My Current Bible Reading Plan

I’ve been a Christian since childhood and have always known the importance of daily Scripture reading. For some reason, it has always been a struggle to fit it into my routine. Even though I love to read, I found myself getting bogged down in Leviticus’s laws and the history of Israel’s kings. I have tried several reading plans over the years, but nothing seemed to grab my attention.

Earlier this Fall, I felt desperate to connect with God’s Word. Upon a friend’s recommendation, I decided to commit myself to giving Professor Grant Horner’s Bible Reading System a try for two months. That was in August, and I’m still enjoying — and looking forward to — diving into reading Scripture daily.

If you are not familiar with the plan, you can read about it in detail here. To briefly summarize the plan, the Bible is grouped into 10 lists. Ideally, the reader will read one chapter from each of the ten lists daily. I hear ya! That sounds intimidating, but it is actually not as daunting of a task as you might imagine. Most days, I split the reading into two 15-20 minute sittings. It’s actually quite refreshing to know that this quiet time is set aside and it gives me a chance to bring my focus back to the things that are most important.

Why has this plan worked so well for me? First of all, I love its flexibility. Life happens and there are days that I simply can’t find time to read the 10 chapters. When I figured out that missing a day or not completing the “entire assignment ” didn’t ruin the plan, my Reading found new freedom. Since there are no dates associated with the passages, I don’t feel guilty because I’ve “gotten behind.” Only have time to read 3 chapters? No problem! Read what you can, move your markers ahead, and start fresh the next day!

I also love the variety that comes with the reading. At first I thought it would be confusing since I wasn’t following a storyline from beginning to end. For a young Christian, this might be a legitimate concern. But what I actually experienced was a greater understanding of how Scripture opens up in a wider sense. Last week, I was blessed as I read of the crucifixion in John before reading about the Passover in Leviticus and Messianic prophecies in the Psalms. The plan is re-enforcing in my heart and mind the truth that all Scripture is God-breathed.

How long do I plan to read this way? I don’t know. It’s certainly not how I study Scripture….it’s just for my daily devotions. However, since starting in August, I have probably consumed more of the Bible than in any other season of my life. I’ve already read the entire New Testament — and I’m getting close to finishing a second reading! And I’ve worked my way through the Proverbs three times while just finishing my 4th reading of Acts! The most exciting part? I’m discovering things that I never realized were sitting right on the page in front of me.

Whatever method you choose, the point of this post is simple….JUST READ! You’ll be glad you did.

 

Prayers for Baby

It seems to be an exciting time in my little corner of the world. Several of my friends have announced that they are expecting babies later this fall. My family is especially excited since we learned on Christmas Day that Jacquelyn and Shane are welcoming their first child this fall!!! Talk about excitement in the Freeman family! We are absolutely giddy! There’s something about the expectation of a new baby that brings such a thrill to my heart. There is also a reminder that we have an enormous responsibility to pray for the children in our sphere of influence.

Even though I’m not currently active in Children’s ministry, there will always be a special place in my heart for these cherished little ones. Sometimes, we are all guilty of falling into the trap of “out of sight, out of mind.” We forget to pray for those things that are not right in front of our eyes on a daily basis. This can be the case with children we don’t see regularly as well as the unborn child we’ve not yet had the privilege of meeting. My challenge for you today is to recognize the importance and power of your prayers for the children in your life. The youngest and most helpless are the ones who most need us to take their needs to the Heavenly Father.

Prayers for baby should be specific and address all areas of their development — physical, intellectual, emotional, and spiritual. I am finding that prayer prompts can be very helpful to remind me to pray throughout my regular schedule for these developing treasures. Here are some ideas I am currently using.

