Tag Archives: goals

YEP

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Last year, I attempted to assign one word each month to explore for the entirety of 2023. It was a fascinating experiment that alerted me to things I wouldn’t normally have seen. But somewhere around late summer, family and work life got so demanding that instead of picking the words myself, the words picked me: too busy, more day job, less sleep, less writing, and so on until I didn’t even have time or energy to type I need a vacation into my laptop.

I should have known better. I’m not made for formula. Organization was not written into my DNA in neat little rows, but splattered in various shades of color. In fact, while trying to make writing into a more prolific career, I’ve found that if the experts say to do something a certain way, I should instead turn around and draw from my well of creative splatter because if everyone else is doing “it” it’s darn well not going to work for me. I’ve wasted so many years not being true to my design. Which brings me to 2024.

–Alexas_Fotos



I’m going to be true to myself. I will not wear fake nails. I will only lend an ear to influencers who are excellent in their craft, not because they’re excellent at selling it. I will wear whatever weird clothes I want to. I will NOT join the PTA and will hold my head high (please quit asking, it’s not going to happen), I will do what I believe is right even if it gets me fired/laughed at/cancelled, and I will not write stories to appease political/cultural bullies. I will not apologize for following Jesus.

I will expect interruptions. I will pay attention to what’s true to the best of my ability.

The last several years have not only proven that powers beyond our control may throw our world upside down, but that we have been pressured to forgo critical thinking. Fear leads us. Money leads us. In truth, we have not progressed. I realize that statement is controversial, but we’re not exactly making head-scratchingly brilliantly-crafted pyramids with our bare hands anymore, are we? We quit picking on one ethnic group to pick on a different one. And every time, the accusing party thinks they’re in the right. Ladies…do you feel confused about certain issues that are labeled as progress? Why do we keep going around in circles?

So, I’m going to cut down on all the noise I can so I can think. Most importantly, I’m not going be a soggy follower. There is always room to rise. It takes a certain amount of courage to go against the flow, and courage can’t come from charisma or good sales records—it comes from being true to your calling. Think of Deborah and Jael (The Bible, Judges 4 and 5) who were risen up by God when the leadership of the day were afraid to do their job. In a male dominated culture, these ladies were true warriors.

Hello 2024. This is the way.

P.S. I’ve been mulling over the idea of whether or not to create a newsletter again. In the meantime, you can keep up with my latest updates on facebook and Instagram.

My book release was pushed from September to February of this year. Eternal, Everywhere, With You is a time travel, contemporary fantasy romance (with the most beautiful cover in all the land). Description as follows:

High School grads Dovie and Silas begin their summer with a shortcut and a wish. But what happens before they arrive home turns their world upside down. That same night, a stranger shows up at Dovie’s summer home, adding more questions to the mix. Supplied with a few peculiar clues to piece together, they quickly learn one very important thing:

Never wish upon a falling star.

Travel through time, suspicion and romance, as Dovie and Silas discover what lies beneath their own identities, and in the very dust of the earth.

Cover reveal is on the way.

Blessings for a noble and purposeful New Year!









For the Brave

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For the first time in years, my family and I ventured outside the house for New Year’s Eve. All the way across the driveway to our neighbor’s house.
Several of us from the neighborhood, the neighbor’s plumber, and some who are in recovery, gathered around piles of food to bring in 2018 together. Or at least for the few hours that come before it whispered, “Welcome,” through the door frames.

It was a cautious bunch, keeping the most harmful vices out in respect for those who were beginning again, although new beginnings are anything but safe. They’re scary, and wild in the way a man or woman has to confront their monsters face to face. And the unwelcome vices, having been exposed for the roadblocks they were, were banned from now forward.

A few of us gathered around the fire-pit, its blue flame a perfect circle for us to warm our hands over and watch our kids play together. The best jokes are told in a circle of new friends. Admissions about our imperfections are safe with a little darkness to tuck them away in. Friends to be flawed with.

Throughout the night, we had to scoot closer and closer to the fire as the heat couldn’t keep up with the encroaching cold. I stared at that blue flame and remembered that all of us come to a time where we begin again at something. Maybe it’s a lifetime of starting over. A new attitude, a new faith. Maybe just a single step forward. And like that blue circle of flame, we have the choice to stay low and contained, or to move past the barriers and push back the darkness.

 

A prayer for all who read this–who desire to step forward into 2018 with braver feet. Blessing, my friends.

Dreams Up High

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When my kids play, I see God illustrating resilience. I see my daughter look at the tippy-top of the swing set and it’s as if God says “this is how high you can reach.” I follow her gaze toward the towering branches of a tree and I know she will find a way to get there. She has to start low first. As the sun burnishes her arms, they toughen and fill out as she learns to hold her own weight. Then she swings, climbing hand over hand across the monkey bars at the park.100_2977

There are days when discouragement shakes her arms scared, and she needs me to hold her as she monkey crawls across the bars. Sometimes she is too tired, but like a child, she doesn’t recognize fatigue, she just sees the top of the world she hasn’t reached yet.

She comes home from school and tells me about her friend, the gymnast, who can swing and flip and nearly fly over those monkey bars. She wants to do that too, and instead of listening to the dream thief that likes to whisper “you can’t”, she lets her dreams expand. Month after month, she climbs higher, farther. Occasionally she gets stuck in the tree out back and I have to rescue her, but we just laugh and she keeps climbing.

On her last day of school, we meet on the playground. She smiles proud and begins to go from bar to bar, swinging with much more strength that she appears to have on her wiry frame. My heart soars as she conquers every one of them and I think, This is what God made us for—for keeping our eyes on the highest dream, and like the resiliency of a child, we will reach it.