A New Year, A New You, A New Relationship

Once again, it's that time of year when we all start thinking about New Year's Resolutions.  Getting fit, losing weight, eating healthier, saving more money...  We tend to talk a pretty good game, but by February (or maybe even early January) we have often already fallen short of our goals.

Why do we do this to ourselves?  I think for probably six or more years in a row I have resolved to get in shape and lose weight.  I have even done pretty good a few years, for at least the first half of the year.

This year I need to take a different approach.  Jodi and I have a big goal that we are about to tackle, and I know that it will be a really great thing for us if one year from now we can sit back and have almost finished.  Or goal - NO EATING OUT FOR ONE YEAR.  Yep, that's a big one.  But this year I am very confident.

The difference -

This year I have made sure to include someone else in all my planning leading up to this.  I think you know Him.  God really likes to be involved in us setting goals in our lives, and when we pray and involve him as we set goals, they seem to become much more achievable.

So this year, as you resolve to lose weight, get in shape, eat right... get God involved.

A great way to involve him is also to set goals regarding your relationship with him.  I find the years I have resolved to read my Bible more, or set aside time for devotion, achieving my other goals went a lot smoother too.

So what are your goals this New Year?

Who's Party is this?

Photo Credit

This is a great post that sums up a lot of what Jodi and I talk about this time of year...

A Holy Experience: When Christmas Gets Radical: Whose Birthday Is It Really?

Thoughts???

The Three Little Matches

Once upon a time, there were three little matches.  One day the matches were talking about how they wanted to burn.  The first match said that he wanted to make sure not to burn too bright, or too fast.  He wanted to burn very slowly. So when he was ready to burn, he said he would stay very still and do his best to control his flame and keep it very small and dim.

The second match thought that didn't sound like a lot of fun.  He said I want to burn very bright.  I want to have the most beautiful and bright flame a match can have.

The third match thought for a while, then slowly began to speak.  He said that what he really wanted most of all was to burn bright and ignite other matches that would hopefully go on to light more matches until all of the matches were burning bright together in the biggest, hottest, and most beautiful flame the world has ever seen.

What kind of match will you be for Christ?

How can we be more like the third match?