Monthly Madness- January 2023

Erin Szoch

Jan 1, 20233 min read

HAPPY NEW YEAR! 2023 is here and it is a fresh start for everyone. It is a time to reflect on the past year and create 2023 goals and resolutions, you can find mine here.

December was full of joy and firsts of many traditions. The Christmas smells, sounds, and lights are so magical. Bradley loved the lights so much. Shopping for gifts is one of my favorite things to do. It brings me so much happiness to watch loved ones open the gifts we got them. We went to a Christmas Eve service and then dinner with the family in downtown Alpharetta. Christmas morning we opened gifts and then the rest of my family came over to do more gifts and breakfast. Watching Bradley open his gifts and take in all of Christmas showed me a new love for Christmas. Seeing Christmas through his eyes is my new favorite thing. It is crazy how kids bring a new meaning of joy into your life in so many different ways.

I would say that at this point, almost 11 months into being a mom that I have figured some things out. However, I learn something new every day. The love that I have for my son and family is indescribable. I never thought my love could expand, but it has. My patience has grown as well which I didn't think was possible and so has my anxiety. I have been dealing with my mental health and making sure I am taking care of myself while I take care of my family. Making sure that I am taken care of and healthy ensures that I will be the best mom that I can be. Make sure whether you are a mom or not that you take care of yourself. Self care is important and should be made a priority.

Verse of the Month

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come:The old has gone, the new is here!" 2 Corinthians 5:17

This verse is for all of us. There is no power in watching the changing of your calendar, but there is power in Jesus. Lets get connected or reconnected with Him in this 2023 year. He will show us a new way to live. We can see this by consistently engaging in His word, talking with Him through prayer, getting real with other people, and surrendering it all to God.

He shows us a new way to live and shows us who we really are. All of this is available and it can begin today. This is exciting, but when life gets overwhelming it is easy to take a step back and doubt that we can be the person God created us to be. When this happens, it is best to slow down and seek God's heart. Creating a space for God through honest conversations provides a refreshment of the soul and prepares us for Him to speak to us in a new way.

How will you embrace your identity as a new creation today? I will let God change the way I think and reconnect our relationship.