New Years Resolutions

It's that time of year again. The time of year where everyone, including me, makes New Year's resolutions--some they stick to and some they don't. A few years ago, someone challenged me that while making resolutions, I should probably focus more on the ones that could really make an impact on my life. Yes, losing a few pounds is always good and makes me feel a lot better, but what are the resolutions that I can make that will benefit my soul.

So, in gearing up for your New Year's resolutions, I encourage you to ask yourself what God would have you work on over the next year:

• Maybe you've never read the bible from cover to cover. Why not make it a goal to do this over the next year. There are many different plans to help you do this. One that I have found helpful is http://www.bibleplan.org/.

• Maybe there are some areas of your life that you are struggling to give over to God. Why not make it a goal to memorize 10 bible verses and pray for spiritual freedom on the area of struggle. (i.e. Unforgiveness- Matthew 5:44, Lust 5:27-28, etc...)

• Maybe you desire to know the bible better. Why not make it a goal to memorize 52 random verses (1 per week) and do a focused study on one specific book of the bible?

• Maybe your prayer life is struggling. Why not do a topical study from Scripture on prayer and commit to praying 5 & 5 (5 minutes / 5 days a week)? Of course you can pray longer, but start small and work up.

So, think about it. Pray over it. What would God have you do over the next year to benefit your soul. What changes need to take place in your life that will bring about more intimacy between you and your heavenly Father? What spiritual disciplines can you develop that will help you to foster an attitude of dependence on God for all things?

Blessings in the New Year!