My Words for 2015

Last January, I began a new tradition of listening for a "word" for the upcoming year.
You can read about my words for 2014 here. (I'm considering writing a post about the ways these words impacted the year, so stay tuned, I suppose.) 

Over this holiday week, I began this end-of-the-year workbook. The first half is a look at the year that has just come to a close, the second half is a preparation for the year that's just begun. Though I've only finished the look back at 2014, (I'm hoping to complete the 2015 portion this evening) I have already chosen (or received) my words for this year.

Financial Freedom
and
Peace

Honestly, these words are terrifying to me. There's nothing peaceful about what I imagine to be the lessons that will teach me financial freedom. (I know, this is backwards and a little faithless, but it's the truth.) I kept trying to shake off the financial part of that word and just hold to freedom. Freedom I can learn. Freedom sounds refreshing and exciting. Financial freedom sounds like responsibility and rules. To me, financial freedom means I'm free of all of the recurring bills I have (rent, car payment, insurance) which means an entire upset of my life as it is. In my best moments, this sounds really exciting. In my worst, it sounds embarrassing and hopeless.

I truly believe that this is not what God has planned for this year for me. 

I can't even begin to find words for the ways that my expectations were exceeded with the words from last year...