New Year New Goals

And the Lord answered me, and said, “Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that reads it.” Habakkuk 2:2

Happy New Year! I hope you guys enjoyed spending time with your families and friends over the holidays. I certainly did and I have the extra pounds to prove it. Ha! We made plenty of great memories, including a Christmas trip to Walt Disney World, which my family and I absolutely loved. I will be posting a blog entry very soon about our experience.

There is always something about the New Year everyone loves. Personally, I think it’s because everyone views it as a new beginning or fresh start to life. We are all anticipating the new opportunities and possibilities the year holds for us. We are so grateful to see another wonderful year and are full of resolutions.

I certainly understand the concept of making New Year’s resolutions. However, I have found making a resolution, without setting goals equals failure. It is for this reason, I have decided to set goals instead. I have also formed strategies to achieving my set goals. That being said, I would like to share my top three goals for 2016, along with my strategies for achieving them.

Goal #1: Develop a closer relationship with my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. When God is first everything else in our lives will be in its proper place. I’ve noticed when my life gets crazy, it’s usually because I’ve gotten too busy and have not spent time with God.

Strategy: Surrender my entire heart to God while spending more personal time in worship, prayer and studying God’s word. Walk in obedience to God’s word.

Goal #2: Become a better wife and mother. Although, I try my best to be a godly wife and mother, I have a tendency to be impatient with my children at times. I can also be a bit mouthy with my husband occasionally. You wives know exactly what I mean by this statement!

Strategy: Spend more quality time with my husband and children. Be more patient. Listen more. Yell less. Ask God for wisdom to be the wife my husband needs and the mother my children need.

Goal #3: Grow in my love for others. It is my desire to grow from having merely conditional love to developing true agape love; the kind that Jesus Christ shows us everyday. Last year, my love walk was challenged on so many levels. I encountered some very tough social situations. God has used these situations to reveal my need for growth in the area of love. For example, I had a family member, that I love dearly, say some very hurtful and awful things to me. I found myself wanting to take vengeance and retaliate, which would have been in direct opposition to God. “But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you” Matthew 5:44.

 Strategy: Pray and ask God to help me follow the leadership of the Holy Spirit and not my flesh. Love people regardless of their actions, looking for nothing in return from them. Refrain from speaking evil of those who are against me.

What are your goals for this year?