• Use a favorite item as a reminder to pray for the child’s physical development. When Jacqs showed us the sonogram of the baby, she commented that the image reminded her of a Gummy Bear! That made an obvious connection in my mind between the sweet treat and the growing child. Whenever I see a bag of Gummy Bears, I whisper a prayer for the baby’s health and physical development. To make sure that the baby is prayed for consistently, a jar of the goodies prominently sits in the family home as a daily reminder to pray for her and Jacqs. (We don’t know the sex of Baby Bauer yet, but I am convinced we’re having a baby girl!)
• Create a Bible bookmark with the child’s name to accompany your daily devotions. This is the perfect opportunity to begin asking God to bless the child with favor and spiritual blessings. Think about it!  Just in the last few weeks, I’ve prayed these prayers over our Gummy Bear:
1. Like Enoch, may she walk with God in a close personal relationship.
2. Like David, may she face adversity with confidence in the power of her God to defeat any giant.
3. May she be willing to bring to Jesus whatever she has to offer for His use like the boy with the loaves and fishes.
4. Just like Josiah, may she have a heart for God’s Word and a commitment to follow its precepts.
• Shopping and crafting sessions remind us to ask that the child will be surrounded by love! I can’t help myself! I’m already looking at little outfits and baby accessories. (My apologies to Shane and Jacqs now…..but this baby is going to be SPOILED!) The coming of Gummy Bear also brings out my crafty side, so there are baby-themed cross-stitch patterns scattered all over the house. As we shop and craft, pray that the baby will be immensely loved. This seems like a given in most families, but I’m talking about extreme love beyond the walls of the home. I’m praying for loving teachers, baby sitters, music teachers, nurses and doctors. I’m praying for a Godly children’s pastor to love and nurture the child and parents during the most formative years of her development. I’m praying that any plan of the Enemy to bring harm and destruction to the life of Gummy Bear be stopped by the protective and loving arms of Christ.

This is just the tip of the iceberg of prayer prompts. Think about the children in your life and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal ways that you should be praying for them on a regular basis! Scripture tells us that “Children are a heritage from the Lord” (Psalm 127:3) and they are to be valued, adored, and cherished. The best way I know to begin establishing their heritage is by covering them in prayer. Won’t you join me in claiming another generation for the Kingdom?

An Unexpected "Church"

While reading the August 4, 2014 issue of Time Magazine, I was introduced to a new movement discussed in the religion section. The article centered on Houston Oasis, the largest of approximately twelve atheist churches popping up around the country. You read it right — an atheist church.

Under the leadership of a former Christian minister who now declares himself an atheist, Houston Oasis offers Sunday secular gatherings for the atheists and agnostics of the community. The gathering is modeled after the Christian service, providing a time of musical reflection, fellowship with like-minded people, and an informative talk that offers relevant insight to the highly scientific within the confines of a community that is aware of its members’ challenges and offers support to one another. A quick visit to the organization’s website (www.houstonoasis.org) revealed that Houston Oasis further reflects the typical church by offering opportunities to impact the larger community through financial contributions, volunteer efforts, and support services such as food pantries and personal counseling.

If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and sounds like a duck, it must be a duck, right? What separates this atheist church from the Christian church? For many seekers, one of the most inviting differences is Houston Oasis’ statement that “human people are of greater importance than human belief.”

Before this discussion goes any further, let me clearly state that I am a fervent Christian. In light of the decreased commitment to the contemporary Christian church, however, I think it is important to examine the growing popularity of secular gatherings such as Houston Oasis.

Many churches have placed their emphasis in the wrong places for far too long. We have concerned ourselves with providing ample fellowship opportunities. We’ve polished our services to include excellent music and a clearly outlined message that includes three points that can be applied to life situations in the coming week. We strive to help the poor with our clothes closets and school supply drives. None of these things are wrong in and of themselves. Honestly, they are all quite commendable. But these things alone make our congregations no different from the atheist churches. That’s a hard pill to swallow!

Some will identify the love displayed by the Christian church as the distinguishing feature. I’m not sure that’s entirely true. I will go so far as to say that Houston Oasis’ efforts are also founded in genuine love and compassion for their fellow man. While the source of love may be different for the atheist and the Christian, the one receiving experiences both expressions of love in much the same way.

So then, what makes the Christian church different from the atheist gathering? The only thing that can possibly distinguish our Christian gatherings and outreach efforts from available secular offerings is an unquestionable anointing of the Holy Spirit. Unless we can leave our Sunday services with the undeniable realization that we have been in the very presence of the Most High God, we may as well have called our time together a secular gathering and just move on. Without anointing, lives are not transformed. Without anointing, our efforts have no eternal impact. Without anointing, our churches are dead and powerless. We desperately need a fresh anointing of the Holy Spirit in our churches!

