What’s your plan for 2019?

Love is my plan this year. In every circumstance, relationship, and decision, I truly want to know what love would do. Because I’ve not always used love as my compass. Honestly, I’d say fear has allowed to lead for too long.  Even though I share glimpses of my life on social media, the majority of the last two years of my life has been relatively hidden. And it’s been in those hidden spaces where I’m learning new things.

Where does growth happen?

In the years prior I was traveling as a global leader in our denomination and developing a new youth ministry organization. The role was something I didn’t ask for, it was something God tenderly lent to my care, and it seemed to fit perfectly. I felt I had been given a chance to use all of my special powers at once. Even though it was a tough assignment, I felt like I was in the sweetest spot.

When that role ended. I felt the first 15 years of youth ministry and the consecutive 3 years in global youth ministry sink into an obscurity that I couldn’t describe. The question swirled in my mind, “what do I do now?” Even though I was still actively involved in ministry (hello church planting), even though I’ve published  books and blogs, and develop leaders as a voice for other organizations, I still felt like my wings needed an upgrade. So, I re-entered a self imposed cocoon to reset, recover, find me again.

This year during the quiet times I found pieces of a plan and some ideas that may be helpful for you as you find your plan too.

6 Ideas That Helped Me Form A Plan

1. For every drama, I was the common denominator. I can grow. I can change. I can choose not to cater to people who would like for me to downgrade from love to any opposite thing like jealousy or envy, gossip or rage. Love has to be the plan.

Love is intentionally the plan.

2. There are 8765 hours in a year and I have a chance to choose how they will be spent. In 2018, I spent approximately 832 hours (4 hours a day) online writing, creating, editing, or sharing about our new church, new business, our family, organizations we support and care about. I spent 1000 hours traveling to airports and on airplanes. It might be a stretch but I also spent about 2200 hours sleeping.  For every hour, for every YES I gave to others, for every project, class, call I made, there were still thousands of minutes, hundreds of hours….hidden at home.

Love starts local.

3. I can be better. A better breather, more present mom, less worried wife, show-up-for-you-friend, extra honest writer, less frantic leader, more consistent athlete, a sort-of-better dog owner. Every minute I spent looking in was so that I can more gracefully and vulnerably look out. Reflection helps me, but it isn’t just about me. Courage can cure us from the tendency to avoid each other and projects that will eventually change the world.

Courage can cure us and move us forward.

4. The only voices that are permitted to have roots in my heart are the voices that speak in love. We can’t limit every word that is spoken to us but we can draw a circle of truth around ourselves so thick that lies have less power to tempt us to believe them.

Listen for loving voices.

5. Hidden times are growth times. It’s in the cumulative conversations, moments of quiet introspection where my foundations are exposed are where I am given a brilliant look at what could be when the season shifts again. From barren to bountiful, I’m not dead, just in waiting.

In the hidden places, God whispers our actual worth.

6. We need each other.  I don’t need you in a needy clingy you better meet my expectations way, but in a share your life and I’ll share mine way. We helped each other find serious JOY and freedom. There were some what-the-actual-heck is happening on Marco Polo moments that added to my character and transformation-and for every second someone spent sharing their life with me, I am grateful.

Gratitude is the well where relationships get stronger.

And this is where I begin 2019, where I left off in 2018, sometimes hidden, sometimes seen, chosen and growing, grateful for every person I have the chance to love and be loved by along the way.

The plan is love. The places are in my house, in our church, in the work I feel led to put my hands and heart into.

Church Planting (Somos Church)

Entrepreneurship (Lemon Lime Living)

Legacy Work (SOUTHWEST MIDDLE SCHOOL, She Grows Conference & For Our Neighbors : High School Exchange)

For Our Neighbors – High School Exchange

I want to give my whole heart to things that help people experience a whole-hearted loved filled life. I can’t worry about being embarrassed talking about what could be as I work on creating it. All of these things at times have made me feel the blush of embarrassment. Because I’ve not done any of them before! Every thing I do is new, untested, sometimes poorly edited. But I’ve heard it said, …

…if what you’re working on doesn’t embarrass you a little, then you’ve probably waited to long to begin.

If there’s anything I’d like to say out loud on the first day of 2019, it’s GO FOR IT!

What’s your plan?

She Grows Conference is a great example of the gritty-I have about 70% of the information I need to go-for-it life.

I’m always ready to encourage others to “go ugly early” but when it’s my turn I hesitate and sometimes look for a cave.

Tempted to leap into the future, I’ve learned to listen longer. I’ve learned to make decisions slower. I’ve learned that the effort to connect women in conversations is worth a huge investment of my time (and it’s a part of the LOVE plan).

Here’s a little video that shows our most recent event- She Grows Conference San Diego. I AM SO EXCITED about how we are becoming together and maybe just maybe we’ll be visiting a town near you soon.  Who knows where this year will lead!

In the hidden times, we find the dreams and strength for the the public times.

In the hidden times we find the ability to trust and believe in what’s right in front of us and what will come next.

What’s your plan? Choose a path and get started. You’ve got so much worth waiting to be uncovered and shared with the world around you.

Prayers and love ya’ll!

Brooklyn