Restore Issue 09: January 2023

from my heart to yours

Happy New Year!

I hope you enjoyed the holidays and all their merriment. I also hope you were able to have some downtime and rest.

As we turn the calendar to a new year, it's tempting to jump in full force and hit the ground running with goals and resolutions. I'm all for goals, dreams and lists for the new year, but I like to take a slower pace. I use January as a transition month to regroup after the holidays, to pray and discern what God wants for me this year.

Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the LORD, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither whatever they do prospers.

I hope that this issue of Restore encourages and delights you in your transition to 2023.

The past few years I have picked a word of the year. This year my word is delight. It showed up in a few places for me last week and when a Facebook friend posted Psalm 1:1-3, it felt like confirmation. Andrea xoxo,

“This bright new year is given me To live each day with zest To daily grow and try to be My highest and my best!”

How to Transition Well

As busy women, we often don’t give ourselves permission or the opportunity to transition, do we? We feel like we must jump into the next thing right away without any pause. Sometimes we put that pressure on ourselves and sometimes it’s from other people. Either way, we often miss out on the blessings of transitional times. Life is a beautiful spectrum of changes. We experience so much in our days and going from one season, place, or space to another is an adjustment. Our bodies and souls need transition time to adjust to changes, both big and small.

Whether it's now as we turn to 2023 or the next time you find yourself in a transition, remember these things:

Give yourself permission to transition: You need time and space to breathe. Block off time on your calendar or say no to commitments that aren’t best for you right now. It's okay to start the year out slowly and add things in gradually.

Get proper rest: Create healthy boundaries for yourself to get rest. Sometimes this means having cereal for dinner instead of cooking or hiring a cleaning service instead of forcing yourself to do it all. Sometimes it just means turning off Netflix and putting your phone in the other room so you can get to bed on time. We feel our best and think most clearly when we’re properly rested.

Analyze what worked in the previous season: As you prepare to move forward, it’s wise to look back and analyze what worked well for you recently and what didn’t. Decide on the changes you’d like to make as you transition into what’s next.

Anticipate bumps: Transitions aren’t always smooth. But the bumps in the road can be some of our biggest opportunities for growth if we anticipate them and learn from them. My favorite verse, Isaiah 42:16 tells us that God will lead us in the darkness and He will make the rough places smooth. Remember that God is with you, today and always.

Honor the transition: Enjoy this time in your life as you move from one phase to the next. Appreciate it for what it is: time to assess, explore, and prepare. We don’t always know what comes next and that’s okay. Let’s keep learning, growing and staying connected to God as we transition. Good things are to come!

Reflection Questions for the New Year

What did I enjoy in 2022?

What do I want to keep doing/carry forward into this year?

What do I want to change or stop doing?

What is good about life in my current season?

This year I want to:

Relationships I want to grow: A dream I have is:

Steps I will take to work on my dream:

Who will I ask to keep me accountable this year?

Something new I want to try this year:

What's New on the Podcast

Recent Episodes