So do you do that thing where you pick one word for the year to be your guide or your theme? What word did you pick? I’m dying to know and why you picked that? And how did you choose it? Was it based on the successes or failures of the year before? Or was it more of an idealistic approach to willing a certain quality into your life?
Okay, first, I know that. it. is. MARCH! heellloo! But you need to just get used to this part of my personality. I tend to procrastinate.
And not to place the blame on 2014 - but darn! It was a hard year for me to get over.
Literally. I brought a nasty cold into 2015 that ailed me for a whole stinkin month before a smart friend of mine kindly directed me towards a doctor. I guess if you have a cold for a whole month - it’s no longer a cold - it’s an infection. Yikes!
Ok, so back to the word. (drumroll) my word for 2015 — OVERCOME!
I actually let my children vote on it. Personally I was leaning towards CONQUER or COURAGE. But since they have a healthy obsession with Mandisa (your welcome girl, my kids chant your lyrics like everyday — and for that I want to HUG YOU! -no seriously I put that on my bucket list. realistic i know).
The funny thing is, I always am doing these crazy speeches at dinner to the tune of “this year let’s change ya’all” thinking they just have tuned me out by now. But no joke. They were buying it.
“So this means, guys, that this is the year we #OVERCOME all the things that are holdin us back from truly livin.”
“This is the year we try new things…things we’ve been afraid to do…things that we think we won’t like - but we don’t really know.”
I was on a role. I wish you could have been there. They were -eating-it-up! In my mind I couldn’t help but pride myself with my new way to get them to eat stuff they don’t like (#momoftheyear material).
But just then, my inspirational montage music playing in the background (in my head) came a halt: My 8 year old had his hand raised.
“So this means I need to go to school naked - cuz I’m afraid of that - and that would be different?”
Uhhhhh.
“Ok so let me lay some ground rules on our 2015 theme here. We are still Christians, and we still need to respect others and the rules and THE LAWS!”
oh, ok. With that I thought we were good to go.
But I have to tell ya. This word has already impacted my family. My kids really are trying new things for the sake of trying new things. They are opening their eyes to the kids around them that they see may need encouragement and were afraid to do something about before.
They walk around the house chanting “Don’t quit, don’t give in, you’re an overcomer” it gets increasingly loud during times when mom has seemingly lost her mind. It’s a nice reminder. sort of.
Okay. But all jokes aside.
This word is very real for me. (this is where the post turns from lighthearted to serious face).
2014 was a roller coaster. A coaster that stopped at unbelievably high to unbelievably low - not much in the middle. Sure I could blame it on being preggars and hormone craziness and then having a baby and going through post partum depression (yep, more on that later when I get the guts to talk to you about it).
Let’s just say by Jan 31 of the this new year. I was FED UP with the after affects of 2014. I finally declared that I had been living in a state of UNWELL (physically, mentally and spiritually) for so long that is was becoming my new normal. I decided that this year, something’s got to change.
I believe Jesus in bible when He says that He came to give us LIFE and LIFE TO FULLEST!
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. - John 10:10 (NIV)
The thief had come for me. He was hiding under my bed. He was camped out on my front lawn. I gave him permission.
There were times this last year where I experienced a deep joy in my life and some cool accomplishments (even though millions of women accomplish having a baby a year it is still a HUGE accomplishment). But all of it, sadly, overshadowed by this feeling of defeat and failure.
Why do we do that as humans? Fixate on the negative, in the midst of so many positives?
I don’t know the answer YET!
I’m on this journey this year to figure it out though.
This is the year I (we, if you wanna do it with me) OVERCOME.
Overcome the things that steal joy
Overcome the things that attempt to trump the truth
Overcome the fears that tangle up our feet and duct tape our mouths
Overcome the ideals of culture that teach us how to hate ourselves
Overcome the pressure to conform to the world’s idea of community with others
In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world. - John 16:33 (NIV)
Are you with me? Oh please say you are! This would be so much more fun together! I don’t want to stop talking about this. I may be obsessed. I love this journey that is before us. I love it already though I don’t even know how it unfolds. Which makes it an adventure.
And you never know. I just may be able to cross this off my list by the end of the year:
#27 Give Mandisa a nice long squeeze hug!
Here’s to the whimsy ideas that make us giggle! 
click here to watch Mandisa’s offical Overcomer video
