Becoming Your Best Self Archives - LeeAnn G Taylor

It’s a New Year: Let’s Train Our Eyes to See the Light

January 1, 2016 By LeeAnn G. Taylor

There’s something refreshing about a new year. I love the anticipation of hanging a blank new calendar and everything all those empty white blocks represent.

A new outlook.

Another chance.

New experiences and new challenges.

An opportunity to see things differently.

For me, the celebration of the start of a new year is the perfect wrap up to celebrating Jesus’ arrival on this earth as a baby during the Christmas season. Grace and perfect love wrapped in swaddling clothes.

The new year beckons. It says, “Jesus came to be here with us. To redeem us and reconcile us with the Father. Now what will you do with that truth?”

This year, instead of focusing on all our mistakes in the past year, the struggles, the challenges, the missteps, and all the things that plain just went wrong, let’s train our eyes to see the light.

This new year, let’s train our eyes to see the light!

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And if you need a little encouragement, take a quick listen to this song J.J. Heller and her husband Dave wrong last year on New Year’s Eve. (email subscribers, click over to watch – they are such a sweet couple and she has a beautiful voice!)

The song is called This Year and it’s my new favorite way to kick off the new year. Give yourself some grace and focus on the truths of God’s word instead of the lies the world tells you about yourself.

It’s time to embrace the power we have as Christians and begin to live in the freedom and grace of His love so we can more freely share that grace and love with others.

Cheers to a new year and a new you anchored in God’s love for you!

Gratitude :: The Secret Ingredient

November 26, 2015 By LeeAnn G. Taylor

It’s Thanksgiving, and already the scents from the kitchen are tantalizing me as I think of the feast that awaits us.

In our family, Thanksgiving means time with family, cooking traditional family recipes (including my mom’s famous shredded sweet potato casserole) and always trying a new one (this year it’s The Pioneer Woman’s key lime pie). We watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade in the morning, share what we’re grateful for around the table, and settle in for an afternoon of football with leftovers keeping our bellies full and eyes heavy late into the evening.

I can’t wait! It’s one of my favorite days of the year for sure.

So, on this day of reflection, can I share a little secret with you?

Many of you are joining me here after connecting with one my of Parenting with Purpose posts.

Others of you are here because, like me, you’re a recovering perfectionist. Or maybe you grew up in a rules-not-relationship church environment and you’re learning along with me to embrace the love and freedom Christ offers as we grow in faith daily.

No matter your reason for spending time here at Embracing the Mosaic Life, we all share one thing in common. We all struggle. Your struggle may not look exactly like mine but the fall from perfection in the garden of Eden put us all on the same playing field. We’re all broken and we all struggle.

My struggle lately has been a struggle with anxiety and fear. It comes and goes in waves at the most unexpected times. Maybe your current struggle is with something altogether different, but I’d venture a guess that most all of us could say we’ve struggled with anxiety and fear in some area of our lives in the past.

But today as we gather for food and fellowship, I’m reminded that we already have the remedy, (the secret ingredient, if you will) to our fears and worries.

All of us can cultivate a grateful heart.

All of us can cultivate a grateful heart. #Thanksgiving

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Being grateful, remembering to reflect on our blessings, not our worries, our failures, or the unknown, is what centers us, pulls us back to the truth of God’s word, and gives us peace.

Philippians 4:6-7

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

As I work through my own struggles, I challenge you to identify an area in which you’re struggling and take one practical step to cultivate gratitude. Write in a journal, reflect on scripture, call a friend, or say a prayer.

Enjoy today with family and friends. Take a moment to let gratitude shape your day, your attitude, your mind, and your heart.

And from one struggling but grateful woman to another, have a wonderfully blessed day!

P.S. Check out the suggested gratitude resources below and be on the lookout for a special holiday edition blog post with my favorite online deals, complete with some exclusive coupon codes & discounts just for you!

Suggested resources:

Choose Gratitude Blessings Journal

Printable Scripture Art Printables/Coloring Sheets for Thanksgiving {free}

100 Creative Ways to Say Thank You to Your Husband

Affiliate links are included in this post. When you click and purchase, I receive a very small percentage of the sale at no extra cost to you. These funds help keep the doors open here at Embracing the Mosaic Life and support Eva, our Compassion International child in Columbia.

Five Minute Friday Retreat Reflections {Community + Connection}

August 21, 2015 By LeeAnn G. Taylor

Two weeks ago I loaded up our suburban with the kiddos and all manner of things needed for a 7+ hour trip and a weekend stay. My husband drove and my friend Mollie kept me company on the dark, rainy drive to Nashville, TN.

The most anticipated weekend of the summer had arrived! We were on our way to the FMF (Five Minute Friday) Retreat.

We were *a little* excited!

Five Minute Friday is an online community of women who come together on Fridays to write for five minutes using a one-word writing prompt. Five minutes of sharing words and hearts without concern for editing. It’s a writing exercise, the type of which my brother-in-law says sounds like a torturous high school assignment. For the 100 or so ladies who participate each week, however, it’s a weekly lesson in releasing perfectionism in our writing.

