The Best New Year's Resolution I've Ever Made

It only took me 2 1/4 years to complete but that's not the point

Greetings fellow magic-making but also a tiny bit stressed but also Advent reading in the morning in those 4 seconds of peace with a warm cup of coffee friends! (Maybe you’re also a little sick? Fighting the sniffles? Just me?) I see you and all that you’re doing in these days leading up to Christmas.

First off, I want to apologize for … hmmm, what’s it been? Months? Eras? Whatever. For me, it’s been WAY too long since I’ve last written, and this seems to be how I open every letter/text to people I love that I haven’t talked to in a while for the last thirty years. In my heart, I really do a. love to write b. connect with friends and c. find gifs that make me laugh. I have all the reasons for why, but bottom line, I went dark for a bit. Election + work + life. But I miss you. And I’ve realize that I consistently put too much pressure to make this a worthwhile read for you … so instead of writing something that you have the choice to read or not read, I don’t write a thing.

Passive perfectionism* at its finest.

I love the wrap-up of an old year and the fresh possibility of a new one. It’s like getting a new journal, a new pair of running shoes, or a new set of paint. Just more cosmic and grandiose. So chock full of possibility. So much potential. (I’m also a little nervous about what 2025 holds, so, there’s that.)

Every year, for, oh, I don’t know, the last twenty or so, my resolutions consistently have been the following:

• lose 10 lbs / “get in shape”

• do budget

• clean out the storage room

• read more

I’ve been ambitious at times:

• Run a half marathon

And other years, I’m a little more basic:

• buy curtains for living room

But at the end of 2021, I added something to my list that had been there multiple times before, and like those 10 lbs, I’d just never made it happen. (Cookies + Chronicles, man.)

• READ THROUGH THE ENTIRE BIBLE

Obviously, women and men the world over have been reading through the Bible for centuries. Many of you have done this. My husband’s done it, multiple times.

But somehow that year, it struck me: I was raised in a Christian home, made a personal profession of faith in my teens, and despite all my times of doubt, I am a believer in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ as the son of God. I am a Christian who lives her life not according to what some teacher/preacher/church tradition tells me, but by what I read in what I have come to believe is truly the inspired word of God — the Bible. **

BUT I HAD NEVER READ THROUGH THE ENTIRE BOOK OF WHICH I SAY I BELIEVE IS GOD’S ACTUAL WORDS, A BOOK THAT I SAY THAT I FOLLOW.

And so, January 1, 2022, I started.

I used The Bible Recap’s chronological reading plan, printed it out because I am Gen X and analog is the way to my heart, folded it up nice and cute and slid it in the inner cover of my Bible.

I’d read the chapters, then listen to the 6-8 minute podcast on what I just read:

of course staying on track for about 7 weeks before, yes, Chronicles.

But somehow, I kept going.

The ONLY thing I can say that allowed me to keep going was what I’d call compassion. If I missed a day, or two — or ten-to-twenty: NO guilt. No self-condemnation. No ‘just give up because you weren’t doing it “right”.’ (Heeeeeey weird form of perfectionism! You’re sneaky but I see you!)

I’d just sit back down on the little corner of my couch with my coffee and blankie and pick up where I left off.

YES. IT TOOK ME OVER TWO YEARS TO COMPLETE.

But I did it.

And it wasn’t some Christian-girl box to check to prove myself (even though, yes, of course, I did enjoy crossing off each day as I completed it).

It was simply putting my time and mind where my mouth was.

Even if it took two years.

As 2024 comes to a close, I want to thank you for your support of my writing and for your friendship. Some of you I’ve gotten to meet in person this year (🙌🏼), and some of you I already know, and some of you are readers that I may never meet but I’m so grateful to connect with here. Thank you, thank you, thank you. It means so much.

I wish everyone a wonderful holiday and a little time and space to think and pray about what this next year might have for you.

For me, I want 2025 to involve more writing. And painting (!) And more reading. (And I think Chris and I are going to attempt our church’s reading plan. He will, of course, stay on track. #realperfectionist I will, naturally, take another 2 years. #passiveperfectionist) I also think I might try to use my voice in ways I haven’t in the past. We’ll see…

I’d love to know what you’re thinking about working towards in this coming year. (If you aren’t a resolution person, that’s wonderful for you!)

Also, who has a good recommendation for an EOY set of reflection questions to work through? Drop a link in the comments if you do!

Just Some Things:

🦋 JANUARY 8th, 2025 — Coffee+Crumbs has a new narrative podcast coming out called Making A Mother. The trailer is out now. I had the privilege of being a writer for it and on behalf of everyone involved, please please please check it out and SHARE it with your friends. (please) Real grass-roots marketing efforts here! The stories are powerful and the series is stunning.

👏🏼 “The God of Scripture identifies first and foremost with the least among us. And we’re not that,” he said. “That insight was extremely helpful. Because it allowed us to understand that, if you want to find greater meaning and purpose and depth to your life, then go place yourself among the people that God does identify with, and they will teach you.”

🧢 The book you’re going to want to buy and gift to every family you know. Pre-order now. I’ve already read it and it makes me cry each time. Yes, pre-orders help an author’s book get to the eyeballs —> hands of even more people!

🎄Only God Can Do It (Have watched no less than 30 times. PTL.)

Merry Christmas and until 2025 —

Love, Sonya

Passive perfectionism* - a term I learned recently that’s been really helpful to understand why I don’t do things. Turns out, I have really really really high standards, and when I’m not able to do something the way I want, I just don’t do it. (See: writing, painting, calling my aunts, finishing my manuscript, cleaning out the storage room, writing a post here about what I learned after reading through the Bible titled: What I Learned From Reading Through The Bible For The First Time Even Though I’ve Been A Christian For Thirty Years. Still workshopping the title.)

** another post I have wanted to write for four years but haven’t because I’m positive I can’t do it justice: Why I Beleive That The Bible is True, A Christian Skeptic Gets Her Questions Answered

If you’ve made it to the end, I applaud you.