Life changing anointing begins with the individual and will spread like wildfire to the entire congregation. A healthy church is either experiencing anointing or desperately seeking it. The only other option for a church is staleness, meaningless ceremony, and spiritual death. If you find yourself in one of these dead congregations, don’t waste another minute! Seek out life changing anointing that will change the world and, in the process, will forever change you.

Lord, send anointing to me!

Searching for Home

It’s hard to believe that I have been searching for a church home for nearly a year. It’s not a situation I am used to. Over the first 40 years of my life, I’ve been established in 4 churches — 2 of these while attending college. I never imagined it would be so difficult to find a body of believers to worship with.

Last summer, I left the church I had been involved with for nearly 14 years. Even though time has passed and many wounds have been healed, I know that my departure was the right decision. In the interim, I have visited many churches in the area. I have found two congregations that I like a lot. So what’s the problem?

The first church was the one I attended right after leaving my ministry post. The ministers and congregation spoke words of healing to my spirit during a very difficult time. I don’t feel as though I fit in though. The church has two services. The early service lines up with my preferred style of worship; the second is attended by those that are my age and younger.

The second church is a large congregation with excellent preaching and extremely friendly people. I had anticipated this being the place that I would settle down and call home. However, because of its size and my general shyness, I have struggled to find my niche. It’s just not easy to walk into an established group and become involved without some sort of invitation. It feels as though I’ve gotten lost in the shuffle.

I’ll be the first to admit that I have been part of the problem as well. There is a hesitancy to become involved in a church again because I fear being taken advantage of. I’ve also struggled with health issues for several months, making my attendance sparse at best. Plus there’s the fear of being perceived as a threat to others already laboring there. I’ve lived through that nightmare too many times already and don’t want to face that world of hurt again.

So I find myself continuing to search. It’s not been an easy process thus far, but I know it is an important decision. Settling for the easy, convenient solution is simply not acceptable. So I continue my quest for my new church home.

You’re Doing It Wrong!

I am a person who likes order and clear direction. I want a plan to follow step-by-step. I want to make sure that I’m doing things right. I’m learning this quality has been a detriment to my prayer life over the years. I’ve gotten so wrapped up in following the model of the Lord’s Prayer and making sure that I was following the ACTS formula that I never felt like I was doing it right! Since I wasn’t confident in the “formula”, I didn’t think my prayers had any power.

As I continue reading Philip Yancey’s book on prayer, I found some encouragement for my situation in the chapter called “Tongue-Tied.” If you’ve ever felt as though your prayers were inadequate, I hope these words also encourage you.

Apart from the requirement that we be authentic before God, there is no prescribed way to pray. Each of us presents a unique mix of personality, outlook, training, gifts, and weaknesses, as well as a unique history with church and with God. As Roberta Bondi says, “If you are praying, you are already ‘doing it right.'”

. . . . .

Jesus taught a model prayer, the Lord’s Prayer, but otherwise gave few rules. His teaching reduces down to three general principles: Keep it honest, keep it simple, and keep it up. Mainly, Jesus pressed home that we come as beloved children to a Father who loves us in advance and cares deeply about our lives. Ask young parents what is the correct way for their toddlers to approach them and you will probably get a puzzled look. Correct way? Being a parent means you do your best to remain available to your children and responsive to their needs. As Jesus said, if a human parent responds with compassion and not hostility, how much more will God.

“Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence,” urged the author of Hebrews, “so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” (Yancey, Prayer: Does It Make Any Difference, 190-191)

 

 

When Answers Don’t Come

Have you ever found yourself wondering why situations don’t change despite your repeated prayers? Whether you are seeking God’s face for the healing of a loved one, deliverance from an oppression, or new employment, our faith can take a beating as we attempt to press forward in our prayer life when God appears silent. For some, this situation has been the reason they cease to practice prayer while others declare that God can’t possibly exist if He allows situations to continue unchanged.

