”
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On shining God’s light in this world…
“This world can be scary, but God calls us to walk in it and shine His Light.”
From “Managing The Madness of Middle School As A Christian.”
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On how every season of our lives prepares us for the next…
“I look back on my life as though there were different seasons that defined my years, my growth, my identity, and paved my path forward, preparing me for what lies ahead. I see that each one created in me, those things I would need for what’s to come. I wonder now, how this season will affect the next, and I realize that with time I will surely understand its purpose.”
From “This Is Where I Am: Acceptance. Intention. And Purpose.”
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On the beautiful bond of friendship…
“Years upon years have tightened the knot that ties us together. Season after season, life has created a landscape of hills and valleys that have been traveled and new paths that have been paved. We know one another’s terrain quite well, and we know what the other needs to navigate it. We are well aware of how equipped we are to handle the climb or to slide down that hill.”
From “I Knew What She Needed To Hear.”
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On where we find our greatest strength…
“I don’t want him to think life is easy. Because it’s not. I don’t want his perspective to be a landscape of easy. Easy doesn’t grow you. Easy doesn’t challenge you. Easy doesn’t take you to new places where you have to muddle through the messy hard parts of life, scavenging the bottom looking for signs of strength.”
From “Why I Want My Son To Lose.”
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On moments of unbelief…
“I stretch my hands
From fists they spread
To the skies
With what I have
I give you all
I have to give…
My mustard seed.”
From “My Mustard Seed Moment.”
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On the importance of small moments…
“When I look back one day on the blurry hazy years of parenting my kids, when I am old and my kids are grown, when they ask about the details instead of the highlights…
I want to be able to dive in and declare all the little things that truly made raising them my greatest joy. I hope I can be able to recount the small moments that offer more than the big trials and triumphs in their lives. Instead I’ll reveal an intimate view of the hidden treasures buried deep beneath the obvious and accessible landscape of all the big things.
And each time we go down memory lane, I’ll tell them, “It’s really the little things that you want to treasure when you have kids. Don’t forget the little things.”“
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On the great influence of our teachers…
“And I want to tell you that I am aware of what you do, and I am grateful for it all. What you manage on a day-to-day basis is no easy feat. Your role in my children’s lives has been profoundly important to their growth and education. You have fueled their desire to learn and inspired them to do their best. My children are better people for knowing you.”
From “A Letter To Our Teachers.”
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On the truth about motherhood…
“Motherhood has a way of taking us to the ends of ourselves, pushing us to the brink of the break. We can demand to be done, but truth is- motherhood is never done…
Those trying seasons of motherhood, when we are called to stretch far beyond ourselves, are quite extraordinary.
The prize is when we prove the unthinkable; discovering new strength where we believed we were empty.“
From “What Doesn’t Kill You Makes You Mother.”
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On being a good Samaritan…
“Christians, we need to get our holy hands dirty, and our sacred lives messy. We need to feel the burden of our Lord, when we open our view to see the broken and wounded, the weak and the lost. We need to stretch our comfortable places, and remove our fears, our judgments, our daily distractions-
And cross the road.”
From “Are YOU A Good Samaritan? Am I?”
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On believing and trusting in your own voice…
“I’ve realized that no matter who tells you what, no matter how messages are delivered or opinions are declared- those voices will never be stronger than your own voice, unless you allow them to be. There will always be people and professionals in our lives that offer counsel and many we seek for that help we so desperately need. Even in our weakest moments, our most vulnerable and desperate places- we still get to choose how much power other people hold in our lives.”
From “Don’t Let Anyone Steal Your Hope.”
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On managing anxiety…
“I often wish I could stop the flow of life to gauge the impact of what will come. I feel it seeping into those dark places I try to keep from opening, because I know myself well enough to understand those sure signs of anxiety will erupt if I don’t tend to things that help dismantle its power. If I don’t pace myself… I will fall- hard.”
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On being a survivor of hard things…
“You are not wounded and weak, nor are you weary and worn.
You are a warrior.”
From “It’s Really Going To Be Okay.”
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On the courage and camaraderie of women who have been violated…
“I so desperately want you to know that you are the heroine in this story. I want you to know that you are among a multitude of women who didn’t deserve what happened to you.
