2017 was an insanely dynamic year with all its twist, turns and jaw dropping moments. We can’t forget about the experiences in 2017 that stunned pop culture and shook the very foundation of our American way of living. From Donald Trump becoming the 45th, well...you know...to Beyoncé giving birth to twins, I don’t know if anyone else shares the same sentiments, but I truly feel like I saw it all in 2017. Hennything is possible out here kids. Cardi B went from a stripping, Love and Hip Hop break out star to a millionaire, household name. Donald Trump’s administration wrecked American families with his cabinets aggressive change to DACA. All the while, our hearts were breaking after the tragic events that claimed dozens of lives during the mass shooting in Las Vegas.

Although, in the midst of the constant change in our worldly lives, something that never changes and someone who is never surprised by the fickleness of his children is, God almighty. 2017 was another year of sowing for me. I knew I was sowing seeds that would continue to flourish into beautiful, fruit bearing trees in the future. God finally brought me to my harvest towards the end of the year. How often are we given the blessing of the harvest, yet under estimate the work that goes into reaping the crop?

In 2018, I want to keep an unshakably, grateful focus on the beauty of life, and where God is taking me. New levels mean new expectations and responsibilities. A harvest represents so much more to me in this season of my life. Not just because the new year has arrived, trust me this is NOT about provoking an emotional response. Rather, the harvest is symbolic for the shearing, and the reaping of the beautiful fruit that God produced through me in 2017. Harvesting the lessons from the choices that I made, the wisdom that God gave, and the growth that transpired within me, is what I take along with me into 2018. I’ll definitely be using this fruit throughout the new year. Reaping the fruit brings forth flashbacks of the time I spent in 2017 planting the seeds. I had no idea that the season of planting last year would have led me to the harvest that is ready for reaping today.

I had the pleasure of attending a vision board party at the close of 2017. Magazines were scattered, with scissors and blank boards, awaiting to be adorned with all of our goals for the new year. Even with all the poster board making supplies in the world, and and a plethora of magazines to choose from, I still, had to take the time and think about all of the wisdom I had gained from my sowing and growing seasons in 2017, before I could even begin to set a vision for the new year.

Today is the first day of 2018. If you are reading this, you are so blessed. How quickly we allow ourselves to forget all of the lives that were lost to gun violence from our police departments and fellow man. We lost a young woman's life to a car in Charlottesville, and I'm sure if you took the time to think about it, you unfortunately know someone who lost a loved one. We’ve got to keep our hearts grateful in the time of harvest. Others are forced to glean the fields, never allow yourself to forget that.

So join me. Strap on your boots, lace up your shoes. Put your grown woman panties on and let’s head out to our gardens of knowledge and realization. Begin this new year with me, by harvesting the lessons and wisdom from 2017. Revisit those trying moments of the past year. Pick the bad fruit, observe it, focus on your plan to sow different seeds in 2018, and let it fall. Fall away from your conscience. Leave the rotten crops of guilt, shame, and insecurities in 2017. Walk down the bountiful rows of the garden in your heart, and revisit the beautiful moments of the past year. Harvest the fruits that bare growth, joy, and better understanding. Review the lessons and wisdom that you gained. Acknowledgement is required during the harvest. We are faced with OUR fruit, that grew from the seeds that WE planted in 2017.

Commit to the work that the harvest brings, and count it all joy as you acknowledge the fruit your seeds produced. Keep your focus on the beauty in the midst of the harvest and ready your seeds for the future planting to come.

I was born on December 2nd around 4PM, and this blog was born on December 2nd 2016. I always knew that I wanted to write and blog, but never wanted to start something that I would not finish. I am incredibly grateful to be celebrating the hard work and dedication that went into the creation of this project. I am also thrilled to celebrate the energy and time that I devoted over these last twelve months to continue generating content.

I found myself at the kitchen table with my roommate Heidi. As she headed out back to the garden to grab fresh mint for our cocktails, I sat at the table struggling to articulate how I felt about this birthday, and how it felt to be 27. Heidi, a 31 year old world traveler, pediatric resident and homemade kombucha extraordinaire, placed her beautifully crafted cocktails on the table for us, and the ideas and conversation just began to organically flow. I asked Heidi what she would tell her 27 year old self if she had the chance to go back in time. There are many lessons that any of us could outline to articulate the beauty in life that's evolving around us. God seems to always have a way of shifting our situations in life to honor his plans. The collection of lessons below were offered by Heidi, with some personal add ins from me of course. May these lessons provide you the same warm encouraging feeling that they gave me.

