Here we are! Finishing out the very first week of this brand new year! 🙌🏻✨ 2022… Can you all believe we are already here? What will this year hold? To be honest, I have no idea!😅 I face a new year with absolutely no idea what the days ahead hold. But the beautiful news? I serve the Lord God who does! “Known unto God are all His works from the beginning of the world.” We can look back at His faithfulness throughout our lives and all history and be excited for the new year and whatever it may hold knowing He remains faithful.☺️ “Know therefore that the LORD thy God, HE is God, THE FAITHFUL GOD”(Deut 7:9)!!!!!😍 So, hello 2022!! I am so excited to have you here. May we embrace each and every day you hold knowing it is a gift from God and given to us to live out for HIS glory!🙋🏼♀️ As we start out a new year, I want to encourage each of you to immerse yourself DAILY(if not multiple times in many different ways) in the Living Word of God. We are promised that through His Word we will be thoroughly equipped for EVERY GOOD WORK and that, my friends, is exactly what we need for 2022 and beyond! To be equipped and ready to take on every good work(II Timothy 3:16-17 ).✨ HAPPY 2022 y’all!!🎊
Now, how about a few fun New Years Questions for YOU!
✨ As you look back at 2021, was the greatest blessing that year held?
✨ Do YOU have any 2022 Goals??
✨ What are a couple of things YOU are looking forward to in 2022?
I would love to hear from each and every one of you!! Would you make my day by leaving a comment?? If you are new to the blog, PLEASE say “hi”!! I would love to “meet” you!☺️
“So teach us to number our days, That we may gain a heart of wisdom…. Oh, satisfy us early with Your mercy, That we may rejoice and be glad all our days!”
Psalms 90:12, 14
Amen!! What a lovely post Rachel!! 😊❤
One of the greatest blessings this year was finding the best Church we’re ever attended after moving here in February!!🥰 It was also a really big blessing to go back to Ohio for the week for my second oldest sister to get married!! 🎊😃 And also to go back right before Christmas and see family and friends in Ohio.❤ That was a blessing to me, esp. since I miss my Ohio friends so much.😊
I haven’t thought much about 2022 goals yet, but one thing I would like to get done would be to start my Etsy shop which I’m pretty sure I said that on lasts years post as well but then life got super crazy and it didn’t happen.😜 I also want to memorize more scripture this year.🙂
A couple things I’m looking forward to in 2022 is going out to Ohio for a friends wedding if the weather permits!!🎊😁🥰✨
And I’m also looking forward to doing the Spring100 again!! 🎊😁 It’s on my calendar!!😉😄
Thank you for a lovely and encouraging post Rachel.😁🥰 Happy 2022!!🎊😁🥰✨
My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. James 1:2-5
Oh yeah!😜 I almost forgot!! Another big blessing was my first niece being born in October!!❤🎊 I share my middle name with her and we also have the same Birth month!!😁 She’s such a sweetie!!❤
Oh!! What is your middle name??
It’s Grace🙂
Beautiful!!!! 🤗♥️
Your 2021 was FULL, Caroline!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 😍 I am so thankful that you found that church and group of believers after moving. I bet that made the transition a lot easier!! 💝
Memorizing more scripture is a FABULOUS goal!! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 And I know how it goes when life gets super crazy. Keep on committing your way to the Lord and HE WILL direct your path in regards to that etsy store and everything else!!♥️☺️ All in His perfect time!
🙌🏻 Can you believe it is ALMOST Spring100 season?! WOW… I am excited to have you join this year, Lord willing!! And excited to see what the Lord does through it. 🎉🎉🎉🎉
” let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing” Love that. Trials produces patience and the perfect work of patience leaves us lacking NOTHING and complete. What a truth to cling to when we find ourselves in the thick of a trial! 💝
Thank you for such an encouraging and happy comment, Caroline!!🙋🏼♀️
Yes, it was a very full year for sure! 😄 Yes, the church has been so welcoming and they are so like minded and it was such a huge blessing for sure.😁
YES!! SPRING100 here we come!!🎉🎉🎉🎉
One of the biggest blessings in my life this year was the arrival of my first little niece in December! I love being an aunt!
