Hi guys! I hope that you are all having a beautiful Wednesday so far. xx I woke up feeling not so great today, as I have a cold right now, and I broke my fever upon waking. I’m planning to take it easy today and catch up on the posts I’ve missed reading.

On that note, I’m now back to blogging! Click here to read yesterday’s post on why I’m back a week early, if you’d like.

When planning ahead for what I’d blog about upon my return to blogging, I went back and forth between wanting to do a Making the Change wrap-up post, and deciding against it. As I’d planned to originally come back in the first week of August, it didn’t seem right to do this post on the first Wednesday of the month, as I’ve been posting them on the final Wednesdays of the month. As fate would have it (although I personally believe this is by the Lord’s guidance), I’m back a week earlier than planned. It’s still July. 😂 It’s the last Wednesday of the month. So, let’s get into this!

I have had lots of time recently to bond with my family. We’ve been playing games and having heartfelt conversations. I’ve also had more time spent in prayer, as my evenings as of late have been quite a bit quieter than they usually are, what with staying off of WordPress. Both of these paired together has caused me to notice that the Lord is calling me into a deeper relationship both with Him, as well as with each member of my family.

In June of 2016, I very much struggled to get used to having a new baby in the family, and this past April, my mom’s miscarriage really took a toll on my faith. I had drawn away from the Lord, sunken into myself, and crawled into a shell of what I thought was protection. When I realized that my self-inflicted hiding place was what was injuring the relationships and friendships I valued so much, the Lord was then able to lead me out.

He has taught me so much through what I continually thought was worthless pain. He continually uses each and every trouble I’ve ever found myself in for a good purpose – most especially for His glory. I am slowly finding it easier and easier to boast in my affliction, as Paul wrote in the Bible, for then the Lord’s grace may rest upon me.

I’m still a long way from where I want to be, but you know what? Maybe I’ll never get there … and maybe that’s okay. The Lord is directing and guiding my steps; He has my life in His hands. When I am willing, His strength is manifested in me, and I know that the changes I desire to see in my life will be here sooner than I realize. I’m taking it a day, a minute at a time, focusing on the good and forgiving myself for my downfalls.

It’s getting easier and easier to make this change. ❤

The Past Month: July 2017

Improvements: I’ve been finding as many things as I can to do with Samuel. Playing pretend, doing Wii games … I’m pretty sure this was mentioned in the last ‘improvements’ section of the last wrap-up post, but I’ve come even farther from there. He and I have played pretend every day for the last week – a huge improvement from where we were not too long ago.

Next Time: I need to further accept mine and Joshua’s differences. As we’re in such difference places of maturity and in our walks in life and with the Lord, it’s hard, and often weighs heavy on my heart.

The Upcoming Month: August 2017

Focuses:

• Forgiveness. Letting go of the past, and exhibiting grace to future faults I would have once struggled to forgive.
• Having a servant’s heart. I want to put my desires consistently behind me and instead look to what my family needs.
• Thinking before I speak. It is important that I put more thought into what I say before letting things I don’t mean slip past my lips.

Quotes and Bible Verses to Inspire:

“Forgiveness is a process. A choice you have to make over and over, every day, until you’re free of hurt.”

“The highest calling we’ll ever have is to be a servant of the Lord.” – Christine Caine

“When someone does something wrong, don’t forget all the things they did right.”

“The first to apologize is the bravest. The first to forgive is the strongest. The first to forget is the happiest.”

“Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with one another, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love.” – {derived from} Ephesians 4:2

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Thank you so much for reading, guys. I hope that you all have a blessed rest of the week! How about you?

What do YOU desire to focus on in August?

— Maggie

 

Hi everyone! I hope that you’re all having a beautiful week. ❤

It really feels like I just did one of these monthly posts, haha, but here we are again, at the end of another month! Is time flying like this for anyone else? This year is seriously slipping through my fingertips! I started this blog almost six months ago. I kind of feel like it’s been longer than that, but it also feels like I started yesterday, haha!

Anyway, today’s post is going to be my Making the Change Monthly Wrap-Up. You can visit last month’s here. In this post, I’m going to look at how June went, both the improvements I made and what I need to still work on. Then, I’ll be looking ahead to the month of July and what my main goals will be in regards to focuses and behavior.

If we share any aspirations in common, definitely let me know down below! I’d love to talk to you about anything that’s on your mind: what you’re going through, thinking about, wanting to change, etc. I’ll be here to listen. ❤

Making the Change ~
Monthly Wrap-Up (June-July 2017)

The Past Month: June 2017

Improvements: I grew even close to my younger brothers, Joshua (13) and Samuel (5)! I mentioned this in the improvements section of last month’s post, as well, and that’s because there’s always room for improvement, as well as the fact that I’m enjoying being around them much more than when I was going through the emotional problems I struggled with for a while. I’m also doing much better about keeping my temper at bay, which is hard for me to say, but it’s true; I used to lash out much easier and more often than I do now. I’m not trying to say that I’ve reached a behavioral checkpoint or anything lol, but I am able to recognize that things are getting better.

Next Time: Due to some age-appropriate (but still sometimes nerve-wracking) behavior on Samuel’s part, my patience was put to the test every day, and I failed almost every time. However, I slowly learned the right way to respond (thanks to my mom), but patience is still something I need to work on. The two pieces of advice that I can give to others struggling with patience are to slow down and be understanding. Whether you’re stuck in traffic, or someone’s stuttering as they try to figure out how to tell your something, or you’re having to wait in line at a store much longer than you thought you were going to, learn to become more aware of your response to situations that aren’t going exactly how you’d like and prefer. When I’m able to take a step back and look at the situation differently than how it’s just specifically affecting me, it saves me a load of irritation and impatience. ❤

The Upcoming Month: July 2017

Focuses:

• Patience. What I just talked about above is something I need to take to heart in my own life.
• Thoughtfulness. Learning to hold my tongue instead of complaining, and to be more aware of what I speak and not just ramble on impulse, is something that’s been on my heart to change recently.
• Attentiveness. I desire to be a better listener, and while watching my little sister, Elizabeth, I want to be less distracted and more focused on being with her and, this is with all of my siblings, being present.

Quotes and Bible Verses to Inspire:

• “Thou shalt not judge, because thou hast screwed up before, too.”
• “Focus on what matters and let go of what doesn’t.”
• “The best time for new beginnings is now.”
• “Put on the full armor of God.” [derived from] Ephesians 6:10
• “Even miracles take a little time.”

“Never suppress a generous thought.” ~ Camilla E. Kimball

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Thank you so much for reading, everyone! You guys have no idea how much this series helps me emotionally and mentally. Getting to write these posts and review how I’ve been and then to think through how I desire to be is the greatest part, but I also really appreciate getting to talk to you, my fellow bloggers, in the comments. Getting to learn about what you’re going through, what you’ve overcome, and what you’re working toward is inspiring to me, and it also blesses me to be here for you when you need someone to talk to. It makes it so much easier for me to be open with what I’m going through because of your support and encouragement. 🙂 So, as the ending question for this post, I would like to know:

What do YOU desire to focus on in July?

— Maggie