Last year I dubbed 2012 as the Year of Less. Less stuff, less clutter, less stress, less body fat, less debt........you know the list. All are great goals, and ones that I will probably continue to work on for the rest of my life, but all are quite me-focused. I don't want 2013 to be about me. Although I will always strive to better myself, I am an imperfect person made whole by a perfect God. My focus, my word for 2013, should be God-driven and not self-driven.
A week ago, while reflecting on the past year and preparing for the coming New Year, I began to panic. No word was sticking out for me. What should be my word for 2013? Words came racing through my head yet none seemed quite right. I quieted my thoughts and decided that I'd wait. Instead of finding the right word I let the word come find me. I prayed, "God, please use me for your purpose." And I waited. Until, on our way to have dinner with friends on New Year's Eve, the word found me. Relationship. I want 2013 to be about developing and strengthening relationships.
My desire for 2013 is to put people first, to develop a deep and personal relationship with God, to strengthen my marriage, to love my children well, and to love others with a love like Jesus. To love is very easy for me. I genuinely love people. Developing relationships....well that's a little more scary for me. In true, deep relationships I can't just put my "best face forward" and I'm scared to let others see all of me - the good, the bad and the ugly. I'd rather hide my many faults from others.
Developing relationships also makes me vulnerable to rejection and hurt. What if I reach out to someone and they don't want my love? Wasn't Jesus rejected? Yet he still continued to love, loving to the point of a gruesome death on the cross. I want to love like that.
My goals for my Year of Relationship:
1. Grow closer to God through the sweet fellowship with Him.
2. Place my husband on the top of my priority list and find ways to love him well.
3. Communicate to my children how important they are to me. I will strive to be less critical and more patient.
4. Develop a closer relationship to my stepchildren.
5. Spend time with extended family.
6. Show love and compassion to those that I see daily - my daycare children and their families.
7. Make time for friends.
8. Be hospitable. I want my house to have an open door to others.
9. Show Christ's love to every person that I come into contact with. Every day.
A week ago, while reflecting on the past year and preparing for the coming New Year, I began to panic. No word was sticking out for me. What should be my word for 2013? Words came racing through my head yet none seemed quite right. I quieted my thoughts and decided that I'd wait. Instead of finding the right word I let the word come find me. I prayed, "God, please use me for your purpose." And I waited. Until, on our way to have dinner with friends on New Year's Eve, the word found me. Relationship. I want 2013 to be about developing and strengthening relationships.
My desire for 2013 is to put people first, to develop a deep and personal relationship with God, to strengthen my marriage, to love my children well, and to love others with a love like Jesus. To love is very easy for me. I genuinely love people. Developing relationships....well that's a little more scary for me. In true, deep relationships I can't just put my "best face forward" and I'm scared to let others see all of me - the good, the bad and the ugly. I'd rather hide my many faults from others.
Developing relationships also makes me vulnerable to rejection and hurt. What if I reach out to someone and they don't want my love? Wasn't Jesus rejected? Yet he still continued to love, loving to the point of a gruesome death on the cross. I want to love like that.
My goals for my Year of Relationship:
1. Grow closer to God through the sweet fellowship with Him.
Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind. Matt. 22:37
Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. Ephesians 5:22-24
4. Develop a closer relationship to my stepchildren.
5. Spend time with extended family.
6. Show love and compassion to those that I see daily - my daycare children and their families.
7. Make time for friends.
8. Be hospitable. I want my house to have an open door to others.
9. Show Christ's love to every person that I come into contact with. Every day.
By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.
John 13:35
Wow Laurie, what wonderful goals! I love the 'relationship'theme of this year... so much that I may just have to tweak some of my existing resolutions for the year. So many people get caught up in the hustle and bustle of everyday life that they forget to focus on everyday relationships. I love that you are placing your husband on the top of your priority list. Best of luck with your resolutions and I look forward to reading your posts in the future.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your day :)
♥ Talia
http://rubytiaradiaries.blogspot.com