My Friend Shannon

I want to take this opportunity to introduce y'all to one of my best blogging buddies...Shannon from Imperfectly Perfect.  She is not only the  wonderful lady who did my blog design but she is an amazing person and friend.  I hope you will take the time to check her out and be sure to tell her "HEY."  I just love her and I know you will too!! 

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Hi friends!

I don't think I can start this time off in any other way than to first brag on Cat! Is she not just truly a breath of fresh air?

Through her writing you are uplifted, and left with a happy feeling.

Her blog and friendship has been a true blessing to me and I know it has been the same to many of you.

Cat asked me if I would like to share something with all of you lovelies and of course I said YES!

 I've only "guest posted" a time or two before and it's always been a bit scary if you will.

Your not playing in your home stadium

You don't know who their readers are or how they will receive your words.

I don't feel that way here, so I am very excited to share with you!

With the new year here I think most of us are excited about fresh beginnings. Looking to 2013 to be more awesome than 2012.

This time of new beginnings is refreshing!

Allow yourself to fully embrace this time, to make plans and hope for good to come.

What I want to share with you fresh into this new year is the concept of

HILLS AND VALLEYS

This isn't a new concept and it is probably called different things.

Here is what it means.

Sometimes in life we're on the mountain. We are in victory, triumph, abundance.

Sometimes we're in the valley where it's hard and you can't see where to go next.

Everything looks tall and overwhelming.

When I heard that I DIDN'T like it one bit.

I didn't understand, and I wanted to be on the mountain top EVERYDAY!

I've learned that this is the flow of life. There indeed are mountain top moments as well as valley moments.

They both serve a purpose and enhance our life.

Times at the mountain tops are times to refuel yourself. To rest, to gain peace. It's a time to celebrate and plan your next move.

Times in the valleys are times you will be growing. Painful, maybe, but necessary. A time when your heart is refined and more of your "rough edges" are removed. Valley time is a time where you can count your true blessings, a time where the true beauty and blessings in your life are revealed.

From mountain to valley we are moving....moving forward

The valleys give us the strength and wisdom to climb the next mountain. We can't arrive at the newest mountain until we've been prepared to climb it.

I felt as we are fresh in the new year it was important to talk about this as we can most likely expect to find ourselves in a valley  or two in 2013.

It's not a bad thing! Don't let it get you down!

You're growing, so find the beauty when your there, count your blessings while your there, know it's for some purpose and then rejoice when you arrive at your newest mountaintop!

Thank you, thank you for reading sweet friends. I pray that these words will bless your life in some little way.

Shannon