Once upon a time there was a girl who wondered how to manage all of life’s chaos, all of the days’ minutiae, all of her heart’s dreams, and all of her mind’s doubts.  For years she battled with insecurity, anxiety, doubt, and worry. The calendar pages moved from year to year and every January 1st brought her a fresh determination to be different. But somehow by the middle of February she was, once again, overwhelmed, overtired, and over it.

Do you know anyone like that? Yeah, me neither. *wink*

So, what’s a perpetually stressed out and freaking out girl to do when she has finally decided 2017 is the year it all changes?

Maybe, instead of focusing on all the junk … she decides to make 2017 the year chooses to say YES to things that really matter.

12 Things to Say YES to in 2017

Last week I shared a list of things I’ll be saying NO to in 2017 … things that may keep me from being able to say YES to my heart plan for 2017. But here’s the thing I’ve realized, in order to really embrace that heart plan, in order to truly know the freedom of being available, of taking brave steps, and of deep connection with others, there are other things I’ll need to say YES to as well.

So, here’s my list … 12 things I’m saying YES to in 2017 in order to embrace my heart plan for this year.

A great quiet time

This is the key to almost everything else for me. When I’m focused on spending adequate (and unhurried!) time with the Lord, everything else seems less frantic. Sure, my life can still be hard and stressful but it’s much easier for me to see God at work in me and around me.

{Looking for some ways to make your quiet time more meaningful? Check out my 10 tips for a great quiet time and some suggestions for Bible studies for busy women.}

Scripture memorization

When we lived in Georgia, my small group and I were diligent about memorizing Scripture. But in the five-and-a-half years since we moved back home to Alabama, I’ve let that discipline slide. But 2017 is the year that all changes. My goal is simple: one verse per month to help me get back into the habit.

{Want to join me? I shared the 12 verses I’m planning to memorize in 2017 on Sweet Tea & Saving Grace yesterday. Print out a copy and let’s do it together!}

Praying the Word

Every month over 3000 women are joining me and praying Scripture over their daughters using the prayer calendars from Prayers for Girls. My book, Praying for Girls: Asking God for the Things They Need Most (releasing in July!) includes 200 Scripture-based prayers. Praying Scripture has long been a regular habit for me and this year is no exception.

{Interested in praying Scripture? Join Prayers for Girls and get your free monthly prayer calendars. Boy moms, check out the prayer calendar available at MOB Society. Or you can pray for your marriage with these series using verses from the Old Testament or the New Testament.}

Read good books

One of my goals for this year is to read specific types of books every month. My friend Sandra and I are each reading a book on business and sharing our notes with each other every month. I also want to read at least one fiction book or biography every month. I tend to get caught up reading a lot of Christian Living books and miss out on the best of fiction and biography.

{Looking for some books to add to your list for 2017? I shared my favorites from 2016 and a few I can’t wait to read this year.}

Sabbath

Scott and I have talked about this more lately and  we want to make intentional rest a more prominent part of our lives. We’re still working out the specifics but we both know how important this is — especially with our busy schedules.

{For encouragement in your Sabbath quest, Shelly Miller is my favorite guide.  The Sabbath Society newsletter is like a whisper of grace in my inbox each week and her book, Rhythms of Rest, is excellent.}

Serving

I volunteer every month at a local medical ministry for uninsured individuals. It’s not really my passion … but it’s a great way to serve in our community. This year, though, I want to find more ways to serve with my family.

{Need ideas for how you can serve in your community? I’ve got a list of 10 ideas to get you started …}

Lunch with friends

My friend Sheryl and I have a monthly lunch date. (It’s today, in fact! Yay!) But this year, I want to be more intentional about connection with others. Not just lunches with friends (though that is definitely on my list!) but also date nights with other couples and doing things with Casiday’s friends and their moms.

{Connection is a big part of my heart plan for this year. Read more about that … and join me in working through the Connection Challenges in the new (in)courage book, Craving Connection: 30 Challenges for Real-Life Engagement … right here!}

Intentional Lopsided Living

I know, I wrote a whole series about this topic.  I want to make 2017 the year I embrace some of the harder parts of this lifestyle … like accepting that sometimes good enough really is enough and the value of giving myself grace.

{Not sure what Lopsided Living is? You can find an index to all the posts I wrote in October on the topic right here.}

Generosity

For me, this is less about material resources and more about a mindset of looking for ways to invest in, encourage, and help others. It’s easy for me to get wrapped up in what is going on in my own life and miss out on the opportunities to be generous with my time, experience, and resources. This year, I’m saying yes to open eyes for being generous in every way.

{I wrote more on this topic these posts: Generosity in a Hoarder’s World, Giving Generously of Your Resources, and Giving Generously of Yourself.}

Delegating

This is another one of those parts of lopsided living where I usually fail. Since I’m a perfectionist and a control freak in many areas of life, it’s hard for me to delegate. But I need to. And this year is going to require more delegation if I’m going to enjoy the whole process of launching a book.

{Sometimes it’s hard for me to remember that asking for help isn’t a sign of weakness, it’s really a sign of wisdom and strength. You too?}

Gratitude

Seems a fitting place to end this list, right? I’ve already started several new habits to be more focused on gratitude this year. I’ve long had the practice of listing the ways I’ve seen God work and the good gifts He’s given me on Sunday mornings before I leave for church. I’m continuing that habit … but I also want to make it a more daily practice. To help me, I’ve put a journal and pen on my bedside table wth a goal of writing down at least 3 things for which I am thankful every night before I go to bed.

{Gratitude is one of the two lists I think we all need to keep. Read more about it and learn what the other list is here.}

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There is is: 12 things I’m saying YES to in 2017. Will you join me in any of these?

12 things we can all say YES to in 2017! #LopsidedLiving Click To Tweet

xoxo,

Teri Lynne

Looking for more encouragement as 2017 kicks off? Join my FULL LIFE CLUB and get monthly inspiration, encouragement, and insight about how to embrace lopsided living and experience the abundant life we have in Christ!