As I am personally investigating prayer right now, I have to admit that unanswered prayers have caused me to struggle in my own prayer life. I simply couldn’t come to terms with WHY God would allow situations to remain the same. (After all, I was certain that the change I was praying for was the best outcome for my life.) As part of my study, I am reading Prayer: Does It Make a Difference? by Philip Yancey. Here’s a powerful portion of what he has to say about unanswered prayers:

I will always remember an alcoholic friend who expressed to me his frustration at praying daily for God to remove his desire for drink, only to find each morning his thoughts turning to Jack Daniel’s whiskey. Was God even listening? Later, it dawned on him that the desire for alcohol was the main reason he prayed so diligently. Persistent temptation had compelled persistent prayer.

. . . . .

. . .God views my persistence as a sign of genuine desire for change, the one prerequisite for spiritual growth. When I really want something, I strive and persist. Whether it’s climbing Colorado’s mountains, chasing the woodpeckers away from my roof, or getting a high-speed Internet connection for my home, I’ll do whatever it takes. Do I show the same spirit in prayer? (Yancey, 150-151)

That puts things in perspective, doesn’t it? Do I truly want to see circumstances change enough that I will persistently and passionately pray about it with confidence that God will listen? As I bombard Heaven with my petitions, one of two things is going to happen….either the situation will change or I will be changed as I come into the presence of a Holy God.

I’m ready to find a quiet place and talk some things over with my Father. Are you ready to join me?

 

Touching Heaven, Changing Earth

Within the heart of every person is the desire to communicate with someone greater than themselves. For the Christian, prayer is talking to God just as we would talk to our best friend. While most Christians know this truth intellectually, I think that most find some level of struggle in this area. We wonder why the God of the universe would want to listen to a mere speck. In moments of doubt, we question if our prayers are actually heard……and if there is a hope that they will be answered. Can our prayers influence events and release God’s power in our lives and those around us?

I was raised in a loving Christian home and was taught the basic principles of prayer. I’ve often prayed publicly before classes and during times of worship. When illness hits my family, I talk to God about it. Still, I find myself longing for a more powerful prayer life. I want to know that my prayers move Heaven and have confidence that they are effective. I want to be a prayer warrior. The only question is “How?”

As I was reading The Trial by Robert Whitlow, I was entertained by the novel’s plot. I was mesmerized, however, by the powerful prayer scenes woven throughout the story. A group of women gather for a weekly prayer meeting in the local Presbyterian church. Though the group’s members have changed over the years, the prayer group has met for decades and have kept records of the prayers lifted to Heaven and the faithfulness of God to answer.

As the novel reaches its climax, the women gather again for prayer. After reading a portion of Isaiah 62, the women are reminded of their role as prayer warriors over their community. Whitlow describes what happens like this:

They became quiet and waited. A heavy stillness settled in the room, a time when heaven held its breath in anticipation.

Then the divine wind came. There were no visible tongues of fire resting on their heads, but the manifestation of the Holy Spirit was immediate and intense. Like ripe stalks of wheat before a coming storm, the women bowed down and began to pray aloud with passion and zeal. Spirit-inspired phrases and Scripture passages rolled out of their hearts and through their lips in a gushing river of intercession. “Expose the deeds of darkness, loose the chains of injustice, break the bands of the oppressor, proclaim freedom to the captives, cast down the accuser, establish truth and integrity, save the perishing, shine forth the light, reveal your glory.” There were ebbs and flows, tears and sighs, but for more than an hour one after another would come to the head of the column and push forward the advance until yielding to the next in line.

When Naomi said, “In the strong name of Jesus Christ, amen,” they sat back in their chairs and looked at one another in amazement.

“That was different,” Kelli said.

“That was a prayer meeting,” Naomi responded. (Robert Whitlow, The Trial, 264)

This was no ordinary, run-of-the-mill time of prayer. This was Spirit-directed prayer that specifically addressed the issues that concerned the Heavenly Father. THAT’S the type of prayer I want to learn. That type of prayer will totally transform our lives, resurrect our churches, and display the power of Jesus Christ to a desperate world.

