How’s everyone doing?
We’re sixteen days into the final January of this decade. (p.s. How many of you got reprimanded by the fact that this isn’t a new decade?)
Regardless of the math, I’m claiming 2020 to be a year of HOPE.
Greg and I choose a word for the year and then form our goals around that word. We aren’t hard-pressed to that word all year because sometimes it changes as we go through the year.
This year we wrote down our goals with HOPE in mind. Honestly, whenever we write goals, there’s always HOPE in the back of our minds. But this year, we’re being intentional about looking for HOPE.
We all need to do that don’t we?
Hope for healing. Hope for answers. Hope for our children to walk closer to God. Hope for reconciliation. Hope for peace. Hope for the pain to ease. Hope for the work I do to be used by God. Hope for clarity. Hope for peace. Hope for celebration. Hope for _______.
What do you HOPE for in 2020?
Sacred Space by The Irish Jesuits
I have been on the lookout for a devotional for 2020 and earlier this week, Tsh mentioned this book on Twitter. I am glad to make this a part of my daily routine.
And how fitting that the first entry I read for the week of January 12-18 was this quote:
Life is often a desert; it is difficult to walk in life, but if we trust in God it can become beautiful and wide as a highway. Never lose hope, continue to believe, always, in spite of everything. When we are before a child, although we have many problems and many difficulties, a smile comes to us from within, because we see hope in front of us: a child is hope. And in this way, we must be able to discern in life the way of hope which leads us to find God, God who became a child for us. He will make us smile; he will give us everything.
– Pope Francis, On Hope
Look for hope. 🤓
I Wander as I Wander by Future of Forestry
I know it’s a song from a Christmas album, but after my friend Tara told me about this song and the beauty of the music, it takes my breath away every time I listen.
Listen for hope. 🎻
Jennifer Garner on a roller coaster! This wins. Also, this is me on a roller coaster.
News anchors gag on-air over co-worker’s horrible holiday artichoke dip!
Laugh with hope. 😂
Native Bar Soap, the coconut + vanilla scent.
Smell like hope. 🤣 (but seriously, this is important–do you live with teenagers??)
What’s on your list for Read, Laugh, Listen + Can’t Live Without this month? Let me know in the comments and I’ll add it to next month’s newsletter.
p.s. there are a few affiliate links in this post, you can find them listed here.