All this week I have been listing out 10 things I learned this year. New Year’s Day I like to make a few goals of things I would like to do this year, spiritually as well as creatively and intellectually (although I am not an intellect!). I do not like to call them resolutions as I think those are meant to be broken but I call them goals. I also realize some of them I may accomplish and some I may not. And I start off with giving myself grace in that area. For instance I did not read nearly as many books this past year as I have done the past few years. But I did write more so I will give myself grace in that area.
I also ask God to give me my focus word for the year. I sometimes have my word the first day of the year and sometime it will come in the first couple of weeks of January. I have asked the Lord for my word and I think I know where He is leaning but I do not want to put it out there until I am sure. He will always give me a verse to go with my word so I will wait to reveal. Last year my word was Grace. I wrote about that a little earlier in the week. I had no idea how much grace I would have to give this year but I really did not know how much grace I would need to receive this year. It has certainly been a year for the books now hasn’t it.
“But he said to me. ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” 2 Corinthians 12:9
He has given me sufficient grace this year and there have been many times I have felt very weak. But I know that He has carried me through one of the hardest years I have ever had. So grace was definitely a fitting word for this past year.
I will also make a plan concerning my quiet time for the year. I will look at what worked and what I want to change. I have been doing this quiet time thing for a long time so not much changes year to year anymore. I get up early, I read my Bible and I read a couple of devotional plans and I journal. This past year, I started the devotionals when the pandemic started and have kept them going for the most part with the exception of a couple of weeks for illness and a week I took off because of some family circumstances. I have been honored and humbled that so many of you have commented that you read along. I am just sharing how my heart feels and how grateful I am to Jesus for what He carries me through on a daily basis. I will continue this year as long as He gives me words to write. I try most days to have it post at 7:00 am although when I am off work and don’t have to get up so early then I may run a little late. But this year my plan is for my quiet time to look like this.
*. Read (the Word and some devotionals on Youversion, as well as a book I am planning to add: “A Year with C.S. Lewis” that I picked up a while back)
*. Write (Blessings journal – 3 blessings, Prayer Journal (personally), and Devotional.
My creative goals include painting and sewing more. I have also joined an online class to learn more about my painting.
My intellectual (that always makes me laugh) goals are to get back to my reading. I will set a goal to read one book a month and see where that takes me.
I am sharing my plan with you here simply because I seem to stay on task a little better when I make a plan. I am not rigid with it, and I don’t believe we are supposed to be. But I do believe the saying “failure to plan is planning to fail”. So I like making plans/goals whatever you want to call it.
I encourage you to sit down today and look at what time you have spent with Jesus this past year and see what you can do to enhance or increase that time. Then ask the Lord to bless the time. He will surely do it!
“The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.” Proverbs 16:9
I pray you all have a great New Year’s Day. Eat those black eye peas today! And let’s set ourselves up for blessings in 2021! Love to you all!
Restore 