Some (Late) Goals for 2026
Farewell 2025!
This past year has been a gift from the Lord and many memories were collected along the way. Reflecting on the past I can attest to my relationship with the Lord growing like never before. He has been my constant affection and the more I seek him—the more I love him.
I have intentionally read new books that have deepened my faith (I highly recommend Systematic Theology by Wayne Grudem ;), I started to teach women’s Sunday School at my church, my Christian friendships have only deepened, I have met new people, and God’s hand has been hovering over me every step of the way.
After many persistent months, I finally got the hang of making sourdough. I became passionate about writing and worked hard to learn and create my blog. I enjoyed weekend trips and concerts and volleyball and long nights laughing with friends.
While past years of my life have been a woven mix of joy and sorrow, I can honestly say 2025 has primarily been a time of ongoing joy. I rejoice in God during the highs and lows of life but am also thankful for the constant overflow of happy moments this past year has bestowed.
If I could give 2025 one word it would be focus.
The Lord in his mercy has led me, through the Holy Spirit, to have him at the center of my life. Jesus is not a puzzle piece of who I am but the reason for my living.
In my spare time, he has planted the desire within me to seek him through study and worship. I have intentionally sought out other people through young adult groups who love Jesus as much as I do and have the drive to learn more about him through his Word.
I by no means am attempting to boast about myself but to praise Christ and the active work he has done in my life.
2025, you were a gift and will be fondly remembered.
3 Words I Want to SIT on for 2026:
I know many individuals write out New Year's resolutions. Not saying that creating personal goals for oneself is meaningless. In fact, I am sure much good can come from it.
I personally, like most, have never been strict on keeping my goals. For this year, instead of committing to training for a marathon or reading books galore (which I hope to do—reading not training lol), I want to take three words to highlight my year.
These words have been thought out and it is my hope to see growth in my life.
These words are umbrellas. As these words hover over my life it is my hope that I would grow to savor every moment, be intentional with the relationships and responsibilities set before me, and trust God when I trek the mountains and valleys.
SAVOR Every Moment
“This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” (Ps. 118:24)
Something that I begin to see change in 2025 and hope to only grow in is to slow down.
As a culture, we love to chase after the next thing. It seems like the present is never enough because the future is what our heart often desires.
I do not want to live this way.
Every moment, even the dull moments, is beautiful and I want to thoroughly enjoy its flavor. I hate the thought of reaching the end of my life and realizing that I never enjoyed each day and only lived in tomorrow. Each present day is precious because the spiritual freedom I experience was bought at a price. The Lord has countless, ample opportunities for me today.
May each conversation, every note I play on the piano, every sunset painted be savored. May my heart be soaked in the richness of God’s grace.
“Each present day is precious because the spiritual freedom I experience was bought at a price.”
Savor is a word that I hope will be used to its fullest. I want my time with the Lord, conversations with others, landscapes, meals, and times of silence to be enjoyed. Every moment has been redeemed by the Gospel.
2. Be INTENTIONAL
This second word links with savor.
Not only do I want every moment to be enjoyed but I want to be intentional with my time.
Whether massive or minuscule, I want everything I do to be done with intentional excellence.
I want to be an artist. I want every stroke of time to be lived with vibrant, colorful precision. I want every day to be a masterpiece of beauty. Not to say every moment will be perfect—that would be a terrible misconception. Instead, while each new day is a blank canvas for me, it is a finished masterpiece for God.
Being intentional means stewarding whatever God has assigned for me with care.
The future has already been created.
Every day this year and beyond I get to seek the Lord and walk as Jesus walked. Biblical intentionality would be crushing without the Holy Spirit dwelling within me. Apart from God, my best effort to try would be self-righteous religion. It may look genuine on the outside but rotting bones within (Matt. 23:27).
“while each new day is a blank canvas for me, it is a finished masterpiece for God.”
Jesus was intentional. By the access of the Gospels we see he was intentionally praying to his Father. Christ was intentional with the miracles he performed. Jesus was intentional when he saw the hurt and compassion seeped from his heart.
I want this year and the rest of my days to be intentional when I rest and minister just like Jesus did. He is the example I am called to follow and this includes how he exhibited intentionality.
3. TRUST in the Lord
My hope for 2026 is that moments of surrender will constantly be displayed before the Father.