I don’t have the answers, but I know the One who is the Answer. I’m pursuing Him and adding my voice to those of the disciples who asked, “Lord, teach us to pray.” (Luke 11:1, NIV)

 

 

 

The Lesson of Pain

I’ve been going to the gym again for almost 3 weeks now. I go because I know my body needs exercise. I like the feeling to taking deep, purifying breaths. I don’t mind getting sweaty and smelly. I’ve learned to not worry about what other people are doing or what they think about what I’m doing. I don’t mind the feeling of sore muscles in the morning since those are reminders that I’m accomplishing something. What I absolutely HATE is pain….and more often than not, this is what keeps me away from the gym.

I tend to have a very low pain tolerance. As soon as something begins to hurt, I’m going to stop doing whatever is causing the pain. Thankfully I’m fairly certain that I’ve learned the difference between discomfort and pain. Discomfort is inconvenient and not a great feeling, but it’s something that I can push through and know that I’m not damaging my body. Pain is the body’s signal that something is potentially wrong and needs attention.

As I write today, I’m sitting here with knees that are making walking difficult and problems with my lower back. Every day in the gym leads to some level of discomfort in these parts of my body. Today I made it to the gym on my off day and started working out when the pain hit in my left knee. I tried to push through it until I clearly understood my body’s message…..STOP DOING THAT TODAY OR ELSE!

Pain comes to us emotionally and spiritually as well. While the physical expression of pain is hard to ignore, sometimes we push down agonizing pain that lies deep inside our spirit. I have learned over the past few months that we can use some of the same tactics we use for our body’s pains to heal the hurts in our emotions and spirit.

• Acknowledge and assess the pain. One of the first things we have to do is admit that we’re hurting. Too often we fall for the lie that the strong ignore their pain and convince themselves that it will eventually disappear if they don’t acknowledge it. Nothing is further from the truth. Physically, emotionally, and spiritually, it is essential that we admit when we are suffering and honestly assess its severity. Is this something I can just walk off or do I need to allow myself to experience intense healing?
• Determine the cause of the pain. Recently while on the treadmill I began to experience pain in my left leg. Rather than stopping immediately, I tried to identify where the pain was and what was causing the problem. This was the first step in adjusting my form and finding relief. The same is true of our emotional pain. Once we acknowledge our pain, it is important that we attempt to figure out where the pain is coming from. This allows us to modify behavior and responses in order to stop the pain from increasing.
• Ask for input. I couldn’t determine what the problem was on the treadmill, so I asked my trainer if he saw anything awkward in my work. This required me openly admitting to another person where I was hurting and allowing them to provide constructive criticism in order to alleviate the hurt. Sometimes it may be helpful to share our emotional and spiritual pain with a trusted friend and ask them to observe you and see if they notice anything you are doing to bring the pain into your life. Objective observers can often see things that we are not aware of.
• Remove the source of pain. My knee problems were associated with speed on the treadmill. Similar speeds on the elliptical and inclines on the treadmill at slower tempo did not cause pain and still accomplished raising my heart rate. Rather than allowing myself to continue experiencing pain, we eliminated the part of the routine that was causing the problem. Emotionally, we may identify that our pain source is a specific activity, relationship, or past memory. When possible, separating ourselves from the pain inducer is the first step to recovery.
• Rest! Pain doesn’t totally go away until the problem has been healed. Do I really think that I could resume my work on the treadmill the next day without any pain? Absolutely not! My body needed time to recover. We understand that rest and recovery is essential to our physical body. We are often negligent when it comes to allowing our emotions and spirit to rest as well after we’ve been hurt. Foolishly, we often jump right back into the same circumstances much too soon when we’ve been hurt. The result to our spirit is similar to what would happen to our body. We re-injure ourselves, the damage and pain is more severe, and the required recovery time is much more extensive. 

I’ve gone through the first four steps of dealing with emotional pain this year; I’m still taking my time through the resting stage. I’m not going to rush it and I’m not going to get comfortable in it either. I’m looking forward to the day that my spirit and emotions are fully restored so I can once again dive in without fear of being hurt and suffering from debilitating emotional pain.