Some of us gather on Twitter on Thursday evenings to chat using the #fmfparty hashtag. We talk like women do. There is usually talk of chocolate, kids, work, family, prayer requests and more. When the writing prompt is released that evening, the Twitter party gets quiet while we all go to write for our five minutes.

We love to write and share our hearts!

A few months back during one of our Thursday evening #fmfparty chats, someone mentioned how great it would be if we could all chat in person instead of just online. The idea of a retreat was born and four brave souls – Kate, Holly, Mary, and Jen – took on the challenge of planning a time for us to meet.

While to some it might seem strange to gather women from all over the U.S. and Canada who have never met in person in one cabin for a weekend, to those of us who attended, it couldn’t have felt more normal.

We’re finally together!

When describing the retreat to my husband and friends after the weekend ended, I talked about how it felt like “church camp for adult women”. Church camp to me means so many things, but in this case I likened the retreat to camp since the Holy Spirit was just so obviously present in all of our interactions.

The small talk that normally occurs when you first meet someone wasn’t necessary, as we’d “talked” about these things weekly with one another online for months, sometimes even years.

We were familiar with so many aspects of each others’ stories – families, workplaces, church environments, struggles, and joys. Instead of our conversations staying at surface level, we quickly shared the deep places with one another, becoming “heart sisters” in the process.

Many of the women have shared their own reflections of the weekend we spent together. For some, it was the first time they’d experienced community with like-minded Christian women. For some, it was a time to release fear and embrace a deeper faith. For some, it was a time to truly embrace their identity as a writer.

For me, it was a time to acknowledge God’s true provision in my life in so many areas.

God proved to me His goodness over and over through the women present at the retreat. I was able to see first hand how intimately God knows me, his child, and his desire to pour out his blessings in the form of these sweet relationships.

Some of His good gifts looked like:

Jennifer, the woman who led the Hello Mornings group I joined years ago when I was first learning to be intentional with my morning quiet time, attended the retreat, loved on my baby girl, and prayed with me.

Trillia, whose book Fear and Faith: Finding the Peace Your Heart Craves, spoke so deeply to my journey over the past few years. {click the image to learn more about her book}

Natasha, who personified brave and encouraged me to be brave in my own life.

Janel, whose kind words shared so graciously touched my heart and encouraged me to do the same for others.

The incredibly generous planning team was amazing!

Kaitlyn, who reminded me that every story matters, including mine!

Mary, who God placed in my life last year as a sweet friend and prayer warrior. What a blessing to share more in-person time with her!

There are so many more stories I could share of God’s faithfulness throughout the weekend, stories of special conversations and moments we’ll all cherish forever. These pictures provided a peak into our experiences:

Five Minute Friday live and in person! We wrote for 5 minutes on the prompt “Tell” and then shared our writing aloud.

The serene environment created space for our souls to reflect and connect.

Taking pictures with new soul sisters before heading home.

Emily Freeman reflects on these life-changing moments in her new book, Simply Tuesday:

The kingdom of God exists right here in the moments where we live.

On some level, we already know this. Maybe you, like me, can recount moments in your life where it seemed you stepped through the invisible curtain dividing heaven and earth, where you nodded your head with misty eyes and thoughtful gaze, feeling the gauzy weight of eternity settle softly over the moment – at the wedding, the graduation, the birth of a baby, or even after a meaningful night with friends.”

This weekend retreat, two meaningful nights with friends, certainly provided a peak into the kingdom of God here on earth and I am grateful, so very grateful, to have experienced it!

What places in your own life have you experienced the type of community and connection that is the kingdom of God here on earth? If it’s been awhile for you, I’d encourage you to seek out connection with other believers – in your workplace, in a MOPS group, in a small group, at a ladies retreat, or even online. Make space for God to delight you with his provision and create joy in your life through other believers!

*Thank you to Mollie, Jen, Melinda, Holly, and Jennifer for sharing your pictures from the retreat!

Doubt, Control and Rest

March 23, 2015 By LeeAnn G. Taylor

Have you ever wondered if God is real?

To some “good church-going Christians,” the thought of even asking that question may send them into a panic.

But while we may never verbally express this type of doubt, sometimes the way we live our lives is evidence of our struggle in this faith journey.

I’ll share an example from my own life this week.

I’ve been blessed to be a part of a ladies Bible study at a local church and we’re currently using Priscilla Shirer’s video series and journal, Breathe, to dig deeply into the concept of the Sabbath rest.

Some of us are so busy going from one thing to the next each day that the idea of rest seems impossible. Others of us can’t let go of the perfectionistic tendencies and our desperate desire to have things just so.

God stopped. He rested. And He prescribes the same for you and me. ~ @PriscillaShirer #SabbathRest

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I was convicted that my lack of willingness to stop and rest is evidence of my lack of trust in God.

