My New Year’s Resolutions
I know some people are “anti” New Years resolutions. However, I think this is an exciting time of year to set goals and establish new perspectives. As a matter of fact this blog is a result of one of my New Year’s resolutions from last year.
There are two resolutions I’m making this year.
The first resolution consists of three commitments I’m making to my church, Cross Point, for 2009. I’m going to be sharing those this Sunday, so I’ll wait to post them next week.
The second resolution is more of a broad perspective I want to establish throughout my life in this new year. It’s inspired by the following passage in Psalm 39.
4 “Lord, remind me how brief my time on earth will be.
Remind me that my days are numbered—
how fleeting my life is.
5 You have made my life no longer than the width of my hand.
My entire lifetime is just a moment to you;
at best, each of us is but a breath.”
Show me, God, my life’s end. Show me the number of my days. Show me how fleeting my life is.
I want to live in 2009 with the awareness of LIFE GOES BY FAST and MY DAYS ARE NUMBERED.
Like everyone else I can get caught up in trying to rush through life acquiring things, trying to attain security, and achieving meaningless goals our culture has deemed worthy. But so many of the things I focus on and worry about are simply futile.
I waste time regretting things from the past I can’t change. I settle for mediocrity trying to avoid difficult decisions and conversations. I get consumed with trying to be loved instead of loving others. I squander precious moments trying to control things I can’t control.
I don’t want that to be my life. I don’t want that to be my vision… because that vision cannot sustain God’s design for something as splendid as a human life. That is a vision born out of thinking I have an endless amount of time on this earth to make the impact God has designed me to make and this, my friends, is nothing more than an illusion.
So in 2009 I’m making a resolution, a commitment, a promise to view my life (my marriage, my job, my friendships, my purpose) through the understanding that LIFE GOES BY FAST and MY DAYS ARE NUMBERED.
I pray it will help me love deeper, pray harder, focus intently, and seek to make the greatest impact with my one and only life that I possibly can.
So what’s your New Year’s resolution for 2009?
64 Comments:
1.) Exercise–our fees at school include our gym, so i might as well use it. Also, I want to get back into shape.
2.) Spend time with God EVERY DAY and write about it.
3) Be more aware of opportunities to serve God.
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Susan
9:43 am
To remember every day that God is in control and to let him drive!
To take better care of myself – because my days are numbered. Amen!
To relax more and stress less. (go back to first one, lather, rinse, repeat.)
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Starwoodgal
9:53 am
My New Year resolution is to take better care of myself – body, mind, and spirit – through fasting, prayer,and exercise.
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Emily Mea
10:09 am
I could have numerous goals for 09′ that I would surely fall short of if I tried them all. I am taking a different approach this year and primarily working on my focus. I am so spread out and I am aware of my limitations. I like how you have keyed into a verse for your resolution. My goal of improving my focus is based on Hebrews 12:1-2
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
I want to free myself from distraction and maintain a consistent focus on God in all aspects of my life. I am looking to God this year to see what goals I should set.
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Chris
10:18 am
A long list that includes more quality time with my daughter, more time with God, eating better, etc. (All the usuals.)
I also want to focus on getting out of my comfort zone. I’m learning that feeling comfortable and secure all the time isn’t always the best option. If God has plans for me that seem scary at first, I don’t want to avoid it out of fear. (I’m not talking about becoming a missionary or anything.) I don’t know what this could be, but it’s been on my heart the last few months.
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jenn
10:21 am
@Chris, Love that verse and I’ll be praying for focus for you in 2009!
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Pete Wilson
10:30 am
to just name a couple: be better with my money, be more faithful that God will provide and read the newspaper at twice a week!
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Sarah S
10:38 am
Mine is to be like all of the people who comment on here and think everything you do is the greatest thing ever. It is going to be hard work but I have plenty of examples to help guide me.
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Giant Idiot
10:44 am
Thanks for sharing that bit of scripture. I definitely want to apply that to my life as well.
