Success: the accomplishment of an aim of purpose.
WIth the multitude of New Year posts floating around, I've got 2017 goals on my brain. I'm sure you do too. What will this year look like? Some of you are more settled than others, but for anyone who follows athletes, you know settling down will be years down the road for us! Every year is a mystery! As an athlete's wife, I see goal setting and hard work every day. Rocco is extemely disciplined - it's easy to see in his daily habits and consistent play on the ice. I always knew he was focused on his goals, but after we got married and began to live together, I really saw it! Lucky me, work ethic is contagious. I would consider myself a highly motivated, goal-oriented person to begin with, but I'd say he takes it to the next level. Lots of us are reevaluating/creating new goals this time of year, & the Lord has been speaking to me BIG TIME about this lately! A number of things drive people to succeed: Stability, money, fame, reputation, redemption, competitiveness, popularity, etc. I spend a bit too much time on social media, but it's always interesting to see how famous musicians, athletes, actors, and others present their lives on their pages. Endorsements, gorgeous makeup, glamourous vacations, high-profile friends, a perfectly crafted image... Sure, some are pretty funny and post personal things that make you connect with them, but in general, it's hard for people to not view "the good life' to be one full of money, connections, and fame. Their highlights look so fun! Creating ideals like that can lead us to seek similar types of "success." But is that the "success" you really want? What I'm about to say is a BIG DEAL: Until your hope for success is wrapped up in God's Kingdom and His plan for your life, you will not experience real, fulfilling success. It's impossible to experience genuine success without the joy of the LORD at the center of it. God created life. God created you. God created success. It's ALL about Him. I look at my future (no idea what's going to happen, by the way!); I create lists & vision boards; I make goals. I do what I can every day to develop my Spiritual gifts. As I seek success, I work to grow my talents and abilities like it's my job...because it is. Spirutal gifts are to be used & multiplied! (Exciting, right?) I want to make a significant impact in the lives of others. But I'm not going to just stop at being a "positive" or "nice" person. Sure, those are attributes God puts in my heart as I become more like Him, but having a successful life as a Christian means I've gotta be doing more than just being a polite person... I have a VOICE so I'm going to speak & sing words of God's truth over our generation. I have a CALLING, so I'm going to live with purpose and work my butt off. I have a HEART, so I'm going to be more than just nice...I'm going to use the love of Christ within me to love others, leading them to His lasting fountain of love. I have a STORY, so I'm going to speak up and share it when the people around me are hungry for life-giving encouragement and hope. I have a SAVIOR, so I'm going to share Him with everyone I can. Those are my keys to SUCCESS in 2017. I want to be a lot of things. I want to do a lot of things. I want to live a meaningful life. I want to walk in my purpose. I want to embrace my God-given identity and change the world. Wherever God leads me and my hockey-playing husband, we are His forever. We will share our goals and hopes with each other for life. We will be each other's teammates and cheerleaders as we seek success in our desired fields. But in each of our hearts, we will set apart earthly desires from Kingdom dreams. They often can go hand-in-hand, but it's important to forego the temptation of making earthly goals idols. When God is our only god, the success comes naturally. You cannot live an unsuccessful life when you commit it to God's calling for your life. You just can't. Life is about more than trophies, awards, and Twitter followers. It's about honoring the loving God who created you & finding joy in the day-to-day process of finding yourself in Him & enjoying the inevitable success that accompanies that journey. Wishing you a year of TRUE SUCCESS & FULFILLMENT in Jesus! XOXO, Abby Grimaldi
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AuthorChristian Singer-Songwriter, Writer, Hockey Wife, & Fitness Fanatic. Nomad with North Dakota roots. Archives
January 2020
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