My 2019 Manifesto

I am a reader. I will read books and stories that resonate in my heart those things which are good, true, and redemptive. I will better myself through knowledge and wisdom and through pure enjoyment in the use of language and the imagination.

I am a traveler. I will explore places, experience cultures, savor foods, enjoy music, meet people, and take in the scenery of places old and new. I will seek adventure with joy and intention.

I am a homemaker. I will live fully in the space God gives me, to make it into a place of love, joy, and peace, overflowing with art, beauty, good food, friends, deep cries, and belly laughs. My home will be clean and inviting. My home will be a refuge, a sanctuary, a retreat, and a place where deep growth happens.

I am an artist. I will dance, I will sing, I will write, I will create, I will practice. I will be mindful that all my work is creative work, and I will be effective in that endeavor.

I am a lover. I will lean in with compassion, I will listen to what others have to say, I will ask and do my best to understand, I will stand in solidarity and respect differences. I will mourn with those who mourn, rejoice with those who rejoice, bring comfort to those who need comforting, and share the love of Christ with those who need His tender love.

I am a peace pursuer. I will look for peace in the midst of chaos and uncertainty. In paying special attention to my body, mind, and heart, I will be still, listen, and trust. I will remember that to be whole is to be at peace, and so, I will continue in my commitment to wholeheartedness; I will remove the landmines, I will dig wells for living water, and I will invite the Holy Spirit to fill up all the empty places. I will work to resolve conflict in healthy ways; I will ask to be forgiven, and I will forgive.

I am a teacher. I will share the knowledge, truths, gifts, lessons, and experiences given to me, knowing that these are things not meant for me to hold onto for my own, but are meant to be given. I will be generous, but discerning, in what I have to say. I will problem solve and teach others to do the same, whether through word or example. I will not believe that I have it all figured out, and instead, I will keep learning and growing and passing on what I do know thus far.

I am a daughter of God. I believe in the truth that the Father loves me more than I can even fathom and that He has great plans for me. I will not undermine my worth by making unhealthy choices, but rather, I will see myself as He sees me— Christ has deemed me worthy of His eternal, extravagant love, and I will make choices that honor both Him and myself as His treasured possession.

If you were to write a manifesto for yourself, what would you include?

Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash