Goals, Resolutions, Plans???

We have reached a new year...with each new year, you hear the question "What are your New Years Resolutions?" or "What goals do you have for the New Year?" I will be honest...I struggle with setting Resolutions or Goals. Why? For this simple reason, if I set them then I am more likely to fail..thus disappointing myself. Now, before you start YES if I involve the Lord and make him a part of my goals or resolution then in His power I can do all things...Yet, as good as that sounds, if we are honest we know that it is HARD to lay things out in front of the Lord.

So...you may be wondering what the purpose of this post is. The purpose is this...I am forgoing on making goals or resolutions but instead laying out a PLAN for the New Year. Still making the Lord the center of the plan and seeking HIM for guidance and direction but instead of just laying out goals - I want to have a specific plan to reach those goals!

Therefore, here are some of the crucial elements of my plan:

1. Seek the Lord with all of my heart. I know this may sound a bit cliche but let me explain. 2011 was filled with MANY moments of lack of trust on my part, times where I was filled with doubt and depression that I have never experienced before. In order to overcome those moments, I had to truly seek to rediscover and experience the Lord in a way that I have honestly never done before. I had to literally reintroduce myself to Jesus by studying the book of John in depth, chapter by chapter. If you have never studied John in depth - I highly encourage you to do so! You will fall so deeply in love with Jesus!!! So - in my plan for 2012 - I want to SEEK HIM like never before - not just go through the motions or the ritual but to truly seek him in a new and in depth way.

2. Develop MEANINGFUL relationships. This is a part of the plan that is going to be a little more difficult because it will require laying aside my "dependance" on the on-line world and seek face to face relationships with the people that are in my "world". Don't get me wrong, I am not walking away from FB or my blog but I want to be investing in the lives of those the Lord has brought across my path by spending as much or more time with them as I do on-line! My method of this is to make it a point to spend quality time with people each week - lunch, a coke, a walk, a phone call, etc.

3. Share the Gospel with all people I encounter...again, this may seem obvious but I want to be intentional in sharing Christ. God has called Joel and I into lifetime vocational ministry and second to my role as wife/mother I believe this needs to be my TOP priority. It has slipped down on the list due to my own doubt/fears (as mentioned above) but God has laid it on my heart to jump back in and get to work! So, whether through my life, teaching a Bible Study, encouraging people, etc I want to share the Gospel!

These are the 3 main steps of my plan...of course I DO have some other goals I would really like to accomplish but I am confident that if I will stick with these 3 steps then many of the other things will fall into place as well...here's a few examples:

a. Lose Weight and be healthier - as I seek the Lord and get to know Him, I will long to honor Him in every area of my life - including my health!

b. Time with Family - as I seek to develop meaningful relationships, I will develop them with my kids and husband as well as extended family.

c. Work towards paying of debt - as I seek to know the Lord, I will want to honor him through my finances.

d. Get into the community - as I seek to share the Gospel, I will want to expand my "world" view!

"Be strong and couragous for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:9

This has been a life verse for awhile now but this year I want to apply it to this plan - I want to be STRONG in my efforts to implement this plan and COURAGOUS as I try new things that are out of my comfort zone....I CAN because God IS with me!!!!