Goals for 2022. To spend more time with the Lord on a regular basis, and get a lot of projects done!
Things I am looking forward to in 2022, Nothing big, just spending time with my friends and family, and doing the normal things of life including doing the Spring 100 again!
Heather!!! SO fun to hear from you!! 🙋🏼♀️💞
Praise the Lord for that sweet little blessing entering the world. Congratulations on becoming an aunt!!! 😍
May you consistently draw nearer to the Lord in 2022 and may all those projects be super successful!! 🙏🏼🙌🏻
Yay! Excited to hear you’re looking forward to Sp100 tooooooo!! I’ve been working on choosing shirt colors this week. 😍
Thank you for the encouraging post, Rachel! It was a blessing to me!
✨ I’d have to say that the greatest blessing of 2021 was the Lord’s faithfulness, patience, grace, and the things He taught me! Besides that, a very big blessing was my health improving and being able to start going on walks again, including walking in my college graduation ceremony. The Lord really blessed me!
✨ I have a lot of 2022 goals! :) My planner is a hobby, and I love fresh starts! My mom and sister and I enjoy planning together and working in our planners. A couple of my many goals are developing a good skincare routine (and being consistent) and publishing a book.
✨ Working on my goals! :) I’m looking forward to making progress on some things and hopefully being more organized and keeping up with things. Oh, and I’m especially looking forward to having my brother home the first part of the year!!!
May the Lord keep each one of you each and every day of 2022!
You’re most welcome, Bethany!! Praise the Lord!! So thankful it was a blessing to you.🤗💝
Mhhh, amen!!!!! The Lord God is so good and gracious. “For his merciful kindness is great toward us” I am so glad your 2021 held His faithfulness, patience, grace, and gentle teaching + Leading!! I also rejoice in the improvement in your health in 2021. WOW!!!!!! PRAISE GOD!!!!
I am praying the Lord blesses you in 2022 with the ability to meet those goals you’ve made as you set out to conquer them in His strength!! “Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established.” Proverbs 16:3 🙏🏼! I can’t wait to hear how 2022 goes for you!!
Yay! I am so glad y’all get that time with your brother! Enjoy every moment.🎉
Thank you for your comment, Bethany! I loved hearing from you!! 🙋🏼♀️
The biggest blessings of 2021… marrying my husband! He has to deploy this year so I’m so grateful we’ve had these months together before that happens. Also that our surprise rainbow baby has been healthy and had a pretty healthy pregnancy so far!! 🙏🏽🙏🏽
My 2022 goals, to thrive while going through deployment with a newborn. Being separated is hard and having a newborn during that time sounds pretty hard.
Looking forward to, we’ll if Spring100 happens (👀) I want to try to do it even though I’m due beginning of June.
And of course so looking forward to meeting our baby!
Aw, Hannah! I smiled so big to read about your healthy little rainbow baby! Praise the LORD! 💝 I I have already started praying for you and baby. For a continued healthy pregnancy and grace + strength for each new day!! You have a full year. I am so SO Excited for you!!
Hehe, I look forward to having you join Spring100 this year!!! It’s a great goal and will help the time fly by as you eagerly wait for baby!! 😄🎉
Hannah, such a joy hearing from you my friend!!
Hello Rachel! Thank you so much for this post!
Looking back, the greatest blessings last year held was each time the Lord took me through trials and tested my faith amidst many sorrows and much pain. Because in those times I really felt the presence of God and felt his love; his arms around me and the quiet peace He gave when I let go and trust Him. In the words of a man of God, “I thank God for every storm that has shipwrecked me on the rock, Christ Jesus, and there I stand.”
A song I was listening to today had these lyrics so I thought I’d share it with you:
“But I wouldn’t know your peace without the hard times
Or be thankful for relief without the pain
I wouldn’t love the light if it were not for the darkness
Or appreciate the sun without the rain
How could I understand forgiveness without failure
Or feel the warmth of love without the bitter cold
How could I hold your healing hands without affliction
And be blessed to see your mercies all unfold
Sure it’s a blessing to be safe, secure, and warm
But lord I want to thank you for the storm!”
