As we wind down the last days of 2016, I am in one of the most interesting seasons of my life in basically all ways. Aaron is in a job transition that is causing us to get our house ready to go on the market ASAP and prepare for a potential move (wish me luck as I attempt to get and keep a house show-ready with a toddler and two cats….). I have dreams and ideas for where to take my business, but no particular clarity on if or when. We have dreams and ideas of expanding our family, but also no idea of the right timing for that. All of these “what if’s” have an exciting edge…they all promise change of some sort, joy and thrill. But change of any kind, even good, takes time to adjust to. Takes effort to plan for. And mostly, takes me relinquishing the idea that I have control over my life.

2016 has been quite a year. There have been more challenges to trust God, find peace and rest in faith than I wanted or knew I needed. There was this crazy election with many emotions for lots of people, me included. There were answers to prayer, and lots of “just waits”. There was the beginning of the journey to declutter my home, my heart and my life. And there is the realization that I have a long way to go in all of these things.

As I face 2017, and try to wrap my brain around creating goals when so much seems up in the air…I’m reminded that one of my biggest goals these last several months has just been to live in today, trusting and choosing to be at peace with the right now. So while I do still plan to brainstorm and dream and focus on the things I want to improve and achieve in the next year, I’m choosing not to feel pressure if I don’t know what all of those are right NOW. My life today requires my attention and full focus. To get a house ready I may have to say goodbye to in the near future. To take care of an ever-growing and changing toddler. To declutter and cut through the noise of life and better hone in on what matters most….and let everything else go.

If you’re in any kind of transition, or your current season just demands all of your energy right now, take heart. You aren’t alone. Maybe facing a fresh slate and new year is somewhat overwhelming because you’re in the trenches and that doesn’t change just because the calendar does. But that’s ok! We like to “start new” in January because it’s an obvious chance to do so, but you can start new whenever your life allows, whether that fits with everyone else or not. And that’s what I’m telling myself right now. So, whether you’ve got those 2017 Goals all written up and ready to hit “publish” or have yet to even consider them…embrace where you are, and the year to come. I do believe each new year is what we make of it, and how we respond to what life brings us. So whether you feel in control of life right now or not, you will always get to control how you respond.

Here’s to believing 2017 has great things in store, even if they’re not what or how I plan them. If the last few months of uncertainty have taught me anything, it’s that God is present in it all, and He knows what I need so much more than I do. I can’t wait to see how life unfolds in the next 12 months, and pray for the peace to take it all in stride.