A New Year and New Beginnings

The New Year provides a wonderful opportunity to consider new beginnings, particularly when we are going through a period of change.  Usually at the start of a new year, we think about making resolutions and setting goals.  Maybe it’s to lose 15 pounds, take 20 minute walks each day, or have regular devotions. Unfortunately, however, they are usually short-lived. By March, we’ve probably forgotten what they were as the more urgent matters inhabiting our everyday life gobble up those good intentions.

When we are experiencing life changes in one or more areas of our life, however, the New Year is the perfect time to sit down with the Lord and scope out the months and days ahead.  As we lean on God to guide us in setting prayerful objectives for ourselves by setting short and long-term goals, He can help us step more boldly into the New Year and embrace the plan He has designed very specifically for us.

To start the process, I’ve provided a goal setting guide with scriptures that can help you think and pray through each area of your life and develop practical ways to reach the objectives you and the Lord establish for the year ahead. I invite you to print them out so you can keep them in a place where you will continue to pray over them throughout the year.

I pray that as you set aside this time to ask God for His wisdom in approaching the coming year and establishing new beginnings, you will walk into a 2014 that brings you joy and new revelations of God’s goodness.

Goal Setting for 2014

I.  PERSONAL GOALS:

    Practical Steps For Achieving:

 

    “And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” Phil. 4:19               

II.  MARRIAGE AND RELATIONSHIP GOALS:

       Practical Steps For Achieving:

 

“Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.”  Eph. 5:21

 III.  FAMILY GOALS:

       Practical Steps for Achieving:

 

“Love is patient; love is kind.  It does not envy; it does not boast; it is not proud.  It is not rude; it is not self-seeking; it is not easily angered; it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.” I Cor. 13:4-7

 IV.  CAREER GOALS:

       Practical Steps for Achieving:

 

“Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.” Prov. 16:3

 V.  ATTITUDE GOALS:

Practical Steps for Achieving:

 

“…be made new in the attitude of your minds, and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” Eph. 4:23-24

 VI.  GOALS OF SERVICE TO GOD AND OTHERS:

        Practical Steps for Achieving:

 

“And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.” Heb. 13:16

VII.  SPIRITUAL GOALS:

Practical Steps for Achieving:

 

“And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way, bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to His glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience and joyfully giving thanks to the Father…”  Col. 1:10-11