I do have a couple 2022 goals. First, I’m planning on memorizing the entire book of James (or at least the first three chapters) because it’s my favorite book in the Bible. Second, I’m hoping to be able to edit my symphony in time (which I was able to write in three weeks!!) to give it to the orchestra conductor so they can perform it at their next concert at the college.
I’m looking forward to the Walk for Life silent walk we do in protest of abortion down in Atlanta. I’m also SUPER excited to see my sister and her husband and two children this spring when they return from a 10 month missionary training in Mexico!!!!
I don’t know what this year will look like but like you said, I know a God who does and I can’t wait to see what He’ll do!!
YAY! I loved hearing from you, JOY!! 🙋🏼♀️💕
Mmm, I know how those seasons of trial and heartache end up being the seasons that we grow and feel the Lord’s presence more than ever before. They turn into seasons that we wouldn’t trade for the world as, through them, the Lord draws us nearer to Himself, strengthens our faith, and reveals His supernatural sustaining grace in new and amazing ways! Like that song you shared says, I wouldn’t know your peace without the hard times. ☺️ A verse that I love to remember in times of trial and has proven to be so true is Ps 119:71 as it says, “It is good for me that I have been afflicted, That I may learn Your statutes.”🙏🏼
LOVE your 2022 goals!! Memorizing James is a fabulous idea. 😍 WAY TO GO getting that symphony written and ready to edit. WOWZA, what an accomplishment!! Way to go, JOY!🎉🎉🎉🎉
I am praying your 2022 is filled to overflowing with blessings abutment as you continue to keep your heart and mind steadfastly set on the Lord. HE is FAITHFUL!!! 💝
Amen and thank you, Rachel!!
I’m sorry that I’m coming to this blog so late! I just don’t often have time or mental energy for writing beyond my book series!
Joy, I loved the words of the song that you shared! They are so true!!!
I think my greatest blessing in 2021 was God granting me an idea for a series of stories. I hadn’t written or published any books in several years and thought I was done with writing. I wrote notes and story beats for a few months, (well over 100 pages of notes and ideas) and then started the series at the end of August. As of today, I have completed the first book, called “The Variant” in my “Through the Void Series”, and I’m working on chapter 22 of the second book, called “The Queen”. It’s been an amazing journey of self-discovery and just sheer enjoyment!
My goal for 2022: I hope and pray that I will be able to finish the series this year (by the grace of God, and if Jesus tarries), and get them published. I would also like to get my first books published again, if possible. They are out of print right now, and people have been asking about them, so I’ll give it a try in April, Lord willing, when my final 14-year contract runs out.
I’m looking forward to another year of walking with God and others on this journey we call life. But if He calls me home this year, I can only praise Him, for to be with Him is gain, as Paul said in Phil 1:21.
What about you, Rachel?
You know what I say… “better late than never!” Seriously, I love hearing from you all whenever you have time. Whether the post is brand new or 2 months old! 😁♥️ Such a daymaker to see your comment fly in!!
I was wondering the other day how your book series was coming along!! So excited to see this update. 😍 Praise the Lord!! Way to go, Sheri!!!!!! 💕🙌🏻 I am so amazed at the individual gifts He gives His children and love seeing them being used for His glory!! Whether it’s Joy and her ability to write a symphony or you and your ability to write books. WOW! I am praying the Lord directs your steps and opens great doors before you as you seek to accomplish the goals of publishing those books and republishing your first books this 2022. 🙏🏼🙌🏻Please keep me updated!! 🎉
I look forward to walking this journey with you, however many days He gives us here on earth. May 2022 overflow with His richest blessings as you continue to seek and serve Him!! ✨♥️
“What about you, Rachel?” Oh my, I had to think about this for a bit….