By the grace of God, there will be moments when I feel completely surrendered before the Lord. Like times in 2025, there was a large collection of occasions where I grew discontent. There were times when trusting God felt like a foreign concept.
I wish I could say that 2026 will be perfect (Ha! It won’t be!)
My hope and constant prayer for 2026 will be to surrender to the Lord. Nothing is more freeing than releasing my will through my cold, frail fingers. Resting my life in my Father’s hands is where true surrender lies. There is no concern about whether or not God can be trusted. He formed me in utero, knows the hairs on my head, reads every worry that my mind has created, and has my days counted down to the exact second.
Time and time again, generation to generation, he has proven himself to be trustworthy. In fact, he is the only reason why truth exists. Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life.” (Jn. 14:6a)
There will be numerous occasions when I fly through days and time zips in a blur. What happened to savoring? There will be times when I wrestle with laziness and I have ears but do not listen to others. What happened to intentionality? In the moments of failure I can trust that God is still good and I can surrender all doubts and worries to him.
2026 is a long road of unknown. Anxiety does not have to sink into my soul because my God has already created every moment of 2026.
Things I Want to Pursue (Hone In) in 2026:
2026 has an array of possibilities and memories that just need to be captured. Looking ahead to the future, here is a list of things I hope to pursue and perfect.
Read More
I made it a goal last year to read more and it is a habit I wish to continue in 2026.
I strongly believe that you become what you consume. Since that is the case I only want to consume wholesome and healthy content.
If I had to specifically list some books that will venture off the shelf soon it would be The Abolition of Man by C.S. Lewis, Desiring God by John Piper, and Radical by David Platt, (just to name a few ;) While the content of good authors is essential, it is also key to take note of their writing style. Since I personally want to exercise my writing muscles having trainers (like the genius C.S. Lewis for example) will prove to be profitable.
Bake Lots
Instead of baking new recipes I believe I want to perfect what I started in 2025. :)
Last year I picked up the hobby of making sourdough bread after much trial and error. This year, I hope to expand by adding more inclusions to my bread and making more discard recipes. Sourdough cookies and bagels will hopefully be in the making.
There is not much that is more delicious than a Crumbl cookie. Unfortunately, the closest location is 45 minutes away and is rather expensive just for one cookie. Instead, I found someone on Pinterest who makes amazing copycat Crumbl recipes and I can make them from the comfort of my own home. (I will attach some of my favorite recipes below.)
Crumbl Snickerdoodle Cupcake Cookies
Crumble Maple Cinnamon Roll Cookies
If I had to pick anything else I could perfect with baking it would be cupcakes. I’m not referring to plain Betty Crocker cupcakes but fancy, made-from-scratch with filling, and homage buttercream cupcakes!
Fingers crossed my baking expertise will hopefully grow a bit this year.
Work on Blogging and Social Media
Blogging and social media have been a huge passion of mine for years now. Thankfully, it has become an avenue that I have been able to pave. However, I am still in the process of creating and perfecting.
I love to create and in the process, it is my goal to minister to young, Christian women in their walk with Christ.
This process feels like I am a permit driver again—I do not know what I am doing! I am constantly driving hoping not to bulldoze any mailboxes. Navigating new paths almost always involves making mistakes. It is intimidating, yes, but it is formative to see progress.
If it is his will to give me a platform, God will be the one on the stage—not me.
“I love to create and in the process, it is my goal to minister to young, Christian women in their walk with Christ.”
Family and Friend Time
I have been so blessed with a wonderful family and incredible friends. Deepening my relationships with them is one of my utmost priorities.
I am the oldest out of six kids so you can guess that there is always someone to talk to and our ages are widely spread. Whether it is playing volleyball with my brothers or baking with my seven-year-old sister, I hope each moment will be savored and treated with intentionality.
Likewise, the Christian friends in my life make my life all the more vibrant. Any kind of relationship requires work. I can honestly say that all of my friendships stem from the work Christ has done within us. Whether it is texts or laughing uncontrollably late at night, they, like my family, highlight my life.
I can not wait to see how God will work through all of my relationships this year. They are the backbone of who I am and have beautifully impacted me
Let me know what your highlights from 2025 are and your goals for this new year.
As always, please contact me. I would love to hear from you! My email is alannahbryantwrites@gmail.com :)
