Here we are at the beginning of January, and everyone is making lists, crafting vision boards, and dreaming up goals that will make them a better version of themselves. January, though cold and gloomy, offers expectant hope that this year is the one where we finally get our acts together. A part of me loves it, and a part of me groans. I am terrible at setting goals and keeping them. But I do love a hopeful, brighter look at how things could be.
It doesn’t matter which camp you fall into—loves planning vs hates planning—it is a good and holy thing to reflect on if you are living the life God wants for you and to dream of a life fully devoted to Him, honoring the gifts He has given you. And also, it doesn’t have to be done in January. Every day is a new day with fresh mercies, to begin anew. It is easier to talk about these things in January though, isn’t it?
Teach us to number our days,
that we may gain a heart of wisdom.
Psalm 90:12 NIV
There are many things you could list on your goals, and the one I invite you to consider is growing more into living a connected life. I believe in the power of helping one another, treating one another with love, and turning towards one another instead of inwards towards ourselves.
It is not good that man should be alone…
From the beginning, God desired relationship, partnership, and companionship for His people (see Genesis 2:18). Yet so many of us today struggle to make meaningful connection and find community where we feel like we belong. Loneliness permeates our culture, and we stay stuck because we hope for community to just come to us or we are caught in negative thought cycles of “no one likes me.”
I have good news and bad news. The bad news is building community takes effort and it takes time. The good news is you can take small steps towards others that grow in depth gradually. No one is asking you to jump into a life of hosting and gathering, exhausting yourself in the process.
Taking time to look back, to pray, and to ask yourself what you want out of your relationships is the first step forward.
The Connection Reflection and Dreaming Guide
Before moving ahead, it’s important to name your starting point. One of the tricky things about loneliness is sometimes you can’t explain it. Maybe you’re surrounded by people, in your home, at your work, at church, and yet you still feel lonely. Perhaps you choose to stay home under a cozy blanket, but then you feel left out when you see the fun things other people are doing. You want the invitation, but you don’t want to go to the event. Sound familiar?
When you can name what you crave—more friendships, deeper connections, one on one time, intentional gatherings—only then can you take steps towards those things. Instead of looking to social media or someone else’s calendar, take a look inside at what you really long for.
I’ve created a guide just for that purpose. It’s a free download which contains:
- Introduction and Encouragement
- The Three Stepping Stones of Living a Less Lonely Life
- A Prayer to Begin Your Reflection
- Four Pages of Reflection Prompts
- Encouragement for Planting Seeds of Connection
- A Prayer to Begin Your Dreaming
- Three Pages of Dreaming Prompts
- Pray Your Own Prayer Page
- Practical Ideas for Creating Rhythms of Connection
It’s 14 pages of inspiration to live in communion with God and others, with Bible verses and prayers inviting God in to your reflection and your dreaming. You are not doing this work alone.
Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.
Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.
Psalm 139:23-25 NLT
Get your Download Here!
You can download the free, printer-friendly black and white version in my Buy Me a Coffee shop. There is an option to “make your own price” but it is free if you’d like it to be! It’s easy to download, with no need to create an account. You will just provide your email.
If you like your paper products to be pretty, you can purchase the color version with delightful pastel greens and pinks in my Drawing Near Paper Studio Etsy shop. You can print on a color printer at home or use a print shop like Office Depot (I use my local Office Depot for printing all my designs).
Thank you for reading and pondering with me how we can live more thoughtful, intentional, and open lives. Let’s dream together how we can see and be seen. That is where true satisfaction lies, in loving and being loved.
Let it be so.
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