As I look back at 2021, the greatest blessing was probably the ability to care for our Grandfather until just shortly before he passed away in November. 🙏🏼♥️ He lived with us 3 full years! It was a blessed season and such a great opportunity to shine the light of Christ in his life! Seeing it come to an end was so very sad but I will forever cherish the time we had with him! 🙏🏼 What a gift!!
Do I have any 2022 Goals?? Now, to be honest…. I am not a huge New Year Goal Maker. My goals are usually confined to the day! 😅😉 But I do have a few things I hope to achieve this year!
I would like to meet a couple friends I have yet to meet in person and connect in-person!!
I would also like to daily live out Proverbs 31:25-26 as it says:
Strength and honor are her clothing;
She shall rejoice in time to come.
She opens her mouth with wisdom,
And on her tongue is the law of kindness.
And it is my daily goal to seek to “abide satisfied” in every moment and every circumstance that comes my way! “The fear of the LORD tendeth to life: and he that hath it shall abide satisfied; he shall not be visited with evil.” Prov 19:23
What are a couple of things I are looking forward to in 2022? Hmmm… I smile but I am most looking forward to the unknown!🙃 God’s will being accomplished in my everyday life and me seeing it play out right before my own eyes. Isn’t that exciting to know that each day we see the future and God’s will being accomplished? Something I have been thinking a lot about and it has me excited for the unknown as I know it is known to God and has been planned by HIM!
Along with that, I am looking forward to hosting another Spring100, Lord willing!! Putting my hands to daily tasks, whether it be our family business or cleaning the kitchen or getting out for a walk or whatever the task may be. I am really looking forward to growing in grace & knowledge of our Lord and Savior aaaaand enjoying a delicious cupcakes + coffee along the way! 😆😉🙋🏼♀️
LOVE your comments, Sheri! THANK YOU! 💝
Rachel, thanks for taking the time to answer my question!!!
Oh, it is such a wonderful privilege to care for our dear elderly folk, and a grandfather is extra-special!! What a joy and blessing God afforded you and your family to be able to care for him during his final chapter on Earth!!
I lived with and cared for an elderly, paralyzed Christian sister for two years. I moved in with her on the first day of the 21st century! She couldn’t talk and could only shake her head. What a blessing those two years were. She died at the age of 87. Because of 4 strokes, she couldn’t even smile, but when the Lord took her home, I was holding both of her hands, and she gave me a wide, brilliant smile, then closed her eyes and went home!!! What an amazing blessing that was to WATCH God take one of His children home!
Your goals are wonderful! You are “meeting each day as it comes” walking with God! If we can truly achieve that and take each day as God gives it to us, we will know contentment and joy every day of 2022. :-)
I also love, love, love that you are looking forward to the unknown!!! Yes, absolutely!!! That puts two things into life: adventure and trust! Oh, how special that is!
Your goals embody: live one day at a time, as it comes–leave it to our God to order and provide all things–and walk in the fear of the Lord, with the Holy Spirit as your Guide.
May the Lord grant you grace and mercy, strength and joy (the joy of the Lord is our strength) throughout the coming year. Let us run the race with patience! (I also hope you are able to meet your two friends in person this year!)
Happy New Year, Rachel!! :) Was so very blessed by your post! :)
One of many blessings in 2021 was witnessing God’s wonderful grace and how He takes care of us and blesses beyond our needs! Even though 2021 held some very difficult things, God’s love and grace was very, very real! So thankful for that!
Oh, goals! :) A few would be…growing in the Lord more, to rest in Him and His grace, growing in prayer, get more organized, Bible memory, more drawing and painting… :) So many things, yet at the same time simplifying too. lol :) Learning to be more diligent with the time God has given me and grow in being more thankful too! I don’t really do a “word for the year” per se, but I do want to focus on His mercy; to rejoice in His mercy and truth and faithfulness! There are SO MANY beautiful Bible verses about the Lord’s mercy!
Looking forward to seeing spring come and the songbirds coming back. :) Spending more time with my family and extended family, Lord willing! :)
What are some things you hope for and look forward to in 2022, Rachel?
I hope you have a wonderful 2022! God bless you as only He can! :)