2017 represented a year of reconnecting with people that I loved, but life had taken us along different paths for a time period. People that made and still make a huge difference in my life. People that teach me to be a better person and are honest with me along the journey. People that I trust and love to always tell me the truth.
On one of these trips was about reconnecting with my dear friend Linda and new friend Valine who shared with me about new things that might interest me. Project Life, Chatbooks, how to do different things they were teaching me and along the way the topic of a word for the year came up. I had half way done this a time or two, but not with my whole heart. Linda shared on a trip to Canton that she thought her word might be "gathering" and it got me to thinking what will my word be for 2018.
I narrowed it 3 words. Hope, adventure, and quest truly believing that I was being lead to "hope" after all who doesn't need more hope? Yet, it never settled into my soul. I kept thinking perhaps the reason I never saw a word through the whole year was it wasn't my word. I really want to grow and learn with the one word. So, then I thought adventure. After all, I love an adventure and travel, but yet again I felt that it wasn't the right word and finally I knew it in my soul. My word is "Quest" and I truly believe it is my word for this coming year.
I have been doing a Bible study by Beth Moore that lead me to the word and really got my brain thinking. It made me ask more questions. If you meet me, I always ask a lot of questions. I want to learn more about you, so I quiz you. My hubby sometimes gets rather annoyed with my questions, but it's me. The only way to grow is to ask questions and a quest is about growth. I want to grow and learn. We are never too old to quit learning and searching to become all that we are suppose to be after all, we don't want to just stay the same. Oh it is safe, but it is not near the same trip!
The last few years I have grown because I have trusted God and gotten out of my box. I have traveled alone taking pictures and being alone with God asking questions. I have sought out relationships that help me to grow. I am taking classes that definitely take me out of my comfort zone to become more of the person that I believe God desires me to be. If for no other reason than to learn by the process of trying and being willing to say I gave it a whirl and look what I learned in the process.
I ordered my book from Ali Edwards to journal through this year with my word and I'm excited. Do you know that the actual meaning is a long and arduous search for something, seeking something, or the last one mentions an adventure and journey! Well, I get to cover two of the words almost and I know that hope will be found while searching and growing. Also, perhaps it is about asking myself questions that I always ask others. Digging a little deeper into who Debbie is...wow, that may be a really interesting adventure!
I looked at quotes about quest and these two really sealed the deal for my word.
"Rarely do we find men who willingly engage in hard, solid thinking. There is an almost universal quest for easy answers and half-baked solutions. Nothing pains some people more than having to think." Martin Luther King, Jr. and the other is by Maya Angelou which is "Our stories come from our lives and from the playwright's pen, the mind of the actor, the roles we create, the artistry of life itself and the quest for peace." I am not exactly sure where this journey will take me, but I have my camera ready, my bags on stand by, and my heart open to see where God takes me in this journey to grow and learn!
The other people that I reconnected with were some of my mentors that I love dearly, Dave and Annette Fortuna. A couple that I know God placed in my life to teach me and help me grow to be all that He desires me to be. I stood in the mountains in Colorado and was once again was touched with their genuine hearts! Annette stood with her arms spread wide out in worship and it was the most awesome reminder to get outside my box! This is a memory that lead me to the word quest because these two people are constantly growing and sharing with others.
Thanks friends for being willing to teach this girl to be all that I can possibly be! Love all of you dearly and you all know who you are whether your name appeared here or not...you know who you are!!! I can't possibly name all of you that teach me daily...
Beginning my quest,
Debbie
