God has brought us through to the year 2024! Happy New Year! I don’t know about you, but 2023 went by so quickly for me. You can read about how my year started with fasting salt, sugar, and social media in a previous post. Fasting kickstarted my desire to listen to the Holy Spirit and live in the present. This fast wasn’t perfect, but I found it to be life-changing because it increased my prayer life, drew me closer to my family, and helped me to stay grounded in God’s Word. It opened my eyes to my constant need to chase after what the future holds instead of resting in the gift of time in the present. I’m still maintaining my control of salt. I’ve certainly enjoyed plenty of sugar this past holiday season, but I still haven’t returned to social media.
Earlier in the year, my friend Breanna and I went to a conference to see one of my favorite Bible teachers, Jackie Hill Perry. If you haven’t heard of the Perrys, allow me to introduce you to the With the Perrys Podcast. If you know anything about me, you know that I am a big fan mainly because she’s a Bible nerd, and so am I. I’m inspired by her devotion to studying the Bible, not for the purpose of self-discovery but for the purpose of discovering and knowing God. The conference was refreshing. We saw Jackie walk into the elevator of our hotel, and she is so much tinier in real life! I was so inspired by the conference that in the fall of 2023, I began the long journey of earning my Master’s degree in Biblical Studies!
I feel like I lived most of 2023 in the months of April and May. Within these two months, I witnessed the birth of my great-niece, grieved the loss of my uncle, Mike, and went on my first international trip. Whew! Talk about an emotional roller coaster!
My beautiful great-niece, Raydiance, was born on April 20, 2023. I was honored to be in the delivery room to witness this miracle. I smiled through happy tears. Thank you to my niece, Malia, for asking me to be there. It was a joy to cover Ray’s birth with prayer and thanksgiving.
Not long after the birth of my great-niece, the loss of my uncle came with guilt and regret but also the indescribable grace of God. If you’ve ever loved someone and set a boundary to protect your peace, only to regret that boundary because they died unexpectedly, then you may have some idea of what I mean by guilt and grace. God and my family brought me through anxiety and an all-out panic attack during that time. Not long after my uncle died unexpectedly, my family went on a beach trip that we had planned months in advance. We hugged, laughed, and cried on that trip. Was it a coincidence that our trip was the weekend prior to my Uncle Mike’s birthday? I don’t think so. God knew we needed each other.
I also went on my first international trip with my husband to Paris in May! I didn’t write about it, but instead took a break from writing and enjoyed every moment with the love of my life. We celebrated 23 years of marriage in 2023!
I am going to take a moment to brag about my youngest son, Joshua. Last year, he auditioned for a music magnet program and was chosen to play as a trumpeter in the high school band! Yes, I said high school. I can hardly believe it myself. Not only that, he’s a respectful and caring young man. My husband and I are so very proud of him.
My job as an associate professor was and has been challenging, and I was certainly surprised by the many positive comments I received from students on the anonymous survey they completed at the end of the semester. Wow! Honestly, I had a rough time remaining positive this past fall, but I must have done something right!
Lastly, I am pleased with my writing, editing, and publishing efforts this past year. I started my business, Your Book Journey Consulting, LLC, in 2021, and it has flourished! I have four clients who wrote and published books in 2023 (click here to read about them) and two who are currently on their way to the finish line! I am so proud of their efforts! This past year, I’ve done one-on-one book coaching, writing group coaching, editing services, and one-on-one publishing guidance. But my greatest pride and joy are the members of my Writing Accountability Group. In 2023, we had over 20 women participate!
My personal writing journey was met with a few challenges. I had a goal to write my 3rd book, but I couldn’t seem to cultivate the discipline to get it done. Nevertheless, I am so grateful for this blog/podcast! Bible, Books, and Busyness has given me the opportunity to not only exercise my writing skills but it’s given me a platform to really encourage myself and others. I am amazed at how God has been using it to bless people and at how so many new subscribers have chosen to come alongside me.
It was truly an eventful 2023 for me. Thank you, Jesus!
What were some of your experiences in 2023? Please share them in the comments. I’d love to hear from you!
🙏 Feel free to click the ❤️ or share button on this post so more people can discover it on Substack 😍
You can find me in the following places:
Amazon: Yvonne Marie
Audible: Yvonne Marie
Goodreads: Yvonne Marie
Good Bye, 2023!