Hey There Beautiful Soul,
Happy Weekend! Can you believe Christmas is exactly ONE week away? I seriously can’t believe how fast time flies. Christmas is coming a little early for Drew and I as we take the next two weeks off to rest, relax, restore, and re-energize for 2016. So this will be me my last post of 2015. As such, I wanted to take the time to share some of MY FAVOURITES from this year. Enjoy!
2015 began with a vision and a manifesto:
As my pops underwent 3 months of radiation (to begin 2015) in his fight against cancer (He is fully healed! Thank you Jesus!), we were reminded of God’s incredible love for us via this 2 year-old game changer.
Life Lesson: God can use anyone at anytime:)
This year was about Love…Dangerous, Game Changing Love.
The world needs more organizations like this one…definitely one of my favs!
Life Lesson: Spread Love Generously.
I learned of Q Ideas from the amazing Ann Voskamp. It’s TED talks x The Best Sermon you’ve ever heard. What I love about Q is that it infuses the part that often seems to get lost in our every day…faith. Many attend church on Sunday only to act/live/believe like an atheist on Monday. Q challenges us to reflect upon who we are on Sunday and live those values every other day of the week. It is a call to renew/restore cultures -that the church in fact has a responsibility and plays a role in our culture.
Life Lesson: Make Jesus the main course of your life. He is far too amazing to be a side dish.
To be honest, I don’t read/follow a lot of blogs, but Ann Voskamp‘s A Holy Experience is a slice of heaven.
It’s a heart warming chat with a friend over a hot cup of tea around the kitchen table.
I also love that she lives on a farm. She is a bright star in the middle of nowhere.
This year has also been about Faith. Nitty, gritty Faith. Feisty Faith. Faith in the moments when things don’t go the way you planned. Faith when life throws you curve balls you’ve never seen before. Faith when you are tempted to throw in the towel. Faith when the storms of life threaten to overtake you. But most importantly, Faith in the ONE who is…faithful. Completely, wholeheartedly, faithful.
Life Lesson: God is faithful. It’s not a question, it’s an unbreakable promise.
This year has been about savouring sweet moments like this one and never forgetting the miracles in our midst.
Life Lesson: let’s not count moments but make every moment count.
“God is far more interested in doing a work in you before He does anything through you.”-Christine Caine
Life Lesson: When you think you can’t surrender any further (a.k.a death to your ego, selfish ambition, pride, etc.), God will ask you to surrender even more. And your life will be better because of it.
“In praying anything we were handing God everything.”-Jennie Allen
Beauty and Blessings are EVERYWHERE. The question is, can you see them?
Because the truth is, it’s not about what you are looking at but how you are looking at it.
Life Lesson/Dare: 1000 Gifts…a lesson in gratitude, an abundance of beautiful treasures waiting to be discovered. Do you dare?
Life Lesson: DOING GOOD + DOING WELL=Natural. Good. Beautiful.
Life Lesson: It’s cool to be second.
After being in and out of the hospital as he battled cancer, my dear Uncle Roland took his first breath in heaven on November 8th, 2015, a week after his 70th birthday. His life here on earth was full of adventure including a stint in the army, going to India with no money, getting his hair cutting certificate with Vidal Sassoon, coming to Canada with very little money and eventually sponsoring his parents and brothers and sisters here from Malaysia. We shared many wonderful chats and I learned a lot about him and from him.
His one piece of advice to all of us? Be. Just be. Be who you are. Be in each moment.
Life Lesson: BE(ATUS)= happy, blissful, blessed
Silly devil, you are messing with the wrong girl.
Life Lesson: Faith before fear, just like it is in the dictionary.
Wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas and only the very best in the coming year.
Thank you for being a part of my journey and letting me be a part of yours.
Get ready, get excited because 2016 is going to be be BETTER than ever.
Big. Bold. Beautiful. Blessings.
All In. At Any Cost. Wholehearted Living. Do You Dare?
Love,
Joann
And my favourite songs of 2015?
- Ladies (and Gents) Who ________: What’s Your Legacy? - May 15, 2018
- A Letter For Every Mother - April 17, 2018
- Dear Beautiful Soul… - March 28, 2018