Here we are at the end of the year! How are you feeling about it? Are you still trying to recover from the last couple of years? Working through holiday remnants? Are you looking forward to a new year with hope or dread? After all, we all celebrated when 2020 ended and then 2021 did the thing of “hold my beer.”
If there’s one thing I’ve learned about the past is that everyone deals with it differently. There are those who just live there. There are others who walk away and claim to never look back. I’m not sure how that happens but I think I’m more in between the two.
I looked up definitions of "resolution," "revolution," and many more only to find that really, we get a release for radical restoration and change! Doesn’t that get you excited??
I want this next year to be a REVOLUTION OF RESOLUTION! A year where we make a conscious decision to release the past to enable us to find FREEDOM in change!
What is it that you want this next year to look like? Are you living in a state of just trying to survive day after day, struggling to see through the fog of society and life?
What if…what if there was something more? What if you could make a radical change…in your life…with your family…at your job…
What if there was a way you could break free from the depression…the stress…the burdens that way you down, physically and mentally, and from there you found what release, peace, and purpose truly means?
What if you understood how you are completely and utterly chosen for such a time as THIS? Does it mean an easy path? No, this is real life. Every day life is what tempts us with giving up on hope. The world and culture is what tempts us with thinking all is lost and there is nothing beyond where we are right now.
But I am telling you, friend to friend, that is a lie! Change for the better is not always easy, but the TRUTH is that it is SO worth it!
For the first time, I am going to be hosting an online interactive BIBLE STUDY beginning Jan 19th. It is called “What does it mean to be chosen” and last 8 weeks. We will be meeting online once a week, having in depth discussions that are around this question.
The book is by Amanda and Dallas Jenkins, the creator of the tv series, The Chosen. It is the most beautiful show that I have seen in a really long time and has completely changed my desire, drive, and focus for how I am living life. If you would like to join me, you can send an email to courtney@imperfectlypollyanna.com or send a private message to me on Facebook or Instagram.
All the things you tell yourself…the reasons why life is how it is…the reasons why it won’t work out…the reasons you may think keep you from living a more joyful and fulfilling life…
Those reasons don’t measure up to the truth of who you have been called to be. They don’t change the fact that you have been chosen and you can make your own choice to sit back and ride the rollercoaster of life, not knowing what’s coming next and holding your breath for the next foot to drop.
OR! You can decide today that enough is enough. You can decide it is time for a radical change…a release…a stretching that propels you into the person you have been called to be.
What do you say, are you in for a REVOLUTION OF RESOLUTION?
Hey there! Welcome to the Imperfectly Pollyanna Podcast. I am your host, Courtney. A faith-filled homeschool mom of 2, licensed medical professional, certified health coach, AND eternal optimist. Here at the podcast, we talk about real life, always imperfect but always finding the good. I’m so glad you’re here!
Here we are at the end of the year! How are you feeling about it? Are you still trying to recover from the last couple of years? Working through holiday remnants? Are you looking forward to a new year with hope or dread? After all, we all celebrated when 2020 ended and then 2021 did the thing of “hold my beer.”
If there’s one thing I’ve learned about the past is that everyone deals with it differently. There are those who just live there. Thinking of what used to be, relationships that were lost or destroyed, and trauma that forever changed the way they view the world. They use it as an excuse to stay trapped in the depressed state of mind they are destined to remain.
There are others who walk away and claim to never look back. I’m not sure how that happens but I think I’m more in between the two. The past is full of experiences that have made me who I am today. The scars are reminders of what I’ve survived, even when I was barely hanging on. It’s created the reasons why I respond a certain way in specific situations. It’s why I see the world as both broken and beautiful. And it’s why I choose to walk the path I am on now, for my own personal journey but also the path I walk as a wife, parent, and friend.
I know there are many people who like to make New Year’s Resolutions. Although, I am pretty sure that the majority of people I have been surrounded by over my lifetime have made it a joke. It’s something that includes a hard line for things like diets, habits, or even goals full of hope and promise of a better tomorrow. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with wanting to be better, so if you’re someone who has made your own resolutions for the new year, please know I truly am cheering you on for success!
