As I have been doing a few years since going through the 7th year Mentoring Encounter with Alicia Britt Chole, I reviewed my inventory for 2014.  Each year, I prayerfully anticipate and plan what God has for me for the year.  I think about the different aspects of my life and put to paper how I would like to grow and what I would like to accomplish.  These areas include spiritually, relationally, physically, among others.   2014 was a big year, and I had a BIG inventory. In January 2014, we had just moved to Wisconsin, and my heart and mind were exploding with ideas, plans, and dreams for my new life.

Needless to say, I completely overestimated my energy for all of these plans and tasks and dreams.  I underestimated how much time, energy, and focus it would take to adjust, set up a new house, make sure our daughters were doing well with all of the changes, make new friends, learn a new neighborhood, spiritually settle in the whirlwind of 2014, get to know our church, and help Adam navigate many decisions.  Whew! 

So, as I sat and reviewed my 2014 plan, I looked at a long page of things that I had not accomplished.  I had not even really thought about accomplishing them.  In fact, I barely looked at the inventory in 2014. I knew that God was in 2014 in my life, and I knew that I was really trying to be obedient to Him, yet that long (LONG) list of unaccomplishments was staring me in the face.

So I prayed.  “God, show me something.  I need to hear a good word.  I need something.  Please.”

So I went up to the top.  And I had missed something really important. 

“Roots, Rhythms, and Relationships” was typed at the top, in big font, front and center. 

That was my theme that God gave me at the beginning of the year.  “Roots, Rhythms, and Relationships.”  I felt God whisper, “Laura, you did that.”  It felt like got a big hug from God. 

Isn’t it so easy to see the failures, our lack of progress in tasks?

Then I either thought myself (or maybe it was from God), “Laura, if you had accomplished all of those tasks and not lived out the theme of “Roots, Rhythms, and Relationships,” 2014 would have been disasterous. 

Take time, as you review 2014, to look at the Big Picture.