Hello, hello! 🙂 I’m back! (Did you miss me?!) It’s been a month since I’ve blogged here and I’m SO happy to connect with you guys again. I still can’t believe that almost half of the month of January is over — and that Pope Francis will be here in the Philippines in less than 3 days!!!
Those of you who get to see my posts on and probably already know what happened to this blog last month. Basically, it was down for almost three weeks due to some technical problems. For a while there, I thought that I had lost all the content!
Thank God for the people who helped get my blog back online — and for ALL OF YOU who prayed for and with me, for this particular concern! There are still things that need to be fixed though, so do keep praying! (And thanks in advance! 🙂 Note to self: Back up your blog and save all your content, now!)
Anyway, I believe that God allowed all of this to happen for a reason. He probably wanted me to have more time to think and pray about the new direction for this blog — something which I feel He’s been leading me to for quite some time now. He also knows that I already have too much on my plate — and while I have not been “active” here, I’ve definitely been writing elsewhere, like here and here.
One Word for 2015
It’s this having an overflowing plate that led me to reflect again on why I’m doing what I’m doing, and whether or not I’m really “following my bliss,” as my dear friend Martine would say. Which is why I felt led to this word — my “One Word” — for 2015:
It makes total sense to have this “battlecry” for the year. Last year was full of blessings for me, work-wise and blogging-wise, but those blessings sometimes became “burdens,” in a way, because the seemingly never-ending deadlines — plus homeschooling and chores — often made me one stressed out wife and momma!
That’s why my one word is LESS — it also describes how I want to feel this year; Martine encourages all of us to have “core desired feelings” for each year, and I totally agree with her! For 2015, I want to feel:
Less stressed. More blessed.
Less worried. More confident.
Less rushed. More “slow.”
A Guiding Verse and a Patron Saint
To help me manifest these feelings, I also prayed about my “One Verse” for 2015, i.e. a specific Bible verse or phrase to guide me. I know that God wants me to have less of the “bad” and more of the “good” in all aspects of my life, but I can’t have them without Him and His amazing grace.
Which is why He led me to this verse:
I also asked Him to help me choose my patron saint for the year, something which I first read about on a few years ago, I think. Last year, I used Jen Fulwiler’s (of Conversion Diary fame — love her blog!) Saint’s Name Generator site and got St. Margaret of Antioch.
I decided to use Jen’s site again earlier this month, and this is who I “got”:
I think it’s no coincidence that God “chose” St. Maria of Goretti to be my patron saint for the year. I have been praying about using this space more actively for another advocacy of mine, i.e. the pro-life movement.
You see, I have my own version of a dark past, particularly my struggle with chastity and purity. I even shared a bit about it in one of Shepherd’s Voice Publications’ devotionals. However, I rarely share about it here, because, up to last year, I hadn’t realized just how powerful one’s online voice can be.
After becoming a contributor to numerous blogs though, both local and international ones, I have come to realize that my voice can make a difference somehow, just like your voice can, too. So do pray for me, yes? It’s time to make a change, and even if I still have a full plate now, I know that this year is THE year to do it. I just need to focus and let go of the “non-essentials.”
In the meantime, I remain your “servant” and friend, dear readers. You are in my prayers! I especially pray that He sets a fire down in our souls, that we can’t contain, that we can’t control, so that we want more of Him:
Do you choose #OneWord every New Year, too? If yes, do share it below, and let’s chat! If you feel called or drawn to choose One Verse and One Saint for the year, too, but don’t know how to get started, let me know. I’d be happy to help you! 🙂
You’re BAAAACK! Welcome back again! I love your word for the year. “Less” was something I strived for last year, too, and it really helped. I’m going to do less this year, too, but I feel like I will be gaining MORE out of life because of it.
Hi, Marts! 🙂 Thanks for dropping by, despite your busyness and infanticipation! 🙂 Yes to doing LESS and gaining MORE out of life!!! 🙂 Blessings to you and yours always! (And Happy Birthday to Ton!)
I just prayed and chose mine (after reading your post).
Build- To build health, wealth and relationships. To feel strong and abundant and to help others feel the same way. 🙂
1 Thess 5:11
St. Louis IX (Well, he was really the 2nd name that came up on the name generator. The first name was someone I didn’t know. I was hoping to get someone I knew already so I tried again. Then St. Louis IX came up. I still didn’t really know him but when I read the list of things he was the patron saint for I felt he’s the one for me this year.)
Wow, that’s great Yen! 🙂 I love your #OneWord and One Verse! 🙂 Thanks for sharing your patron saint, too — I need to learn more about him too! 🙂 God bless you and yours always!