Shoes on sand
Image source: Unsplash
Losing motivation? It happens to all of us at times. But there are ways to keep moving forward, which means taking a hard look at your priorities this year. With the 3 P’s–prayer, preparation and planning–you can stay motivated all the way through whatever goal you’ve started, whether it’s getting fit and healthy, becoming debt-free, or traveling to a new country.
How?
I hope you had a blessed Christmas with your family and friends. We had all our children and grandchildren over for Christmas Eve dinner here at our house; on Christmas Eve, Ray, Heather and Leah traveled to Texas to visit Ray’s mom Judy and stepdad Leonard.
I didn’t go this time, but stayed home and prayed, ate Mexican, read, and watched chic flics…don’t you feel sorry for me, lol? I’ll try to post pics this week of our family Christmas together.
One of the gifts I bought Ray for Christmas was tickets to see the new Star Wars movie, The Force Awakens. He’s been talking about seeing it for weeks.
I also bought him a Star Wars, “The Force Awakens,” t-shirt (he wore it to see the movie today, too!).
Ray in his Star Wars t-shirt
This isn’t a spoiler alert, but I’ll just say I thought the original Star Wars movie was MUCH better (aren’t they all?). But we had fun going out.
Ray & me at new Star Wars movie
The Force Awakens
Ray & Leah at Star Wars movie
The Force Awakens
I loved the white lights on the trees there at the shopping center.
white lights on trees in the snow
white lights on trees
By the theatre the sidewalk had these words engraved: “May the force be with you.” I snapped a pic of Ray standing by the words. My prayer is that in 2016, the force of God’s power, authority, and anointing will be with and upon Ray! Amen!
Ray–May God’s force be with you and upon you in 2016!
Are you ready for 2016?
Meanwhile, tomorrow I’m planning to go through our house and my office office, organizing, sorting, throwing away, and filing things to prepare for 2016.
Image by surasakiStock at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
I’m also gearing up with aspiring authors for my VIP Writers’ Day on January 5, 2016 at 10 a.m. Central Time. If you want 2016 to be your best, most productive writing year yet, join us!
If you can’t make the live virtual event, the call will be recorded and the replay emailed to you. I’m also offering a private Facebook group for writers for support and motivation, and a downloadable PDF with a list of the resources I’ve personally used to write my 10 books. To learn more, just click here.
coffee shop
I’m sitting here in my office drinking my coffee, thick with hazelnut creamer, an indulgence I have these days to replace my coke habit. Not coke as in crack, but Coca Cola™. I was addicted to it for years and in January I radically changed my lifestyle and finally quit drinking coke. I
This has truly been a year of pivot. Before the beginning of each new year, I take some time alone with God to pray about the coming year, asking for His protection, wisdom, and guidance for me, our family, loved ones, the U.S. and Israel.
Each year I pray and ask God for a “one word” and a Scripture for that year. This year (2015), God gave me two words: pivot and pivotal.
The definition of pivot is “the central point, shaft, or pin, on which something turns.”
Pivotal means “of crucial importance in relation to the success of something else.”
The Scripture He gave me is John 20:16, The Message: “Jesus said, “Mary.” Turning to face Him, she said, “Rabboni,” meaning ‘Teacher.'”
I still don’t know why this year is crucially important; I just know that God told me it is and that I needed to obey Him. That meant giving up cokes, eating healthier, and exercising daily (I wasn’t exercising at all and I ate a lot of fast food.) I had to pivot, to turn to face God.
I have to take care of my body because God says our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19). I can’t fulfill my purpose, what God has called me to do and to be, without it.
There’s been lots of changes and things happening this new year:
My radical lifestyle change, resulting in me becoming more fit, healthy, and losing (and maintaining) 20 pounds. I still have 20 pounds to lose to reach my ideal weight for my height, so please keep praying for my self-discipline to be able to reach my goal!
Me with my family, Heather, Ray, me, & Leah
Father’s Day 2015
Both our daughters got a car. Our oldest daughter Heather bought a 2014 SUV, and she gave our youngest daughter Leah her car, a blue Ford Escort (no payments, woot!). What a blessing for them both!
Leah’s car
Heather’s new car
Ray and I went on 2 fun trips alone together to his college EMS program’s reunion in Longview, Texas, and on a trip to Jefferson City, MO, for a class for his work. While in Texas, we went through what seemed like the storm from hell.
Ray & me in Texas
I bought a beautiful new website theme. I just love it! What do you think of it?
Lucy Lou theme
I spoke at Aglow in Olathe, Kansas. My next speaking event is at Aglow in Grandview, MO, on August 26. If you need a speaker for your women’s conference or event, contact me here. I love encouraging God’s precious daughters to use their gifts for Him and fulfill their purpose and calling!
Beth Jones, speaking at Aglow in Olathe, KS
My stepdaughter Eden, our middle daughter, is pregnant. The baby is a little girl, Piper, and we can’t wait to meet her! I’m giving Eden a baby shower at the end of July. I LOVE Piper’s name and believe it is very prophetic. This will make grandchild #4, yay!
Our middle daughter Eden, pregnant with Piper
I wrote my last Amazon Best Seller ebook, The Cinderella Story: The Power of Shoes, in Shelley Hitz’s amazing beta writers’ training, Author Audience Academy. She’s about to officially launch the program, and I strongly encourage you to take it if you want to learn to write and publish an Amazon best seller!
Now I have 3 more book ideas. Right now I’m writing my first ever fiction book, Storm Tossed. My husband Ray has been encouraging me, a non-fiction author, to write a fiction book for years. (He loves reading fiction and says people like to read stories.)
If you’d like to sign up for my exclusive beta reader community to read this ebook and my new, upcoming ebooks free (the Amazon pre-launch ebook version), go here.
Other than writing my books and my speaking engagement in August, I’m in another season of rest right now, waiting on God’s instructions for the next step.
It’s so hard for me to sit still, because I’m obsessed with accomplishing what’s on my daily to-do list. But sometimes God just wants us to be. “Be quiet and know that I am God.” – Psalm 46:10, NLV
Our youngest daughter Leah is babysitting Heather’s daughters Annabelle and Violet this summer. She pays her gas to drive to and from there, provides her food, and she pays Leah a little money. This saves Heather a lot of money on childcare costs and it teaches Leah more responsibility.
Violet and Annabelle
Recently Heather and Leah attended a Lindsey Stirling concert in Kansas City, MO. Lindsey is the one who inspired Leah to begin playing the violin. She’s amazing! They really had fun and said it was awesome.
Lindsey Stirling
I’m praying our family can take a vacation this year. (The ocean/beach are calling my name!) Do you have summer vacation or staycation plans? What has your year been like? Leave your comments below.
Woman relaxing on beach