While I might be concerned about ALL. THE. THINGS. around the house, with Chuck and the kids, responsibilities at work, paying off debt, selling our house, plans for the future, etc., what I’m truly revealing is my lack of faith that He will redeem that “lost time” for those of us who have a production mindset.

What about you? Do you also struggle with trying to control your time or do you remember to have a mindset of rest?

What tips do you have for remembering to take time to rest your mind, your body, and your soul?

This post is part of Five Minute Friday {Real} where we’re given a writing prompt and encouraged to write for five minutes of free writing. It’s a beautiful community of women sharing their words and wisdom each week! This post contains affiliate links {full disclosure}. Income from the blog helps fund Eva, our sponsored child through Compassion International.

My Plan or God’s Plan?

March 14, 2015 By LeeAnn G. Taylor

I’m a planner by nature.

I like order, lists, and knowing what’s going to happen.

My Myers-Briggs personality type is ISTJ. If you look that up, you’ll see words like:

organized
methodical
logical
fact-based

Despite a crazy schedule and a house full of energetic kids, my notepads for list making, a variety of productivity iphone apps, and a long list of Google calendars keep me organized and ready to tackle my to-do list for the day.

So it’s no surprise that releasing my {perceived} control over everyday situations is a challenge for me.

If you check out a portrait of an ISTJ, you’ll see the words “The Duty Fulfiller” prominently displayed at the top of the page.

There is no question that I relate my performance, fulfilling all of my self-imposed “duties”, to my value as God’s child.

Here’s the thing though.

It doesn’t matter how much I plan my days, weeks, months, or years, as a Christian, it is God who gives my life value. It is HIS vision for my life that is played out through my actions when I surrender my life to Him, moment by moment.

Many are the plans in a person’s heart,
but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails. Proverbs 19:21

I’d do well to remember to defer to God’s plans, not my own, as I seek to live a life full of purpose and meaning.

How about you? Do you struggle like me to remember to seek the Lord as you make plans for your life?

This post is part of Five Minute Friday {Plan} where we’re given a writing prompt and encouraged to write for five minutes of free writing. It’s a beautiful community of women sharing their words and wisdom each week! Also sharing with the Weekend Brew, Fellowship Friday, and Faith & Fellowship. This post contains affiliate links {full disclosure}. Income from the blog helps fund Eva, our sponsored child through Compassion International.

Finding God in the Seeking {Worship Wednesday}

February 24, 2015 By LeeAnn G. Taylor

Are there days you question everything? Well, maybe not everything, but do you question whether or not you have any idea what you’re doing at this thing called life?

Oh wait, maybe that IS questioning everything…

Well, that’s me sometimes. So many questions swirl around in my head. At times the doubts become a tornado of thoughts that spin completely out of control. And I wonder.

Am I a good enough wife?

Am I a good enough parent?

Am I a good enough daughter/sister?

Am I a good enough friend/coworker?

My husband says I can be overly critical of myself. In reflecting on his observation, I’m learning I have a tendency to set expectations that are too high for myself. I doubt my own ability to become the best version of myself I’ve created in my mind. I forget on a regular basis to give myself grace.

In reality, I think what’s really happening is I’m trying to rely on myself.

In the past I’ve felt that somehow I should have already “arrived” at the strong relationship with God I’m seeking. I should already know the perfect thing to say to my 2 year old in the middle of the fifth tantrum of the day that will point him to Jesus. I should already know how to be the thoughtful and generous friend I desire to be. I should already have the perfect morning quiet time I’ve imagined a hundred times in my head.

I should, I should, I should.

All the expectations I have of myself can be crippling!

I know dwelling on “shoulds” and my own doubts is not particularly beneficial nor productive. Instead of focusing on the destination (the “I’ve arrived!” moments), I’m learning to find God in the seeking.

Sometimes we find God where we least expect him, in the middle of our seeking.

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And so, instead of looking toward myself for the answers when I feel like I just don’t measure up to my own unattainable standards, I’m looking to the Truth instead.

You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. ~ Jeremiah 29:13

Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. ~ Matthew 7:7-12

I read these words and my soul feels a little more rest, just a little more at peace. The answer is right in front of me. I just need to know Him.

I’m learning that it’s a process. I need to keep on asking and seeking before I will find what I’m looking for.

And as I continue to feast on the bread of Truth, I will find Him in the seeking.

It is my prayer for you that you too find God in the seeking. I pray that together we learn to lay down our self-reliant, self-sufficient mindsets and remember who gives us life and breath to begin with. May today’s Worship Wednesday song remind us of how desperately we all need Him.

Oh How I Need You

Lord I find You in the seeking
Lord I find You in the doubt
And to know You is to love You
And to know so little else

I need You
Oh how I need You
Oh how I need You
Oh how I need You

Lord I find You in the morning
Lord I seek You everyday
Let my life be for Your glory
Woven in your threads of grace

Light glorious light
I will go where You shine
Break the dawn
Crack the skies
Make the way bright before me

Performed by All Sons and Daughters.