Starting the Year with Artsy Olive

The beginning of the year is a great time to start fresh. Whether you have a New Year’s resolution, verse you want to live by, or theme for the year, it can be great to pray and ask God for direction and purpose for the year. For some people they like to write a reminder on their hand or a sticky note, and for others they like to display an encouraging verse or their phrase for the year. Artsy Olive is a great way to display a verse or encouraging phrase you want to live by for the year.

From verses to encouraging phrases, Artsy Olive has hundreds of art prints in various sizes that you can pick from. You can then chose to personalize it with your name, date or another personal touch. Whether you are wanting to decorate a child’s room, spruce up your office space or bring joy to your kitchen, there are so many great options to choose from. This is also a great option for giving a gift to someone in your small group, pastor or friend.

Enter to win an Artsy Olive print here:  https://www.blessedfreebies.com/artsyolivegiveaway.html

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, ² fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.³ Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. Hebrews 12:1-3

Risen Reflections

Reflect. Take time to step back and reflect upon the past year. It can be helpful to set a couple hours, a day or even a weekend aside. Take a journal with you, your Bible and even your favorite worship music. Write down all of the things that you are thankful for. Even if you experienced a difficult circumstance or season of life, thank God for providing for you and helping you through it. If you made some wrong choices, thank God for his grace and the lessons that you learned along the way. Thank Him for the friends, family, and pastors that He has placed in your life to encourage you in your spiritual journey.

Set a course or direction for the upcoming year. Take time to pray and ask God what He wants you to do for this upcoming year. Are there actions or activities that you need to walk away from that aren’t pleasing to Him or are distracting you from what He is calling you to do? Is there an area that you need to ask Him to have faith in? Reflect on a verse or phrase that you want to live by. It can be helpful to post it up in places to remind you. It might be on your locker, on your mirror as you get ready, or at your desk. It could be something simple like a sticky note or it could be something decorative like a print from Artsy Olive. Whatever it is, when you see it take time to pray and ask God to help you become more like Him.

Share it with others. God created us to be in fellowship with others. He wants us to encourage one another so that we can become more like His Son. Share your goals or direction for the year with a friend, small group member or pastor. Just like a coach, sometimes that includes cheering on a teammate and sometimes that means challenging them to what they have been called to do. When we share an area of our life that we want to change or be more like Christ with another person, we are asking them to hold us accountable and call us out when we are making choices that aren’t glorifying to God. While the conversation may be uncomfortable at the time, know that the person has your best interest in mind and wants to ultimately see you become more like Christ.

We were given a print from Artsy Olive by Frontgate Media, all of our thoughts and opinions are our own.