I do what is called a New Year’s Theme. It is similar to a resolution — but with a twist. These started out as something some girlfriends and I began doing 5 years ago (this year will be the 6th time). We decided to stop making resolutions, but instead, themes for the year. A theme for God to teach us through instead of a resolution.

My theme for 2009 was “Just Keep Swimming,” taken from Dori in the movie “Finding Nemo” when she says to Marlin, “when life gets you down, do you know what you gotta do? Just keep swimming…”

The whole idea behind this theme for me personally was while I couldn’t control my circumstances — I wanted God to teach me to control how I reacted to them. Play the victim … or take a tip from Dori and just keep swimming and in that, gain victory.

Let’s just say that when you ask God to teach you something… He sure will. Even if you fight it the whole way through. That’s how it has been every year I set a theme.

2009 was extremely challenging: in my health, financially, in my family, among friends, in my job, within my church and in many other areas of my life. I failed many times in how I reacted to my circumstances. But in midst of the challenges, God remained faithful and also handed me one of the most rewarding years of my life.

Now, my theme for 2010 is “Dream Big!”

It is pretty self-explanatory, but in brief my theme comes from the book, The Dream Giver by Bruce Wilkinson.

“Each person has been created for a life of purpose and significance. In fact, from childhood we deeply and inherently desire to know and pursue a life’s dream. Our true dream is also the dream of The Dream Giver—the destiny uniquely fashioned for each of us. Yet not one in ten people is actively pursuing their life dream… The risk of not pursuing our destiny is disillusionment, fear, compromise and corruption. But the promise of pursuing our dream is that we’ll fulfill our created purpose and be part of what the Dream Giver deeply desires to bring about in our lives and in our world. You too have been given a Big Dream. One that can change your life. One that the Dream Giver wants you to achieve.”

Dreams are very important because they are meant to be God-breathed. If what we dream for our lives is the same as what God dreams for our lives: the passion for it to come to fruition is relentless.

I believe that I am embarking on that dream.

2010 may or may not hold the dream, but I am going to continue to dream big in anticipation for His timing of it.

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And don’t miss Project 365—my daily series of photography posts for 2010.