The Blog in Review... a 2013 Recap

I know, right? I guess it's time to take down all the Christmas decorations!

Happy New Years' Eve, ya'll!

Are you doing anything fun to celebrate? We used to be fun...  we used to have friends and do stuff... then we had littles and our group of friends would gather and ring in the midnight hour together with games and food and all the kids in their jammies.  But slowly over the years, we have gotten less exciting! We talk of hosting a dinner party with suits and fancy dresses and appetizers and such - but really... the thought alone makes us tired and I don't even have a Pinterest Board made for it yet... so there is that?

Anyway - I am taking today to reflect back over our year and this blog and thought it would be fun (because clearly - we know what that is!) to highlight some of the posts that meant the most to me... or to you... the posts that got the most traffic (for my little corner of the blogosphere anyway!) or the ones that left me most vulnerable... open... bleeding a bit on the keyboard, as they say!  It was a banner year around here in that I finally found a bit of consistency... which was the one goal I had set for myself in 2013!

A little pondering and reflecting is good... looking back to see what the year held, and looking ahead with hope arising for whatever is next!  Join me, won't you?

On January 1, 2013 I began the day (and year) much the same! I started several years ago, waking on New Years Day settling in with coffee and my journal... waiting... praying... I ask the Lord for a Prophetic Word for the year, as well as a book in the Bible to focus on... you can read that HERE and see if it bears witness to your own 2013!  It's always fun to look back and see how He was right! (He's always right!) It was January that I also joined Holley Gerth and began to pursue my God-Sized Dream...  I also continued on with Five Minute Fridays because - well, with that Gathering of Awesome - how could I not?  I wrote about how I have always been Cherished... how I have always known it but I haven't always felt it!  That turned into a Two Parter.  

In February, I guest posted over at OneWord (on  my OneWord - which was Surprise!)  I also wrote real and honest about time spent broken on our Kitchen Floor and I also touched on the Flow of Grace!

March brought with it a step into my God-Sized Dream, and I wrote about it HERE (and HERE!) I wrote about what a day in the life looks like for me now and how I Want to Forget, and again - my Five Minute Friday post on Broken on Good Friday spoke volumes (or at least got a lot of hits?)

April featured the post that got the most traffic this year, shockingly another FMF (Five Minute Friday) post on Here.  I linked up with a friend and wrote for Concrete Words, talking about my Honey and The Sink... and I joined the God-Sized Dreamers again, writing a post to the Dreamers in my life!

Oh Sweet May... 2013 in May was Cray Cray busy... filled with Senior things like Prom and Graduation prep and all sorts of banquets and such!  I posted about Counting On, Pressing In, and Requesting Prayer... and I wrote a letter From One Mama to Another!  

In June, I attempted to Start to Write a Letter to my girlie on her Graduation day, we survived Graduation week, and we both got Etched!

In July I started to link up with Emily Freeman for her super fun "Things I Learned..." link up! (I played along for June, July, August, and November...) I also hosted a link up (and learned the hard way that when you use the free tools - the link ups go away!) I started the Weekend Recap (now known as That Thing I Do Now) - a gathering of internet awesome... and I wrote a post on the Art of Balancing Life!

August was quieter, because... you know... summer!  I posted about using Scripture as a tool and not a weapon, 10 Things You Should Know (my pre-Allume post), and gave an update of sorts on my brother-in-law Jack.

September was relatively quiet as well - prepping for the insanity of October!  I did manage to post about how Love Looks Like Something, about Community Coming Right to Your Door, about walking Hand in hand in hand, and the looming #31Days!

October was JAM PACKED ya'll! Between #31 Days of Encountering God to travel and Allume... the blog was busy.  Some of the most popular posts within the #31Days series were Day 1 where I describe what I mean by an Encounter... Day 4 where I wrote about Encountering God in His written Word... Day 6 on Listening Prayer... and Days 8 & 9 on Encountering God in Parenthood.

In November, I wrote a post-Allume post where I was still processing and in staying true - I kept it real and told the good and the bad.  I wrote about Glistening Hope and before I knew it, December was here and I was all having Coffee with Jesus, being Brave, and remembering that Miracles Happen!

What about you? What are you hearing for 2014?  What is your OneWord? (Check out OneWord365 for more info!)  I think I know mine... but I am waiting for confirmation.  I like it to come and find me!

Whatever your Word or your goals... I am praying that God shows up for you and stirs up Hope in you, and that 2014 holds blessings and happy surprises around every corner! I pray you continue to stop by here for coffee and a little chatting... let's share what He is saying... what He is doing... together as we continue to live out our Dreams and lean in to all that He has for us!   

May we each purpose in 2014 to:
Speak Life... to Be Love... to Shine On.

Happy New Year!