naturally ginger: 14 for 2014...Happy New Year!

In fashion with the upcoming New Year, instead of doing a wrap up of 2013, I'm going to look toward the future. Each year, I think it is normal for us all to reflect on the past 365 days, the goals we reached and those that fell short. Either way, we have to continue forward. Here are 14 things that I hope to accomplish or experience in 2014.

1. Learn how to speak French. I've been hounding a friend from France to give me lessons but this time I'm actually going to follow through. Parlez-vous Francais?

2. Travel abroad - France, South Africa, Italy, Australia...just a few on my mind.

(Me in Paris, 2012)

3. REALLY learn how to blow out my hair...I keep blaming my poor efforts on a lack of arm muscle strength, but really it's a lack of patience. One of my favorite Blogs, The Londoner, did a tutorial a couple months ago that I might just use!

(photo c/o the Londoner)

4. Finalize the Young Girls Empowerment Program I've been tweaking for over two years now at work. By day, I work as a School Counselor in NYC.

5. Pray more for people.

Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life. Philippians 4:6-7 (msg)

6. Attend Colour Conference. A Revolution of Love. You should consider going, it is LIFE CHANGING!

(Colour London, 2013)

7. Start and finish every book I set out to read...especially the non-fiction ones I could learn something from. A few on my list include - Girls With Swords, Undaunted, One Thousand Gifts.

8. Follow through with this blog...journal more.

9. Make my Yes Yes and my No No. It's tough for me to say no to people sometimes because I either don't want to disappoint or I just don't want to miss out. But the reality is, if we are running around doing a million different things we can't do anything well. We end up feeling stretched thin or burnt out. There is no health in this, and I want my life to be full of growth and strength.

10. Start to Run...I know it's going to get me into the shape I want to be in, I just hate it!

(photo c/o Jorg Badura)

11. Travel to Montauk...VACATION.

(My amazing friends...we traveled to Montauk like real NYCers over July 4th last summer)

12. Invite more people to church...HillsongNYC (stay tuned for Sunday Funday posts on the Blog)!

13. Turn the BIG 3-0 with grace, joy, and confidence. The best is yet to come!