The holidays are in full swing ladies! Thanksgiving said her hello and goodbye two weeks ago, making room for her sister Christmas to take center stage. How early did the Christmas lights and decorations go up in your neighborhood? When did you notice the first Christmas ads on television and the internet? It seems that the days speed by faster and what can feel like a hectic holiday hustle begins to envelope our lives, schedules, and relationships.

God provides us with a model of kindness and generosity to posture ourselves in during the holidays. In John 3:16-17 (ESV), he shows us the beauty of giving from the authentic place of love:

For God so loved the world,that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

God so loved. Let those three words sink in for a moment. Love has always been God’s motivator and the action of that motivation from him is to freely give to us, human beings made in his image whom he desires to know and be relational with.

He gave his only Son. God loves us with such unfathomable delight that he gave us an indescribable gift through Jesus Christ, the Anointed One and the Messiah who came to take away the sins of the world. He gave us his Son, to freely welcome the gift of his, the healing of his light, and the freedom of his power breaking the chains of sin and defeating death to give us eternal life in him.

It was an incredibly kind and generous action of God the Father to bless humanity with Jesus, our Emmanuel – God with us. God gave with intention and he acted on his motivations. As the last month of 2016 unfolds, I want you to ready your hearts for 2017 with a similar focus. I want you to lean into your lives with intention and prepare yourselves to identify and set realistic and desirable goals in the coming new year.

A Remarkable Woman, with resilience, pushes beyond her challenges, Connects to her purpose, Embodies her values, and Activates her leader brand to make Remarkable things happens! This requires goals and a clear plan. What four goals would you like to accomplish during 2017? Where are you now and what do you need to get you to the finish line? I know one thing: You can’t do this alone. You need community and you need accountability to move you towards your 2017 Remarkable Goals.

The Remarkable Life by Design Community is a place where you will be encouraged and championed for as we journey together to live on purpose and remarkably. Remember, you don’t have to go at it alone! Begin, today, to design the life of your dreams and get after making an impact that is worth the remark!