I spent the last Sunday of the year at Global Vision Bible Church in Mt. Juliet, TN. As every visit has been to GVBC, this one was just as great. I gained some perspective on what 2013 should look like and thought I'd share them with you.
Most people spend time thinking about New Year's Resolutions. They try and pick something that's really going to change their life for the better but sadly, most fail within 2 weeks. I think, however, that we should have New Year's Repentance. How much did we do, or didn't do, for God?
So, from Philipians, Paul gave us some great pointers on how to have joy...true joy. What an incredible passage from Philipians 3! I have a list of not Resolutions, but a list of things I am not going to take with me into 2013. And as vast as this list can be for each of us, here's a list from Phil 3.
In 2013 I will not...
1. Live Life Without Purpose.
I have a purpose in life and I need to find out what that is. Every Christian has a God-given calling and purpose...and I don't want to die without accomplishing that purpose. I want to love my kids more, to be a better Mother ins 2013. I want to be a better wife. I want to be a better friend, neighbor and Christian to all I come in contact with. I want to smile more, to laugh more, to give more. To do things with my boys for God that matter. I want to live a life with purpose!!
2. Be Unwilling to Grow.
I want to read my Bible more, to learn more about God, to grow grow grow in my relationship with Christ. I don't want to miss out on life with Him in every area of my life. If there's an area in my life that I don't let God in, I want it gone. I want God to reveal to me where I need to change so that I can be all He wants me to be.
3. Have Faith Without Focus.
Some people have a list of 100 things they want to do in life. I probably have a list of 200! I want to do so many things that sometimes I don't do any of the things I want because I have no clue what to do first. And when you do 200 things at a time, not one of them is done perfectly. God calls you to do few things in life, but may burden you to do more. I need to find out what I am called to do and what I am burdened to do. And do one thing at a time so that I can do it well! Please God, help me to focus in 2013!!
4. Have a Spirit of Regret.
What's done is done. What's in the past is in the past. Learn form it, grow from it but don't dwell on it. Press toward the mark...there's so much more God wants to do with you this week, this month, this year...Don't spend your time worrying about something you can't change!
5. Worry About Things that Have NO Eternal Value.
I want to teach my boys about giving, loving, serving...those things can't be measured. Instead of my boys remembering how many Christmas presents they got, how many things they got to do or how many great vacations we took, they're going to remember the things we did together as a family, for God. They'll remember serving with their Mother and Father and what a joy it was ti give rather than receive. These are treasures I want to store up in heaven...not here on earth.
When I look back on 2013 I want to say, "I lived every day to the fullest! I loved deeper, I laughed harder, I wept with those who wept, I had more passion for my children and I loved my husband all I could. I served God with all my heart, I prayed more, I read my Bible more...With all my might I lived...and I have no regrets...
Here's to 2013...may you have a blessed year with no regrets!
