Thrive is my One Word for 2017, but how do I go about thriving in all areas of my life? We all know how to make plants grow and thrive. Plant in soil, fertilize, water, and make sure the plants gets sunlight. But how do we make ourselves grow and thrive?

Psalm 1 from The Voice says:

God’s blessings follow you and await you at every turn:    when you don’t follow the advice of those who delight in wicked schemes,When you avoid sin’s highway,    when judgment and sarcasm beckon you, but you refuse.2 For you, the Eternal’s Word is your happiness.    It is your focus—from dusk to dawn.3 You are like a tree,    planted by flowing, cool streams of water that never run dry.Your fruit ripens in its time;    your leaves never fade or curl in the summer sun.No matter what you do, you prosper.

In order to thrive, there is something to AVOID. We all know we should flee from temptation, but we usually think of that murder, adultery, stealing, etc. It is saying here avoid sin’s highway. Judgement and sarcasm. What? I have loved sarcasm because it uses irony and is a play on words, but really it is just a form of mockery and contempt. What about judgement? How many times do we talk bad about others, adding “Bless their heart” to make it sound like we are concerned for their best interest. It’s wrong. We need to avoid biting others with our words and even with our thoughts. Where our thoughts are, our tongues will follow.

In order to thrive, we need to plant ourselves near things that give life. Like the tree planted by water where its roots could grow deep and tap into the nourishment of the stream, we need to tap into things that nourishes us and helps us to grow strong and fruitful.

The prescription is for our focus to be on God’s word, from morning until night. Our focus is on Him and the love He has for the world. This transforming book permeates all areas of our lives. It gives wisdom. It gives hope. It gives grace and mercy.

So what does this look like for me as I seek to thrive this year? Well, here are some practical things I am putting into place to aid me in my quest.

GROW:

• Read scripture every day and try to journal a truth that God points out to me in my new Journaling Bible.
• Blog 2 times a week about what God is teaching me about thriving and how I am growing in different areas. 
• Read 2 books a month, whether it is for spiritual growth, for knowledge about writing, or to refresh myself with fiction.
• I joined Weight Watchers and am trying to eat healthier. Maybe exercise will come into play later, but if I try too much, then I will give up on everything. Yes, I know this all-too-well.
• Have people over for a meal and fun once a month…or every other month. 
• I started having my nails done every 3 weeks. I’ve never had them done before, so it is my “treat”.  I decided to gray naturally and not dye my hair, but I am going to have pretty nails. 
• Try and get 8 hours of sleep every day. This is not always easy since I get up at 5 am, but I am going to try, as I find I tend to wear cranky pants if I am sleep deprived.