Finding the Magic

At the beginning of every year, on social media, one will see a multitude of posts about how the previous ear was filled with many challenges and tough life events; how I am so exited for this next year and how awesome it will be. But just because the clock strikes midnight and the last digit of the date changes does not necessarily mean that all of a sudden your life is going to change as well.

No.
For your life to change, you must change the clock yourself, metaphorically speaking of course.

Naturally, a new year brings a new 365 changes your way; the new year has that 'new car smell,' fresh and full of possibilities. However, the new year and 'new you' is not up to the new date which dances across the top of your phone. It is all up to you.

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My first book of the new year is written by Shauna Niequist, entitled Present over Perfect.
What she writes in this book is something which my heart has truly been longing for, and something which in just the past few months my soul has been yelling for: peace.
I have found over and over again that it is in my frantic moments that I find myself desiring for a more simple way of life - less chaos and more peace; less being 'busy' and more doing what my soul desires.

If someone gave you a completely blank calendar and a bank account as full as you wanted, what would you do? In other words, what are the deepest desires of your being.
Are you shifting from day to day living a life that you believe is yours to live?
The God of the universe made you by hand, and he planted deep inside you a set of loves, of dreams, and idiosyncrasies of which you can choose to ignore. You can ignore them as long as you want, but at some point, they will start yelling at you. What the terribly sad part is, if you ignore them long enough, they will go silent.

Do you own your life, or does your life own you?

In the most 'christian' of terms, we do not technically own our lives - Jesus does, but that is not the type of 'owning' to which I am referring.

Sometimes I forget that God has given me the power to make my own life; that I do not have to follow some other person's path. The path I create can be as unique as I desire it to be; I can be and do whatever I choose.
If my heart desires to travel, I can do that. If my soul longs to write, I can do that.
I do not have to walk down someone else's path or do what other people 'advise' me to do just because it worked out well for them, just because it meshed with what they believe their purpose to be.
And the more I reflect on this truth, the more empowered I feel to tune into what God is speaking into my life and find my own way, my own purpose.

It all comes down to this, I believe. Everyone thinks this next new year is going to be the new 'big thing,' that their new life in the new year is going to rock.
Why?
Because that is the desire of their souls. One cannot help but look to the next 365 changes the new year brings with wonder and awe.

Its all up to you.
God may be the editor of the story, but you -
you are the writer.
And the magic is not going to just wander around and sit on your lap.
You have to find it. You have to make it.

Its time to make your own magic.