My One Word Resolution

         I have never been a big fan for making New Year's resolutions. By no means am I saying that I am perfect (HECK NO!! hehe) or that my life couldn't use some alternating so I could eat healthier, lose weight, become a more devote Christian, etc... My thing has always been that I never usually view the beginning of a calendar year as some kind of epic "let's wipe the slate clean and become a better person" kind of person. That is a lot of pressure to put on a specific date just sitting on your calendar book! For me, I tend to tweak my life as it needs it whether it is January 1st or July 1st. Why do I have to wait until the beginning of a new year to "make a clean slate" or feel miserable and defeated about myself when I make a New Year's resolution and then it falls by the wayside before the weekend even rolls around. If I need to be a more loving and patient mother, I fold my hands, close my eyes and say a little prayer right then and there to help me fix the problem. If I need to listen more and talk less, I am consciously saying that little mantra in my head the next person I talk to. Again, I feel like I need to repeat the beginning of my post ( By no means am I saying that I am perfect (HECK NO!! hehe) or that my life couldn't use some alternating so I could eat healthier, lose weight, become a more devote Christian, etc...), but I want to offer some encouragement to the people who are going to find their New Year's resolutions broken sometime this weekend, the end of the month, or sometime in the near future.
       
         So, this morning when I am driving to work, and I hear on Word FM (only the best thing to listen to EVER during a morning/afternoon commute or any other time of the day!!) and I hear Eric & Heather  reporting about a "new trend" in New Year's Resolutions: a one word alternative to our traditional resolutions. Even found an article about it that you can read more about it :-) It is short, sweet, and to the point, so definitely worth reading
One Word New Year's Resolutions
In a quick summary, you pick one word as a goal for your year. This word should challenge you, give you guidance & strength, something you should be passionate about, etc...

         My word for 2014: Serve

1. I vow to serve my family without requiring or needing anything in return
2. I vow to serve complete strangers in order for them to see Christ in my actions
3. I vow to serve Prince Street Church (as well as other churches that I am connected to) as a way to become closer to God and grow 
4. I vow to serve my co-workers and students with a heavy dose of patience, love, and gratitude for everything they do to make lives better for people across our community
5. I vow to serve my youth group kids through love that doesn't see judgement when they make a mistake and an ear that is always willing to hear them when they want to talk
6. I vow to use myself in a serving way throughout each day as Christ commands us

I thoroughly encourage you to make your own "one word resolution", but it doesn't just stop there. I want you to share it with me so I can be praying for you and we can support each other through encouragement and accountability.

Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. 1 Peter 4:10

Happy New Year's Everyone