Some people love New Year’s resolutions, some people hate them. I know the arguments against.
But I’m on the side of enjoying resolutions and that sense of a fresh start at the beginning of the year. So today — New Year’s Day — I thought I’d share my 2015 resolutions for myself and for Hot, Holy & Humorous with you. I hope you’ll share yours with me in the comments!
1. Release Behind Closed Doors: Inspirational Stories on Marriage and Intimacy. Last year, it was my goal to release a collection of short stories in the summer, then it became the fall, and finally after the start of the year. *sigh* It just so happened that one of my stories needed a complete rewrite, and now that’s done, I’m polishing up the book and getting ready to publish. At this point, I am aiming for a Valentine’s season release. I’m particularly excited about sharing some fiction with you, since that’s what I write when I’m not writing about sex and marriage and I believe in the power of story.
2. Get Intimacy Revealed into as many formats as possible. Currently, you can get my books through Amazon and Barnes & Noble. However, I don’t believe either book is on iBooks or Kobo, and I want to get them there. I really don’t want anyone who wishes to read my books to be hampered by issues of format. That also means that I’m hoping and praying I can release audiobooks as well. (I’d actually like to do a “read by author” version, if at all possible.)
Edited to add: Intimacy Revealed on Kobo and Hot, Holy and Humorous on Kobo
3. Read more marriage and intimacy books. I read several in 2014, but I want to read more. Thankfully, so many more books and resources on Christian marriage and sex exist now than ten, twenty, thirty years ago. If someone else has put out fabulous material, I want to learn what they have to say and be able to point my readers to that resource. So I’m gathering my list of books I definitely want to read, hoping I can get to at least 10 next year.
4. Reveal myself. Ack! There, I said it. I guess I can’t take it back now, can I? (Can I?) When I started blogging four years ago, I had several reasons for choosing anonymity. It’s funny that many people assume I did so simply so I could speak more freely about sex, but I’ve always operated on the assumption that my words and my identity would someday be matched in public. And I don’t think I’ve said anything that would prohibit me from showing my face. (Have I?) Anyway, my reasonable concerns about revealing myself have been disintegrating over the years, as I knew they would eventually. So yeah, I’m planning to put a face with the name. But nothing much will change here at Hot, Holy & Humorous. I’ve always been myself, and I plan to still go by “J” since I’ve come to like that moniker and it feels comfortably familiar.
5. Start speaking. I’d say “Ack!” here too, but I already used that above. Here’s the truth: I’ve done some public speaking before. Just not on sex. But I obviously have a passion for passion, and I’ve been getting the sneaking suspicion it’s time to take my message to live audiences. (Double Ack!) Don’t expect a 30-city tour or something, but I will likely open myself up to a few speaking engagements in the latter part of 2015. If I don’t trip on stage or otherwise make a complete fool of myself, I’ll keep speaking.
6. Attend a ministry conference. This is actually on my “bucket list,” which I far prefer to call my “life list” since the bucket I’ll be kicking is many, many years down the road. Regardless, I enjoy attending conferences. The education, encouragement, and enthusiasm can ignite new excitement for the work one does. I’m perusing possibilities, but I’m praying my funds and my calendar will allow me to attend a professional conference next year, one that will spur me on in my ministry here.
So that’s it for my resolutions! What would you like to see me (“J”) or Hot, Holy & Humorous do in 2015? And what are your own resolutions for the New Year?
* * * * *
What does the Bible say about sexual intimacy?
Quite a lot actually. From marriage-specific scriptures to biblical principles, Intimacy Revealed: 52 Devotions to Enhance Sex in Marriage guides Christian wives through weekly devotions that shed light on God’s gift of marital sex.
Each week includes a Bible passage, application, questions, and a prayer. These short devotions will deepen your understanding of God’s design of sexuality and encourage you toward a holier, happier, and hotter marriage.
Purchase:
Amazon for Kindle
Barnes & Noble for Nook
Print book
Woke up at 3 am thinking about my “bucket list” for this year…
1. Do something about Porn – I think we all need to be part of the solution. We need to equip everyone to understand what it is, what it is not, what it does and how to help others so that we can get out of the closet and into the light. My thoughts are trying to get my church to teach on it so that when someone deals with it with their kid, spouse, grandchild, friend, or self, they will know how to react and point towards help and support. The other thing I’ve been thinking about doing is trying to create some kind of forum to have an honest discussion of what helps and what doesn’t
2. Talk to 3 churches this year to see if they would consider offering my 6 week Awaken love class.
3. Visit 1 National Park this year with my husband to start our journey of trying to visit all of the National Parks together.
4. Show my faith more authentically to my grown kids.
5. Love my extended family that lives in another state better.
6. Try to incorporate some role playing into my marriage bed, just for fun and because I’ve never done anything like that before.
Thanks for all that you do
Great goals. And you’re quite welcome. Blessings for a wonderful 2015!
I’ve been thinking all day about your 4th goal of revealing yourself. I remember the first time that I advertised at my church that I was teaching a class on sex. Even though close friends knew, it was in many ways a surreal experience to hang fliers in the women’s bathroom and let everyone know . I felt like I walking around naked all day, and thankfully a friend prayed for me, I still struggle at times, thinking that others are uncomfortable around me, but really, everyone has been enormously supportive.
Thanks for sharing this, Ruth!
Hooray for #4!
~S
Thanks! đŸ™‚
Here’s a trick for making your deadlines really stick (for #1). Maybe you don’t have the kind of problem with setting deadlines for yourself and then completely ignoring them that I do, but my trick is to get someone else to hold me accountable. So give somebody (Spock mabye?), like $20 that they can only return to you if you meet your deadline. Now you’ve got something really on the line if you slip.
Thanks! But I’m also thinking my deadlines will stick better when I take a few more things off my plate, including cleaning my own house. It’s been hard for me to make that decision, but when a couple of my important deadlines whoosh by, I think it’s time to take stock and see what I can give up or delegate to others.
Honestly, I am kinda jealous of your anonymity. I just threw myself out there. Some days I wish I hadn’t. Give that one some thought. Not really much choice if you start speaking more. I am still avoiding that one. Not sure folks are ready to see that I am not pretending to be as coarse and confrontational as I sound in my writing. This ain’t an act.
Loving the blog. Keep it up.
Thanks.
Well, all I can say is that anonymity sounds really awesome, but it does have its own challenges. I’m not saying it’s not easier (I don’t yet have the comparison to even say such a thing), but it’s been more than simply not revealing my name — it’s taken some effort to go this route. And while there’s a part of me that feels nervous about revelation, another part anticipates it will be a relief. But we’ll see…
Blessings, Erik!