Charting the Course for the New Year

^" Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. 

The old has passed away; behold, the new has come."

 2 Corinthians 5:17

I hope you all enjoyed the New Year and now are settling into the reality of all the beautiful NEW that lies before us. I love that this year is like a blank page that we, together with the Lord, get the privilege to fill. With that said, my position on New Year goals is this: time is a gift from God, therefore we need to be wise stewards of that time since it is limited and do what we can to glorify Him with it.

So that is why I like to plan. To make sure I am being faithful. To make sure I am worshiping Him accordingly with this valuable limited time we have left here.

I sat down two days ago with my children during Bible study time and we reviewed 2013--the good, the bad, the mistakes that we have learned from, how we served and then opened the discussion to how we can improve on 2014 and the hope that lies before us in Christ.

We discussed what we were looking forward to, how we would grow spiritually, what skills we could acquire, etc.  I love to hear their hearts, their dreams, and plan how to put them into action for them since often times they will need my help achieving them. I am also looking forward to planning pulling together some lovely titles for their new winter reading booklists.

 I am personally looking forward to going through some inspirational mentoring books (that I personally used as a young Christian) with my children as well--I can't wait to begin that!

I also noticed that every year I find myself asking the basic important questions:

What does God want me to do in 2014?

How do I envision myself in 2014 serving God?

What do I want to see accomplished in my marriage this year?

What do I want to see accomplished in each of our children/family this year?

What do I want to see accomplished in our homeschool?

What would I like to see each child doing/growing in/serving?

I like to sit down and pray over these things. I don't rush into it and I am very flexible. All of this looks different for every family and if I am going through a challenging season I try to make my goals more attainable.

 Here also are 8 key areas I also like to keep in mind as categories and look for growth and change in:

Spiritual Life--loving God first and foremost with all my heart, soul, strength and mind.

Family Life--loving and serving those at home first.

Home Life--taking good care of the place where our loved ones live.

Church Life--discovering, developing, and using our spiritual gifts, serving, etc.

Physical Life--making sure the 'vessel' our body is fit and able to serve the Lord and others.

Social Life--fitting in time for friends and neighbors.

Financial Life--being a wise steward of what God has given us.

Business Life - mapping out business goals that are doable to increase our family economy.

This year is going to be an exciting year for our family. If I could put it into one word, the word "transition" comes to mind. We will be expecting a new baby in May and also moving probably sometime in the summer, God willing. So the goal is to keep it all flexible and simple!


I also thought I'd throw in what Jonathon Edwards had to say about resolutions:


"Resolution One: I will live for God. 

Resolution Two: If no one else does, I still will.” 

If you don't make any goals or resolutions, that one is simple enough to remember!



And finally, here is a lovely verse I will leave with you to ponder upon:


"Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do, forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."  - Phillipians 3:13-14


How about you?

What plans or goals do you have going into the New Year? 

Encouraged here?

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