We all think you are amazing.
You have a world full of sisters behind you.”
From “To The Woman We Are All Standing Up For: Thank You.”
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On our To Do Lists and what is DONE.
“Lord, help me quiet my mind, so I can hear your guiding voice. Open my heart to your dreams for this day. Guide me through my Must Dos and Want Tos and help me discern what you want done, and give me the strength to leave the rest undone. May your peace cleanse my urgency for my plan and pour new intention for yours. Show me where to accomplish YOUR to do list, and walk by me as I take those faithful steps with your purpose, not mine. Remind me that there is only one “Done” on this earth that means most to you. I’m forever grateful to know I have that checked off my list.”
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On God’s love for us all…
Christ died for me.
For you.
For every single human being.
If there’s one thing I believe more than anything about Jesus, it’s this:
He loves and longs for every last one of us…
Every. One.
Christ does not discriminate.
Despite His distorted reputation.
He came for us all.”
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On discovering our worth…
“Each and every one of us is worthy of being a spectacular human being. We have the ability and potential to be the very BEST person we were created to be. Are you there yet? I’m not. Let’s keep going. Let’s keep believing in ourselves. Keep searching for our truths and discovering our dreams while healing our wounds. Let’s take those bold steps toward health and wholeness and work hard to get there. Let’s uncover those murky layers of shame and let go of things and people that hold us back. Let’s take risks and celebrate our scary bold steps toward success, freedom, and fulfillment. Let’s let love in, and allow ourselves to open our hearts to forgiveness, and tend to all the emotions that are deeply embedded in who we are. It’s time to realize our WORTH.
Don’t underestimate the value in YOU.
And I’ll try to do the same.”
From “One Word For The Year: Worthy.”
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On my passion and mission…
“I have always had a growing passion for people who have suffered from brokenness- both physically or emotionally and want people to know there is always hope for healing. This blog’s mission has evolved toward offering any hope and encouragement I am able to give. Things I share here, come from the deepest part of who I am- and I always hope my words will sink into the deepest part of you too.
Encouragement is my favorite word to live by…
It’s a gift, really. Giving it is a gift. Receiving it is a gift.
As my little motto on this blog says,
“Encouragement is like food for the soul… Everybody’s hungry for it.”
I really believe that to be true.”
From “There’s Hope For Healing.”
There are more. So many more. But I’ll leave you with this one…
Beauty blooms
In hard places.
Beauty blooms
In life’s messes.
Behold!
Do you see?
It’s glorious.
Unearthed strength
From where you lie
Rising vibrant colors fly
From broken, buried, battered, bruised
Comes healing, wholeness, hope
In you.
From my book, “Help and Hope While You’re Healing: A woman’s guide toward wellness while recovering from injury, surgery, or illness.”
Here’s to finding fulfillment and living with intention in 2017!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Love your look back on your favorite quotes here and also just want to wish you and your family a very, Happy New Year now, Chris 😉
Thank you SO much Janine!! Here’s to 2017!! I’m so glad to be doing it together with YOU, my friend. 🙂
*****From fists they spread
To the skies
With what I have
I give you all
I have to give…
My mustard seed.****
Love the quotes.
Love you.
Happy 2017! xxxxxx
I love how simple words could build us up.
Happy 2017!
Happy New Year, Chris! I loved your quote from the piece about your son. And on anxiety! I feel like you have many many good quotes within the comments of my blog too! You could write a whole post on them.
Love Love Love!
My favorite is ““This world can be scary, but God calls us to walk in it and shine His Light.” Oh Yes. Every Single Day Chris!
Wishing you a lovely and fabulous year 2017!
What a great recap. Wow, you had some awesome words to share in 2016. I can’t wait to see what you have to say in 2017.
What an amazingly beautiful collection of wisdom. My favorite:
“Motherhood has a way of taking us to the ends of ourselves, pushing us to the brink of the break. We can demand to be done, but truth is- motherhood is never done…
Those trying seasons of motherhood, when we are called to stretch far beyond ourselves, are quite extraordinary. ”
And of course, every work of You Really Are Going to be OK!