In my preparing for this episode, I did some looking up on a few definitions. The first word I looked up was, of course, resolution. The definition I found is: a firm decision to do or not to do something. Seems simple and to the point, which I appreciate. It makes sense why someone would want to have resolutions for the new year, right? A chance to improve yourself or the life of someone else. A moment when you have a blank canvas that is full of possibilities. Talk about an opportunity to dream!
Whenever I look up definitions, I enjoy looking at the origins of a word. I found the latin origin of revolution to be very interesting…it means “loosen” or “release.” Now, to me, when I think of resolutions, I think of things people want to sort of “add to” their lives. They want to add health, wealth, relationships. But the idea of loosening and especially RELEASING.
And you know what I did next? I looked up the definition of release. It says “allow or enable to escape from confinement; set free.” Y’all. This gets me excited BECAUSE I went on to look up the latin origin for THAT and it said “stretch out again” with the English origin being “relax.”
Resolutions have meant broken dreams, failed attempts, and things out of reach. When in reality, it means to RELEASE AND RELAX. It means FREEDOM!
Here’s the thing, though. Did you hear me say that the latin means “stretch out again”? Eh, being stretched doesn’t sound very comfortable, does it? At least not to me. It sounds like WORK, haha.
But that’s the thing with change…change isn’t comfortable. Freedom isn’t easy. You can’t appreciate relaxing if you don’t know the feeling of hard work and determination to improve.
There’s another word that I think is worth bringing up. It’s one that typically comes with a certain image in our minds. The word is REVOLUTION and I have this imagery of history books with soldiers bearing swords with shields up as they charge the enemy. the definition is a sudden, radical, or complete change. It usually refers to changing government. The latin orgin means to revolve or fall back. Of course, I looked up more definitions with this as well. Revolve means to “treat as the most important point or element.” The latin origin of revolve is roll back but even more interesting than that is the Middle English meaning of “in the senses ‘turn (the eyes) back’, ‘restore’, ‘consider’.”
This means when you combine it with resolution, we get a release for radical restoration and change! Doesn’t that get you excited??
I want this next year to be a REVOLUTION OF RESOLUTION! A year where we make a conscious decision to release the past to enable us to find FREEDOM in change!
This may mean something different to each person, but for me, I hope it finds me forgiving my old self for the mistakes she made. I know they’ve already been forgiven by the One who holds the power but we can’t ask Him to forgive us and then keep reminding Him how screwed up we are or have been. He doesn’t need reminding. So neither do we. We don’t need to remind ourselves of the past. We’ve all got scars. But it doesn’t change the fact that in order to find our purpose and succeed, we have to release the past and decide to make a radical change that may bring about a LOT of stretching but ends with true freedom and peace.
There’s a song by Josh Wilson called “Dream Small.” I want to read you a verse and the chorus if you don’t mind.
“It's a mama singing songs about the Lord
It's a daddy spending family time the world says he cannot afford
These simple moments change the world
It's a pastor at a tiny little church
40 years of loving on the broken and the hurt
These simple moments change the world
Dream small
Don't buy the lie you've got to do it all
Just let Jesus use you where you are
One day at a time
Live well
Loving God and others as yourself
Find little ways where only you can help
With His great love
A tiny rock can make a giant fall
Dream small
It's visiting the widow down the street
Or dancing on a Friday with your friend with special needs
These simple moments change the world
Of course there's nothing wrong with bigger dreams
Just don't miss the minutes on your way to bigger things
Cause these simple moments change the world”
We don’t have to do HUGE things in resolutions. We don’t need to make giant goals that become new year jokes by week two. The song even said “a tiny rock can make a giant fall.” It is talking of David and Goliath…David came with a stone, a slingshot, and a confidence to take down the enemy. He didn’t need all the armor and weapons they wanted him to wear. He only needed what was necessary. I think it’s important to know that just because a change or growth comes, doesn’t mean it has to be intimidating or overwhelming. You can dream big but make small, radical changes that open a world of purpose that only the ONE who created you would have imagined for you. The little things truly DO matter!
What is it that you want this next year to look like? Are you living in a state of just trying to survive day after day, struggling to see through the fog of society and life?
