Happy New Year! It's out with the old, in with the new. As we say our goodbyes to 2017 we welcome the presence and hope brought by 2018. A fresh start is upon us so we begin to reflect on the previous year and commit to do things differently. Unfortunately, those commitments often fall by the wayside about halfway through the year. But I don't think New Years Resolutions are completely pointless. I do think there is good that comes from them. However, we have to come up with realistic resolutions in order for them to be effective. How can we do this? We must set goals that we know are achievable and stick to them. If we don't set any goals at all our successes will be limited. I think it is essential to plan ahead because if you don't, failure will follow you wherever you go. You cannot expect to pass a college class without preparing for each class period, completing homework, and studying for exams. Without preparation you will fail. I believe creating New Years Resolutions works in much the same way. If you don't set a realistic goal for yourself and prepare to reach it, then you will experience failure. Of course we learn from failure but sometimes our mistakes could be prevented if we simply took the time to prepare and plan ahead. I always try to think back to the past year and write down a few lessons I learned that I could carry with me into the new year.
Here are a few lessons I learned from 2017:
You will experience hurt but you can allow the pain to make you stronger, rather than becoming bitter.
Look for the good in people despite their mistakes. Don't be so quick to judge them without knowing their story.
Don't settle out of desperation.
Enjoy each moment with your loved ones because you never know when they will be taken from you.
Time is a precious gift, so make the most of it.
I will take each of these lessons to heart in the upcoming year and use them to help me create my Realistic Resolutions. The more resolutions I write down, the more accountable I will be in 2018. I think it is better to hold yourself to a higher standard rather than a lower one. Everyone's resolutions will look differently but I thought I would give my readers a peek into my resolutions for this year. I want them to know I'm not perfect and I have a lot of things to work on as a Christian, daughter, sister, and friend. I didn't do my best in 2017 so I want to make this year one for the books. I intend to live life to the fullest and make the most of the time I have been given. I believe the goals I am setting for myself are realistic and achievable if I have the end result in mind...growing closer to God.
My Resolutions
Keep God FIRST.
Stay true to myself.
Get a burden for lost souls and my community.
Be active in children's ministry.
Be patient.
Be kind.
Make an intentional effort to talk to people about Jesus.
Make the most of my time/ prioritize.
Take responsibility for my actions.
Release anger and ask for forgiveness.
Don't dwell on the past. Live in the present. Pray about the future.
Ignore the lies, doubt, and fear that try to invade my mind. Combat lies with truth.
Search my heart often to make sure I am living right.
Hold myself to a higher standard and don't back down.
Avoid distractions and negativity.
Be content with whatever season of life I find myself in.
Don't obsess over Someday (post coming soon).
Break old/ bad habits.
Explore: try new things.
Live every day like it was my last.
Rely on God and trust Him to work all things out.
I hope you will sit down and seriously consider what you want out of 2018. What goals do you hope to achieve? Don't sell yourself short on creating resolutions. Sometimes it can be a healthy start, a new beginning. It helps you realize that even though the last year wasn't so great you can be better in the days ahead. You don't have to stay stuck in the same place every year. It's time to make a change. Make sure your resolutions are realistic. Post them around the room or somewhere you will look at them every day. Let them serve as a reminder that you want to become the best version of yourself. While setting these goals, don't forget that you can't achieve them in your own strength. You must rely on God all through the year or you will crash and burn. Search your heart long and hard. Embrace the New Year and the blank page you have been given. You can start over. I pray you will all find the love of Jesus in 2018 and if you aren't saved, the greatest change you could experience this year is becoming a follower of Christ. All it takes is asking for forgiveness, committing your life, and then placing your trust in God for the days to come. If you haven't already, consider making a change this year. A new year means a new start and that could also mean a new you. What are your goals for 2018?