a wrap up, a new beginning, and some tools I love

I want to talk about something that made the year 2023 pretty special for me. And something I’m planning to do for 2024. A wrap up, a new beginning, and some tools I love.

Because it’s still the “beginning” of a brand new year. Endless possibilities and goodness await! And I believe that those possibilities and so much goodness (and healing!) come into our lives when we work “touch-points” into our days. Ways to connect and feel part of something bigger than ourselves.

I happen to be sharing some thoughts about this on the “We Believe” app today. All about how our habits can help us keep turning to God as they did for Nephi.

Have I mentioned how much I love the “We Believe” app?

Oh yes, I think I have🙂 (It used to be called “Come Follow Me” but the name has been changed to “We Believe.”)

If you’re new and want to find it, I can pretty much guarantee you will love it.

There is a mini devotional from someone new each day filled up with scriptures and thoughts. It’s such a great way to create a “touch-point” with God and all things spiritual each day. I’d love to hear your thoughts on what I’m sharing over there today.

The importance of “touch-points” with something bigger than ourselves

I’ve been thinking lately how much we need those little moments or “touch-points” with God each day. It doesn’t have to be the “We Believe” app, of course. It could be in taking a minute to breathe deeply. To step out into nature. To stop and think. To read something insightful and rejuvenating.

But I believe as human beings we need to stop once in a while and evaluate where we are and what we’re doing.

Because otherwise we’re just running full-steam ahead. And when we stop to think about it, the way we’re running may not be the way we want to be going.

There is one thing that helped me have those little “touch-points” last year:

My hard copy of the New Testament

Last year at church we took a deep-dive into the New Testament.

On a whim I told a friend at the beginning of the year that I wanted to read the whole thing, cover to cover. I mean sure, I’ve studied that thing over and over in my life. But this time around I wanted to read a hard copy, every word.

And do you know what that sweet friend gave me as a gift after she knew my plan? This awesome copy of the New Testament…

…with places for writing down thoughts and pondering in the margins:

This may sound dramatic, but that kind act of service helped change the trajectory of my year last year. And my heart too.

I lugged that thing over mountains and valleys, wherever I went, reading and writing. And thinking. It inspired me to ponder more. And to listen more deeply.

And in doing so, I fell in love The New Testament. And with my Jesus that fills up it’s pages.

It is filled up with encouragement. And invitations to encourage others as Jesus did. To be each other’s cheerleaders.

It helped me keep turning to God in the good times and the bad. And oh how I needed it in the bad! 2023 was a rough year in many ways.

There was something so fulfilling to me when I came to that very last page:

A wrap up of all that goodness. A reminder that He is in all our stories. And we need to remember His grace follows us.

A new year, a new book

This year we are taking a deep dive into a different book of scripture: The Book of Mormon.

I decided to give myself a new book with margins for writing in to help me keep those touch-points going this year:

(a copy that isn’t quite as heavy for lugging around this year, phew!)

I gave one to my friend as well…you can get your own here if you want to join us!

So grateful for the touch-points with God and with goodness that the scriptures inspire in my life.

Looking for touch-points

In my devotional today on “We Believe” I’m talking about three men in the Book of Mormon. They are brothers. They are immersed in the exact same experiences.

Two of them, Laman and Lemuel, just cannot seem to find any light in the hardships they are going through. I can relate to them! I feel for them! They are in the midst of some pretty tough things, I think I could have been found in the complaining camp with them.

Nephi, the other brother, seems to just keep looking to God with every hard thing that comes his way. He asks questions. He prays to understand. He seeks “the good part.”

And because he keeps turning to God, he is strengthened. He keeps looking for those “touch-points.” And because he’s looking, he finds them.

Working this year to try to be more like him.

Sending out lots of Love this Tuesday!

XOXO