I’ve been doing a fun little series on my Instastories on authority, and I feel like it’s shifted the way that I look at my goals. Instead of writing out my goals for the month and checking them off one by one, or not checking them off at all because I get overwhelmed, I’ve been simply “taking authority” over areas of my life that, quite frankly, have felt like areas of defeat.

What I’ve learned is this: using a little bit of different language in regards to what you want to accomplish can be life giving! Instead of “I’m going to clean out my car” I said, “I’m taking authority over my car.” It is freeing, empowering, and for me, it’s re-established the joy and authority I have in taking care of my home.

So my August Goals are the following! But instead of saying they are my August Goals, this month I’m trying something new.

These are the areas where I’m taking authority in my life - big and small. I’ll report back and let you know how it changed or didn’t change the results!

August areas of Authority

• School Prep and Supplies for all the kids

• Playroom toys

• My car

• Front closet

• 2018 Photo Album

• Eating and Exercise [trying a 30 day intense workout at home program, as well as a no sugar, high protein diet. Sheesh! Lots of authority needed here!]

• Kids Clothes Cleanout and storage

What about you? Do you feel a difference when you say “I’m taking authority over ____” v. “I’m going to do ____"? Would love to know if you’ve tried it!

Also feel free to visit my IG Highlight called “Authority” if you want to follow along! I’ll be chiming in there all month long.

There’s a LOT going on in my family in July!!

Going to Beaufort, NC for July 4th with Will’s side of the fam
My Dad turns 70 on July 10th!
My little brother is getting married on July 17th!
My sister is due to have her baby… also on July 17th! (prayyyying I can make it there in time!)
We have a week trip planned to Nashville at the end of the month as well, to visit the new baby!

So my goals are to keep my body healthy, my little family alive and happy, to pack and unpack several times, and to make time move my body, to read, to plan ahead for the next quarter, and get my laptop organized.

Also to eat a million peaches and lots of cold, sweet watermelon and make a blueberry cobbler and homemade icecream!

July Goals

Read The Nightingale
Read Digital Minimalism
Q3 Planning with Sammy Jo
Laptop File Cleanup
Workout 3x a week

Also, I’m super proud of having all of my podcast episodes already recorded and done for this month AS OF THIS MORNING, July 1st. My plan is to rest, to learn a LOT, to teach what I’ve learned, and to plan for Q3. I’m pumped. Here’s what’s comin on the pod:

Ep 70: A recap of Crucial Conversations - an extraordinary book. You’ll want to bookmark this podcast episode to come back to when you need to have a hard conversation. Trust me.

Ep 71: 5 ways to make the most of the rest of your summer

Ep 72: What I’ve recently learned about fear

Ep 73: Rhythms and Mindset with Allie Casazza

Here’s to making the most of this exciting summer month!

Just for fun, (since every blogger sometimes wonders… does anyone still read this thing?) choose one of these 3 Q’s and answer in the comments!

What’s your favorite summer fruit?
Does your family have anything special going on?
Tell me about a favorite July tradition!

A little about me—Nancy Ray!

In case you are new here, I thought it might be fun to share a little bit about me!

• My husband and I got married at 21 & 22, while I was still in college!

• I’m a 3 with a 4 wing on the enneagram.

• I’ve run 3 half marathons and hope to run a full marathon one day.

• Motherhood scared me and I fought it for a long long time. Thankfully, by God’s grace, I’m now a mama of 3 beautiful girls. (I am meeting my 3rd girl so soon! Due: Dec 10) **Update: We had a surprise baby BOY!**

• I LOVE my morning routine, but it hasn’t always been that way. These days my routine is pretty simple: Coffee, Scripture, Prayer and a lit candle.

• My husband and I paid off our house when we were 25 & 26! We are huge Dave Ramsey nerds and love debt freedom. This year we bought another house and are back in debt, but working fervently to pay this one off in a year or two!

• I’ve always loved photography. I started out taking pictures of my horse figurines set up in creeks when I was in middle school (lol!)… you gotta start somewhere! I am so grateful to do work that I love.

• I wasn’t always a reader, and I still don’t pick up a book “for fun.” I schedule in the time for reading because I truly do love it and it changes me. But it’s a discipline I have to plan for!

• I became a follower of Jesus when I was 11 on June 22. 10 years later, I married Will on June 22. 22 is my favorite number because of these incredibly important decisions, and June 22 is the most special day in my heart.

• Will and I were in musicals together in High School, and we still love musical theater! We were in Sound of Music (He was Rolph, I was a nun), Oklahoma (He was Curly, I was Ado Annie), The Wiz (He was the Tinman, I was Dorothy), and West Side Story (I was Anita, and he had graduated!).

• I’ve read through the Bible twice, and I can’t wait to read through it again.