Since it is almost the New Year, I did some research to make an idea list for New Year's Resolutions. I searched the Internet to find ideas that will help improve our spiritual lives.
- Resolve to be a missionary right where you are: your work place, neighborhood, school, congregation.
- Resolve to include Jesus in all parts of your life
- Resolve to equip yourself for the Spiritual battle that is taking place in your life, with more prayer and more Bible study.
- Resolve to work together as Christians, supporting one big ministry for God, instead of competing with each other.
- Resolve to cut back or remove spiritually negative influences on your life: TV, music, entertainment, negative people.
- Resolve to serve God every day.
- Resolve to pray for your husband on a regular basis, even when you're mad at him.
- Resolve to deal with the emotional problems that keep you at an unhealthy weight, which negatively influences your spiritual growth.
- Resolve to manage money better, so that there will be more to give to God's work.
- Resolve to pray for your children, minister to your children, pray that your children will grow up to serve God.
- Resolve to follow God's will for your life, to fulfill His goals for you.
- Resolve to forgive and get rid of the bitterness that can destroy you.
- Resolve to not become proud of your spiritual growth and wisdom, but to give God the glory.
- Resolve to let your Christian light shine, ask yourself - What would Jesus do?
- Resolve to encourage and pray for Christians in their ministry - pastors, church workers, volunteers, missionaries, Christian teachers, and any Christian ministry worker.
- Resolve to rely on God's strength to help you, instead of worldly advice or trying to comfort yourself with an unhealthy addiction.
- Resolve to learn from your mistakes and to grow spiritually, instead of letting them discourage you.
- Resolve to base your decisions on what the Bible says, instead of what the culture says is okay.
- Resolve to have patience with everyone in your life: children, husband, church members, co-workers, etc.
- Resolve to be thankful to God for his - unconditional love, provision, and guidance - even if you don't feel it.
Our family starts the new year watching It's a Wonderful Life. What a great movie to remind us that our life is not our own. We should be seeking after God's will for our lives. George Bailey was given a special gift - to see the difference his life made to others. We don't get to see most of the ways that we positively influence others. So, we have to trust that God's plans are the best plans for us.
You may get to heaven and find out that:
- the neighbor kid you invited to church, decided to try church again in college.
- the child you taught in VBS, brought her parents to church.
- the person you listened to and encouraged didn't commit suicide.
- the Christian ministry worker you thanked decided to stay working for the ministry.
- the person you gave a Christian tract to, read the tract and accepted God's gift of salvation.
- the Christian high school student you motivated, decided to go to Bible college to study ministry work.
- the poor family you shared your food with, shared food with another family later on.
- your good example made a child want to serve God.
- a couple decided not to divorce, because of the example of your marriage.
We can't possible imagine all of the ways God has been using us. This year, I am going to try to ask God everyday - "Lord, what do You want me to do today? Please show me."He uses us where we are at. We don't have to wait until we've been a Christian for 5 years, gone to Bible school, read through the entire Bible, or read Christian books. Even children can be used by Him daily. We just have to be submissive to Him and His will for us, and obedient when He shows us what to do. Plus, we need to keep growing spiritually. I encourage you to start the new year asking Him - What do you want me to do today?
I've been so excited about the New Year that I haven't properly said good-bye to the Old Year. I guess I'm just anxious to move on and experience new things. There were a lot of significant events last year - some good and some really bad. But they all were a part of my life and need to be a part of my memories.
What do I want to acknowledge about myself in regard to 2007?
- Did too much worrying about how God was going to take care of me and my family.
- Discovered emotional problems that I need to stop suppressing and deal with.
- Realized that I don't really want to be a nurse after all, I'm much more interested in Christian counseling.
- Found out that I actually like working for free, if I'm working for God.
What happy events do I want to remember from 2007? - Traveled to the West Coast 3 times to visit my family.
- Tagged along on my husband's business trips and therefore got to explore Manhattan, Lancaster PA, and the Gettysburg Battlefield.
- Started going to a wonderful Christian church that preaches from the Bible, prays often, and witnesses to the world.
What is there to grieve from 2007? - My brother-in-law, Steve, decided to commit suicide. He didn't get professional help when he needed it. He didn't understand that others could help him work through his problems. He didn't realize how it would devastate his family, cause his loved ones to blame themselves, and leave behind lots of problems for others to have to deal with. He didn't think about how people would feel when they discovered how he died. He didn't understand that he would be messing up the plans that God had for his future. He didn't know how much he would be missed.
What else do I want to say about 2007 to declare it complete?
- I learned from the things I regret saying and doing, and I got better at saying "I'm sorry".
- God's will for my life isn't just some future plan. I can live in God's will now, on a daily basis.
- Another year has come and gone. I didn't use my time as wisely as I should have, but I got much better at it.
Good-Bye 2007.
What would like to say about 2007 to declare it complete?
The Sunday Scribblings prompt for this week is "New".
This year, I want to be a new woman with a new attitude. I want those I know to say: "Hey. Is there something different about you?"
- Away with the bitterness. It only hurts me when I hang on to the hurt, feeling too wounded to forgive.
- Away with the impatience. God sure has been patient with me. He waited 17 years for me to get back to church.
- Away with fear and worry. I've finally realized that it really doesn't make my circumstances better.
- Away with competitiveness. Jesus wants us to work together and encourage each other.
- Away with laziness. I only have so much time on this earth.
- Away with unhealthy eating habits. I want that physical energy back, that I had 7 years ago.
- Away with being unappreciative. God gives me blessings every day, things I don't deserve and haven't earned.
- Away with hoping in my plans. They've been known to change for the better. Thank you, Jesus.
Today, I received an email from Ron Hutchcraft Ministries.Ron said: "My prayer for 2008 is that you won’t just make a casual "new year’s resolution" of some kind. My prayer is that rescue will become a burning passion of your heart - that every day you will look for, and seek out opportunities to share the hope you have in Jesus."There are so many ways to participate in evangelism. You can: let your Christian light shine to your neighbors, witness through Christian community projects, support existing evangelism and ministry projects, help attract non-Christians to your church.
It is important to tell people that they need a Savior, because one day they will face God’s judgment for their sins. If they aren't going to heaven, they are going to hell. That is the awful reality.
There are hundreds of witnessing ideas for individuals, families, and churches at the Easy to Evangelize site.
(The clip art is from ChristArt.com)