What if…what if there was something more? What if you could make a radical change…in your life…with your family…at your job…
What if there was a way you could break free from the depression…the stress…the burdens that way you down, physically and mentally, and from there you found what release, peace, and purpose truly means?
What if you understood how you are completely and utterly chosen for such a time as THIS? Does it mean an easy path? No, this is real life. Every day life is what tempts us with giving up on hope. The world and culture is what tempts us with thinking all is lost and there is nothing beyond where we are right now.
But I am telling you, friend to friend, that is a lie! Change for the better is not always easy, but the TRUTH is that it is SO worth it!
Will the next year be full of success and happiness and everything good? No. I mean, it won’t be ONLY those things. There will hard times. There will be destruction and disappointments. There will be struggles and stress.
But if you can HANG ON and TRUST in the One who got you to this point…if you can resolve to find answers…to find your purpose…to fight for truth…
You will find JOY. You will find PEACE. You will find FREEDOM.
So what do you say, are you in? Are you willing to release the past, be present, and look forward to a Revolution of Resolution?
For the first time, I am going to be hosting an online interactive BIBLE STUDY beginning Jan 19th. It is called “What does it mean to be chosen” and last 8 weeks. We will be meeting online once a week, having in depth discussions that are around this question.
The book is by Amanda and Dallas Jenkins, the creator of the tv series, The Chosen. It is the most beautiful show that I have seen in a really long time and has completely changed my desire, drive, and focus for how I am living life.
Time and again, we have opportunities to change for the better. We typically see the beginning of a new year to be that moment. In reality, you can change at ANY time. You can completely screw up 2 weeks into the new year and change AGAIN. No matter where you are in life…even if you have lost all hope in your ability to parent those hard-to-love teenagers…even if you have questioned and rebelled against things you were taught growing up…even if you have found yourself over-taken by the news and social media to the point it keeps you glued to your phone or stressing over the latest hot topics…
Even if…even when…even though…
All the things you tell yourself…the reasons why life is how it is…the reasons why it won’t work out…the reasons you may think keep you from living a more joyful and fulfilling life…
Those reasons don’t measure up to the truth of who you have been called to be. They don’t change the fact that you have been chosen and you can make your own choice to sit back and ride the rollercoaster of life, not knowing what’s coming next and holding your breath for the next foot to drop.
OR! You can decide today that enough is enough. You can decide it is time for a radical change…a release…a stretching that propels you into the person you have been called to be.
What degree are you prepared to have your view of Jesus challenged? Are you willing to adjust your view of (or your response to) Him as a result? If you’d like to join me for the Chosen Bible Study, and I do hope you will, please let me know. You can send an email to courtney@imperfectlypollyanna.com or send a private message to me on Facebook or Instagram. I’ll link to those accounts in the show notes for today’s episode but you can also search Imperfectly Pollyanna and find me that way.
Whether you join me or not, I hope you know that it doesn’t matter what you’re going through. If you feel like you’re climbing an uphill battle. If you cannot imagine life ever getting better. If you feel you’ve failed as a parent and have no idea what to do to fix it…
Don’t give up. You can get through this. Lift your head and hands up to the One who loved you first. He can handle the burdens. You are worth the time it will take to find the answers you search for. And if you are someone who feels they’re in a good place, like your relationship with God is on point…don’t let your guard down. Push yourself further.
I started this year with the desire to read the bible…the whole thing…in one year. At the time of this recording, I only have a few days left of the year and I am almost done reading! Well, done reading for this year. I have had about 4-5 days over the whole year when I forgot to get my reading done but I doubled up and caught up. I could’ve given up because I didn’t read every day. I admit I got super frustrated with myself when my mind kept wondering to other things. But, I have learned so much, things I never learned as a child and blew my mind! It became a habit that I enjoyed, and I plan to continue. I’m already looking forward to starting back over!
Friend, life is worth living to the fullest. Make changes. Even the hard ones. Surround yourself with those who will lift you up and encourage you. Choose to have a revolution of resolution!
I am hoping this podcast finds those needing encouragement and support. If that’s you, you’ve found a friend. If something in this episode has touched you, would you mind sharing it with someone you know and love? I hope you continue showing up as we find the good, together.
Remember, you are loved and I am GLAD you’re here! See you next time!