Twenty-seven Lessons for Twenty-seven

You should definitely take your time, the right person will come along: Stop focusing on the negativity of singleness and coveting the relationships and marriages around you. Celebrate these beautiful milestones and enjoy your freedom to continue to evolve as a human being in your own right
Rushing into relationships will only leave you frustrated and unsatisfied: Let things come together as they see fit. You cannot force relationships to evolve into the fairy tale in your thoughts. Allow your relationships to grow and mature on their on time.
Try new things: you’ll meet new people and learn how to acquire new skills. Be open minded and try new things
Travel while you're young: traveling around the world and even around the country, continues to shift our worldview and our understanding of diversity
Cultivate friendships with people who are completely different than you: there's so much fun in being exposed to new things, you never know what relationships you're going to miss out on by only seeking the same type of people for friends, be diverse in your friendships
Spend your money on experiences, not things: they mean more and you’ll always remember, the experience itself is always better than the souvenir.
Cherish your family: none of us truly understand how short life is. Take the time to say no to other things and yes to spending time with your loved ones while you have them in arms reach
Take your finances seriously: start saving for retirement, and save your money so you can become wealthy.
Don’t keep up with the Kardashians: you don’t want to live paycheck to paycheck just to look good and impress people who really don't care about you in the long run
Buy Stock: set it to be automated, if your job offers you matching take complete advantage of this. buy the index funds not the managed funds, never buy a loaded fund
Find what balance means to you and make it happen:Spiritual, Physical and Mental Balance are all equally important, figure out what it takes to get you there, and know that that's what you need to do
Find something that gives you stress relief and do it: go to the gym and try to exercise regularly, find a new hobby that you enjoy and learn everything you can about it
Don’t bring your work home with you if you can: Enjoy home and finish up your notes at the office, this includes work problems and relationships
Your job should not be your life, your job should support your life: get a job that doesn't make you miserable, your mental health is so important
Have a small carbon footprint: vampire devices use electricity when they are not in use. Unplug things, it’s good for the planet and good for your wallet. Resistors exist and use energy. You're microwave clock uses more electricity than the waves of your microwave in a year. Unplug things. Drive a car that doesn't use a lot of gas, Grow your own food.
Surround yourself with living things: have plants around you, get a pet, there’s nothing like butterflies living in your backyard garden, or walking into a kitchen with fresh flowers
Make friends with your neighbors: They will save you. Your neighbors will look out for you, be involved in your community. It’s very easy to be in a place and not feel connected at all. Check out your local events like farmers markets
Enjoy where you're living while you're there: explore while you’re there because you never know when you're time will be up and you're off to the next place. Don’t always be looking out for the next location
Living in the now is so important: Having your entire life planned keeps you focused on what's coming, and not focused on what's happening right now. Experience life now, and what’s right in front of you
Worrying doesn't change a thing: when you're done worrying, the situation hasn't changed. Put your energy into finding a solution, or navigating through how you can find peace while you may be going through something difficult
Stop Shoulding all over yourself: there are no shoulds in life. You feel what you feel, you do what you do, you live how you live, always commit to do better tomorrow, and follow through, slow and steady wins the race
Listen to your heart and guard it: you will be in many situations that just don’t feel right, get out and listen to your intuition. Guard your heart, but don't let it cause you to miss out on future opportunities
People will come and people will go: stop measuring your happiness in life by the quantity of friends you have, instead understand that quality friendships hold so much more value
You don't need to convince anyone that you’ve evolved: Personal growth is just that personal, we don't grow and mature for others to notice. We grow and evolve into new creations for our personal peace, well- being and to honor God
There is no playbook to the perfect you: don't allow anyone to dictate who you are in this life. People may become angry about the choices you make that they wouldn't make for themselves, but you are the one who has to deal with the consequences of your choices, not them
Seek advice from people you love, but know that you don’t have to take it: It’s not that you don’t listen, you just make your own choices. Learn to become reliant on your own ability to reason
God definitely never stops loving his children: Never forget that God can't get enough of you. You are loved by an amazing creator. You may feel alone, but you're never truly alone. Even when we're covered in the filth of our sinfulness, God looks at you, his child and says, come here my child. Run into these arms and find rest in me. You are a loved by God and there's nothing that anyone can do about it, not even you.

Happy Birthday God, Love And!

Thank you for your your support for these last twelve months! I am so excited to continue this journey. Until next month