My resolution is to be deliberant. Deliberant in every step I take, and when I’m confronted with my next step, even rushed, to do what I do with intentions solely my own and when I see a red flag, not to ignore it which keeps my life in the undesireable cycle that it’s been in.
This year, I will become the best version of myself through, ironically, becoming more selfless. I will no longer waste my energy wishing for what I don’t have, but polish and love what I do.
Sounds like I’m setting myself up for failure, but I want this so bad and feel so psyched about it- that I think I can use this mentality to set very reasonable goals for myself- and once I reach the reasonable, I can reach things that currently seem unreasonable.
Best wishes for everyone for 2009. Be safe tonight.
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Tanya Wright
10:46 am
Amen! That’s a great way to start out the New Year.
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Kayla Grace
10:49 am
To see the VALUE in everything He has created….
People
Nature
Circumstances
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SHerri
10:50 am
P.S. Pete- My brother Steven Wright was briefly in your dream jobs video with Eubank paving- anyway, he said you look like Keith Urban- thought you’d like to know.
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Tanya Wright
10:54 am
Chris – What you said, is most of what I’ve put on paper for 2009. It’s most supernatural to see someone else in leadership that does life the way I’ve always done it to this point. Thanks for being so transparent. I look forward to what the new year will bring to God’s church.
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Tom Wells
10:56 am
To stay smoke free – 20 days today. To forgive more…to love deeper…to cherish today.
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Gina
10:57 am
@Gina, That is awesome. Keep giving me those weekly reports at church.
I’m proud of you.
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Pete Wilson
11:02 am
To take a vacation. First in 30 years!
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Des
11:09 am
@Des, Holy cow. Dude, you really need a vacation.
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Pete Wilson
11:10 am
My resolution is to stop worrying!
Every time I start worrying (which is most of the time) I am going to start praying instead. And then trust God and know that worrying will do no good and I have done all I can.
When I pray, I often forget to pray for my soon-to-be husband. I mean I might think of him for a second, but I am resolving to have entire prayers over just him every day. I think this will help our relationship and our marriage that begins in May.
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Jamie
11:14 am
I remember you sharing that verse with us last year. So great! Honestly, I don’t know what my new years resolutions are. I still need to think about it. I’ve actually never officially done them before, but I do want to start this year. But really that verse is a perfect place to start. I have a lot of changes taking place this month so I need to set some goals before everything changes. Thanks for the encouragement!
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Linnae Hoppe
11:28 am
New Year’s Resolution? Ummmm, probably to embrace transition. There are words of wisdom for moms with little ones, with “tweens”, with teenages, but how about for “empty nest”? So, I look towards God during this transition.
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tommiann
11:30 am
I’ve purposed to do the “creative best I can with my own life!”Gal. 6:4 Message version…
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Robin
11:36 am
I agree – goal setting is something that we don’t as a culture embrace all the time. I think that resolutions need to be revisited every month in order to be successful.
Funny that you quoted the Psalms here. I mentioned that great verse in Ps. 90 that says, “Lord, teach us to number our days…”
Wrote about it on my blog, and yes, I had to quote Tozer: http://jeffgoins.myadventures.org/?filename=moses-prayer-teach-us-to-number-our-days
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Jeff Goins
11:38 am
@Jeff, You’ve got to love Tozer!
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Pete Wilson
11:43 am
the main resolution i will be working on in 2009 will be to be fully engaged wherever i am. not to be continually looking to the future or regretting the past but living in the NOW.
S:
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ardswithoutwalls
11:51 am
To put Christ at the center of it all. My health, my desires, my thoughts, my focus.
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Harold
11:52 am
My resolution this comming year has to be to see myself as God sees me and o accept what those who love and care for me say about me instead of listening to the negatives, only then can I actually be the person God has called me to be.
Thats not going to be as easy as ti sounds!
[Reply]
mywayoutnow
11:55 am
Thank you for your comment on my site (http://capturedbyGod.wordpress.com). God has been teaching me that a lot lately too, to take one day at a time. I end up worrying and becoming so anxious, but God has only given the ability to deal with today! I find myself missing the joy of today because I’m so worried about tomorrow. Bless you!
