I am really bad at New Year’s resolutions. I mean, really bad. Most of us are am I right? It tends to be much easier to come up with a resolution than to actually follow through with it. Believe me I really did try.
One year it was to eat better. That might have lasted a week. Bottom line: I like chocolate too much.
Another year it was to work out more, to counter act the unhealthy eating. But that is easier said than done when you get really busy, and TV tends to win out when you’re tired from a long day.
Yet another year it was to floss more, because confession, I am the world’s worst flosser. And of course, as the holder of that title, the flossing didn’t last long either (I should really still work on that though).
And here we are at a new year! It is crazy to think that we can say that today it is January 1st, 2016. It is a fresh new year; the ups and downs of 2015 are far behind us as we take what we have learned from that year and focus on this one.
And with a new year comes those resolutions.
Thankfully my resolution is now just a word. But it isn’t just any word.
At my church our pastor came up with this idea called My One Word. Instead of picking a resolution to work on, you pick a word you want to live by for the year. It is a way to assess where you are right now in your walk with Christ and how you can become closer to Him.
It goes from being self-centered to Christ-centered.
It goes from being about who I want to become, to who God wants me to become.
Let’s face it; I can do nothing without Christ.
And even if for a second I thought I could, He states clearly in John 15:5 “…apart from Me you can do nothing.”
You can certainly try, but from experience, any time I try to do things on my own I am always running back to Him for help. It is humbling to know that even in my foolishness He is always there to catch me.
So why would I want to take start this new year focusing on what I want? I would much rather focus on Christ and what He desires of me. In doing so He gives me what I desire. Psalm 37: 4-5 says “Take delight in the Lord and He will give you your heart’s desires. Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust Him and He will help you.”
Trust was my word for 2015.
As 2014 drew to a close I spent some time dwelling on where I was in my walk with Christ. What did I struggle with? What did I need to work on? Who, in Christ did I want to become? Most importantly, who did He want me to become?
I picked trust because, if you read my last blog, I like to have control over things. And I knew a lot would happen in 2015. A lot I didn’t have control over. I knew I would eventually be applying for the World Race, but what if I wasn’t accepted? I had been praying over that for a while. I would be student teaching, graduating and looking for a job. What if I came all this way to find out I wasn’t really a good teacher? What if I can’t find a job?
As I sat there and started to get nervous about the year that hadn’t even started yet, Jesus, as He does best, hit me upside the head.
“Why are you so worried? Do you not trust me to get you through these things?”
There were a lot of what-ifs last year. But I learned that the more I trust in Him, and lean on Him, the more the worries and stresses of this world fade away. Anytime I had a moment of weakness when the worry would start to creep in, I would remind myself to trust Him. Just trust.
He is in control so I don’t have to be.
In His timing, I was accepted to be His hands and feet in this world this year. 2016! I realized my passion for little hearts and minds is stronger than ever. And I have a job.
In focusing on Him, trusting in Him, He gave me the desires of my heart.
My word for this year is intentional.
I noticed that in my walk, even though I grew in how I trusted the Lord, I let the business of life take over, and I was not spending time with Him. The only way to really truly grow in my faith is to be in His presence, and in that I have lacked.
In 2016 intentionality is my focus. I will not let my busy schedule affect my time with Him. With a job and fundraising it would be easy to make excuses on why I don’t have time But there is always time, it comes to what I find is most important.
I want to be intentional with Him
I want to be intentional with my friends and family.
August is going to look a little different. Next year is going to look a little different.
I am excited to see what God is going to do through me in just 8 months from now. But I am even more excited to see what God is going to show me and grow me in as He prepares me for the Race.
I am excited to be with my friends and family, to really press into being with them. To share who Jesus is to me with them. I am excited to learn more and grow with my World Race family! They are such beautiful brothers and sisters in Christ already.
I am excited to continue diving into His Word; to be intentional. Carving out a specific time every day to focus on Him. To dig deeper and learn more about who He is, and what being a Christ follower should look like.
And through it all, I can’t wait to see what God is going to do.
Here’s to 2016!
What’s your one word?
