Hello Beautiful Souls,
Happy New Year! 2016 is under way and while some are busy making resolutions, others are breaking resolutions, and then there are those who are dreaming big, while others are simply trying to find the energy to take the next breath.
Inspired by a book I read years ago called “The Art of Possibility“ by Benjamin Zander and Rosamund Stone Zander (yes, they are married!), I decided that I’d start 2016 by looking back at 2016. In the book, Benjamin shares how he gives his students an A at the beginning of the year and then asks them to write a letter to themselves explaining why they deserved the A. In a similar fashion, I’ve decided to give 2016 an A and then write why it deserved it. (Note, I did this back in 2010 and it ended up being a turning point in my career and life!) Perhaps after watching the video below, you might consider doing the same.
December 31st, 2016
Dear Joann,
If you only knew the amazing things 2016 had in store for you, your head would have been spinning. So much good stuff in 365 days.
It began with a declaration. When Pastor Joel declared it the year of “Acceleration,” something leaped inside of you. And then he mentioned about the bow and arrow. You call it the slingshot effect, he referred to it as the bow and arrow. Same difference. The tension you felt in 2015 was just the set-up for the greatness of 2016.
In 2015 you learned to trust and in 2016 you learned how to soar…with God. See God always had great things in store for you even when it looked like nothing was happening or when it felt like you were moving backwards. The sensation of moving backwards occurs when God is pulling the slingshot back as He gets set to release it.
This year, you got to witness first hand on an almost daily basis what is possible when you let go of your wants and ways for His. God’s ways are always better. Everyday and in every way. Every seed that you’ve planted over the past couple of years bloomed not just a little but in ways far greater than you could have imagined. And this is just the beginning. Yes, life does get even better.
You longed to “hear from heaven” and as a part of you died each day, the whispers of God’s heart became louder and louder. The things that used to worry you, no longer have a hold on you. Greed was replaced by a deep sense of gratitude. Jealousy was replaced by joy…genuine joy that was not based on circumstances. And remember how you used to find yourself comparing yourself to others? Yeah, no more. That was replaced by compassion for yourself…and others. 2016 was a year of Freedom. Total Freedom.
This past year:
-you experienced divine connections that could have only been masterminded by God
-incredible opportunities chased you down and amazing new partnerships and collaborations were born #gamechangers
-the #1000gifts list grew exponentially because with every breath you took, everywhere you looked, you were overwhelmed by beauty, blessings, and miracles. Even the mundane moments were extraordinarily beautiful.
-you and Drew saw MANY prayers answered
-life became more meaningful and your love for God, for others, and for this journey deepened in ways you never knew existed
Today, life is better than you imagined. What you thought would take you years to accomplish, God brought to pass in months. He showed you that He is true to His word and that His ways are higher than your ways.
If I can tell you anything, it’s this: Trust Him. With Everything. He will never fail you nor abandon you and His plans for you are far greater than the greatest plan you could conceive on your own. God has many more amazing things He wants to do in your life, with your life, and through your life. Do you dare believe big and trust Him even more?
I have great expectations for 2017:).
PlayBigPlayNow Invite: Now it’s your turn! Take out a sheet of paper or start a fresh note on your phone/tablet/computer and get writing. Let your heart do the writing. Save the judgement for later…
Here’s a look at my 2016 Manifesto! Want a copy? Click the images below!
- 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
One thought on “Dear 2016”
Comments are closed