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God's girl
12:00 pm
To not be phased by peer pressure in the college life… To learn to play the Mandolin!
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Landon Hampton
12:15 pm
I just received this article on goal setting, thought it was very interesting. http://commercialappeal.com/news/2008/dec/31/map-out-goals—-or-you-wont-get/
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Gina
12:18 pm
I love your focus. I pick a word each year to help me focus. I blogged about this a couple weeks ago. I too want to live with purpose and number my days. I love that verse!
Look forward to your update after Sunday service. I’d love to hear about your other resolution.
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Tiffany Stuart
12:43 pm
I pick a word every year and try to incorporate it into my life throughout the year. My word for the upcoming year is quit, since I’ve been trying to quit smoking for a few months now, and now I’m going to do anything I can to quit.
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nigel
1:01 pm
To reclaim my life, to bury the past..( I was even considering having a mock funeral) I’ve ended it before but not like I want to now.
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bustersdaughter
1:04 pm
@bustersdaughter, that’s a great idea. Leave it behind you and move on.
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Pete Wilson
1:11 pm
My new year’s resolution was to give my autograph to Jett. Let’s see if this works:
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Mandy
1:39 pm
Love this message – it inspired my post today (and I linked back to you). Happy New Year!
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Isabella
1:41 pm
Ok. That didn’t work. Try this:
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Mandy
1:42 pm
Hmmm… maybe I’ll just have to post it in my own blog for him to see.
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Mandy
1:42 pm
Mine is to talk a lazy pastor into running the half marathon with me!!
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5th Street
1:44 pm
Ok. Resolution accomplished. Check out my blog to see my autograph for Jett.
P.S. I guess I’m done with my New Year’s Resolutions before 2009 even rolled around!
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Mandy
1:47 pm
@nigel..I quit smoking 20 days ago. best of luck to you and I will be your support if you need it.
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Gina
1:50 pm
@mandy, Just showed him and he loves it!
@5th Street, I’m having second thoughts today.
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Pete Wilson
1:50 pm
I want to be as sarcastic as Giant Idiot in 2009.
I actually have a hard time looking back or forward because I see so much of my health deteriorate and don’t want to be fearful of what will come in that aspect. So this year I chose a word to focus on: devotion. It never really occurred to me until this year, meeting the people I have through the blogging world, how little bible reading/studying I had done. So my year is going to be “devoted” to learning and studying and forming that habit for myself. It’s just in the last few months (seriously) that I learned that my Catholic bible is different than other bibles and there are all these different versions… I think I’ll be doing a little studying on that first
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gitz
2:12 pm
Exercise consistently and read through the Bible in a year. My failure rate for New Years resolutions is really high, but I’m still hopeful.
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Jenny
3:06 pm
@gitz, I can think of very few commitments as noble as that. Your life will be changed.
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Pete Wilson
3:07 pm
My first goal is to get my ducks in a row organization-wise and do all those things I’ve been procrastinating about (redo the wills, etc.). That’ll no doubt take me quite awhile, lol.
The wider resolution I am going to concentrate on is inspired by a hymn I am privileged to sing in our church choir. I want to live each day with these words in my head and heart: “Take, O take me as I am/Summon out what I shall be/Set Your seal upon my heart/and live in me!”
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Jan Connair
3:38 pm
@gitz Good Luck with that first one!!!
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5th Street
3:39 pm
I realized another goal I have for 2009–one that I realized as I straightened up my room for company tonight: finish things that I start, especially in regards to God. I have a big pile of projects I started, books I’m reading, and it is almost starting to get overwhelming
I also have a feeling that if I buckle down and finish these things, God will continue to speak to me, or perhaps even speak to me even more.
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Susan
4:17 pm
It’s my 2009 resoultion to see the JOYS in my life! To recognize and relish the many blessings God has given me instead of sweating the small stuff! Happy New Year’s!
