Happy New Year!!!
My cousin Matt sent me an email of "Ten Questions to Ask at the Start of a New Year or On Your Birthday." I want to be sure and make some time in the next couple of days to go through each question in order to be more intentional & diligent & responsible & Christ-like in this new year. I came up with some more new years resolutions of my own on Breakthru, a retreat I attended as a college chaperon Dec.28-31.
I understand these changes won't happen overnight and CERTAINLY won't happen by my own efforts, apart from the Holy Spirit, which does not give an excuse for passivity but does not permit me to be all about my efforts like the Pharisees.
~I want this to be my theme verse for the year: Ephesians 5:1-2.
Be imitators of God, therefore as dearly loved children, and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us.
(What does it look like to 'live a life of LOVE'? Well, according to 1 Corinthians 13, LOVE:
-IS patient, kind; humble, self-less
-IS NOT envious, boastful, proud (seeking its own benefit), rude, self-seeking, easily angered, keeping record of wrongs, rejoicing in evil
-ALWAYS protects, trusts, hopes, perseveres; IS durable (doesn't give up)
-ALWAYS bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things
-NEVER fails
~I want to live a more simple, disciplined life.
~I want it to be more about HIM & less about me.
~I want to produce the fruits of the spirit in my life (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, & self-control).
~I want to make progress in unlearning pride & fear I've accumulated over the years.
~I want my life to be about the mission of God.
~I want to be more diligent, intentional, responsible, appropriate, & pay more attention to details.
~I want to become better at speaking, & choose my words more wisely & gossip less.
~I want to give outwardly, not inwardly, using my talents & $ to help others, giving more to others and less to myself.
~I want to be a better listener.
~I want to not get mad about stupid things (like stupid drivers).
~I want to slow down.
---Matt's email ---
Once, when the people of God had become careless in their relationship with Him, the Lord rebuked them through the prophet Haggai. "Consider your ways!" (Haggai 1:5) he declared, urging them to reflect on some of the things happening to them, and to evaluate their slipshod spirituality in light of what God had told them.
Even those most faithful to God occasionally need to pause and think about the direction of their lives. It's so easy to bump along from one busy week to another without ever stopping to ponder where we're going and where we should be going.
The beginning of a new year is an ideal time to stop, look up, and get our bearings. To that end, here are some questions to ask prayerfully in the presence of God.
1. What's one thing you could do this year to increase your enjoyment of God?
--"Be still" more in order to "KNOW" he is God PS 46:10
2. What's the most humanly impossible thing you will ask God to do this year?
3. What's the single most important thing you could do to improve the quality of your family life this year?
-Assume a more servant-like heart to put others first.
4. In which spiritual discipline do you most want to make progress this year, and what will you do about it?
-I just started reading "Celebration of Discipline" yesterday but haven't picked one yet
5. What is the single biggest time-waster in your life, and what will you do about it this year?
-Crusin' the Internet. Set a time limit?
6. What is the most helpful new way you could strengthen your church?
7. For whose salvation will you pray most fervently this year?
-Got it.
8. What's the most important way you will, by God's grace, try to make this year different from last year?
9. What one thing could you do to improve your prayer life this year?
-Pray much more, & be more intentional. I often fail to focus & fall asleep on God.
10. What single thing that you plan to do this year will matter most in ten years? In eternity?
-Does attend law school count? Because from there I could use that further learning as a stepping stone to a ministry.
In addition to these ten questions, here are twenty-one more to help you "Consider your ways." Think on the entire list at one sitting, or answer one question each day for a month.
11. What's the most important decision you need to make this year?
-Law school or job
12. What area of your life most needs simplifying, and what's one way you could simplify in that area?
--This is why I am reading "Celebration of Discipline" bc it has a chapter on simplicity, & de-accumulating.
13. What's the most important need you feel burdened to meet this year?
14. What habit would you most like to establish this year?
15. Who do you most want to encourage this year?
16. What is your most important financial goal this year, and what is the most important step you can take toward achieving it?
17. What's the single most important thing you could do to improve the quality of your work life this year?
18. What's one new way you could be a blessing to your pastor (or to another who ministers to you) this year?
19. What's one thing you could do this year to enrich the spiritual legacy you will leave to your children and grandchildren?
20. What book, in addition to the Bible, do you most want to read this year?
21. What one thing do you most regret about last year, and what will you do about it this year?
22. What single blessing from God do you want to seek most earnestly this year?
-Celebration of Discipline.
23. In what area of your life do you most need growth, and what will you do about it this year?
24. What's the most important trip you want to take this year?
25. What skill do you most want to learn or improve this year?
26. To what need or ministry will you try to give an unprecedented amount this year?
27. What's the single most important thing you could do to improve the quality of your commute this year?
28. What one biblical doctrine do you most want to understand better this year, and what will you do about it?
29. If those who know you best gave you one piece of advice, what would they say? Would they be right? What will you do about it?
30. What's the most important new item you want to buy this year?
31. In what area of your life do you most need change, and what will you do about it this year?
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