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Adra
4:47 pm
Great site. Thanks!
God bless you and your family in the New Year.
Jonie
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Jonie
5:16 pm
I don’t make new year’s resolutions. Too much pressure! On another topic, I’m really glad I found your blog. I’ve met a lot of pastors, and as much as I’d like to say otherwise, I have a tendency to stereotype people in ministry. I know you’re a pretty big deal and all, but I get the feeling that you really don’t think you’re that big of a deal — that Jesus Christ is the REALLY big deal and you’re determined to share that with as many people as you can. You’re pretty cool in my book, Pete Wilson. Happy New Year!
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katdish
7:37 pm
Gitz you do not want to be as sarcastic as me. It probably would not be very becoming of you.
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Giant Idiot
8:01 pm
I woke up this morning, praying and thinking about “Happy New Year” and God spoke back…it is exactly what He desires for me. Joy in the new year. Focused joy. Not “La la I’m going to be happy everythings great la la la” but joy in the way of John 15:11 and the references behind it. Yup. Awesome.
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kristiapplesauce
2:50 am
@kristiapplesauce, That’s so true isn’t it? When you view these kind of truths it makes you wonder why we don’t just submit fully to God’s will for our life. Why do we always fight Him?
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Pete Wilson
9:53 am
I want my prayer life to be more deliberate and less random. That’s my only truly serious goal. (What? She can actually be serious sometimes?) Surprise!
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Carol
2:53 pm
@GiantIdiot: When I made the resolution I already knew I was way out of my league… but it’s always good to have a goal.
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gitz
5:27 pm
I am focusing on LOVING God, Others and myself. God is starting to show me how to practically work those out in daily life.
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Ruthie
8:24 pm
I suppose mine is sort of in line with yours Pete. My biggest resolution for 2009 is simply to live without fear and to step out into what God is calling me to do. Just take the first step and quit worrying about the past or what people say or think – I suppose my goal for 2009 would be the Nike slogan “Just do it!”.
I can’t wait to see what God has in store as I try to simply obey.
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Jan Owen
8:42 pm
@Jan Owen, We’ll have to hold each other accountable on this one I guess. Can’t wait to see what God does in you and through you in 2009!
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Pete Wilson
9:14 pm
Excellent Pete! I love that Psalm. I also Love New Years Resolutions. I just wrote a blog very similar, highlighting my goals for this year. I’m excited for 2009, and what God will do this year. God Bless!
Jordan
http://www.theriverjordan.net
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spinnakerjksc
9:24 pm
That’s awesome! I love your post-a great reminder. thanks.
http://unpopularview.wordpress.com
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theunpopularview
12:29 am
“I settle for mediocrity trying to avoid difficult decisions”
mmmm.
chewing.
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tam
2:15 am
Wrote a little post about that…however a verse that was brought to my attention is Galatians 3:3 (New Century Version)
“You began your life in Christ by the Spirit. Now are you trying to make it complete by your own power? That is foolish.”
I have issues of trying to “be in control” and it is foolish to complete any work by my own power. That is my broad goal this year.
http://johnandalisonkerr.blogspot.com/2009/01/happy-new-year.html
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Alison
8:35 am
My 2009 goal is to invest and invite more people to church. This is a area that I struggle with. I want the Lord to stretch me for His Glory. Our days are definately numbered here on earth. Reaching out to the lost with the love of Christ is my heart. Less of me and more of Him is my goal this year!
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My3Sons
10:32 pm
I love that Psalm, Pete. I’ve never heard that before but God demonstrated that message to my family a few years ago with the sudden death of a young cousin. After his death, I felt like God was telling me to realize that life is short and precious and that He has us here on earth for a reason. I will definitely be sharing that scripture with my family.
As for my New Year’s Resolution, I’m studying abroad in Spain this upcoming semester and am resolving to appreciate the opportunity that God has given me every day that I am there and to try to learn as much about the world as I can.
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Sally
1:20 am