A Lesson from Lemonade

Nothing says summer quite like a cold glass of lemonade. I love freshly squeezed lemonade that’s carefully mixed with ice cold water and sugar to achieve the perfect balance between sweet and sour. Let’s be honest though. Making fresh lemonade is too much work! Why bother to thinly slice the lemons, find the perfect balance, and make it look as though Martha Steward herself prepared the beverage when I can easily fill a plaster pitcher with cold water and stir in the Country Time mix! After all, who needs the trouble when the artificial is just as good as the real stuff?

As I sip on my Country Time lemonade, let me assure you that there definitely IS a difference between the artificial and the authentic. That same truth can be applied to many things in life. Authentic, unconditional love is far superior to that which is contrived in hopes of receiving something. Instant potatoes are no match for the fluffy creamed potatoes impeccably blended in Mom’s kitchen. Polished cubic zirconia cannot compare with the luminosity of fine diamond. Then why do we settle for the inferior imitations of authenticity?

I’ve had my share of the fake in life. I’ve plastered on a smile rather than finding true happiness. I’ve settled for friendships that were interested in what I could offer without giving anything in return. I’ve spent seasons satisfied with a shallow spiritual life instead of the deep abiding relationship the Savior offers. In every instance I have found the same thing; settling for anything less than the authentic will always leave you wanting more.

Sometimes I’ve settled because it was easy. I didn’t want to confront the problem head on, so I settled by gritting my teeth and bearing the burden alone. I was afraid of appearing weak so I didn’t address the sadness that I was really feeling. I was unwilling to surrender every part of me in order to walk in communion with Christ. I feared what others would say if my pursuit of the authentic resulted in failure.

I’m tired of settling for the fake. It’s worthless. It’s draining. It’s empty because we know that there is something more. The good news is that we can have authenticity in every area of our life if we’re willing to pursue it. The pursuit may be difficult and there may be times that we miss the mark. The chase will be worth the effort when we finally experience authenticity.

Are you going to settle for Country Time or will you attempt to make a perfect gallon of fresh lemonade? It’s time for me to start slicing the lemons. Maybe you’ll want to join me……

I Resolve….

Now that we are a week into 2013, I’m finally ready to commit to my resolutions for the year. I guess I had to take things slowly and thoughtfully since making a public announcement makes me more accountable.  Some of these will be observable by everyone who knows me; the accomplishment of others will be things that only God and I will know.  Here’s goes nothing……

1. Increase my personal reading.  Some of you are probably aware that I maintain another blog, Reading for Me, that details my path towards recapturing reading for personal fulfillment and pleasure.  The ultimate goal is to read 52 books in a single calendar year.  2012 saw the greatest number of books in a single year with 32.  My goal is to read at least 33 books in 2013…..but hopefully more!  The most difficult time of year to maintain my reading is when school is in session. Although I love the sensation of holding a book in hand, I am attempting to use my iPad as my primary reading device.  I hope this will enable me to continue reading even when I only have a few moments to spare throughout the day.
2. Lose 20 pounds.  This goal has caused me the most difficulty.  I want to set a goal that is achievable, but not too easy either.  In the summer of 2012, I began working with a personal trainer. With all of the ups and downs that the year brought, I have netted a total weight loss of 8 pounds.  Diet is a struggle when I’m on the road…..and keeping a consistent workout regiment is tough when I’m not at home.  To help with this process, I moved my gym membership today to Anytime Fitness;  Anytime also has a facility in Jackson, Tennessee.  Now I just have to get my mind in gear to workout when I’m working away from home.  You can follow my progress in my weight loss journey on my most sporadically published blog Just Have to Start Somewhere.
3. Write on a more regular basis.  Seeing that I have four blogs, it should be clear to most people that I enjoy writing. I don’t necessarily think I have anything of tremendous value to share….it’s just therapeutic to put my thoughts down and share with anyone that actually wants to read. Like my personal reading, I’ve struggled with maintaining a regular schedule when school is in session. I think I was trying to publish too regularly.  So I’ve changed my approach and am hoping for good things.  I intend to publish posts on Reading for Me and Just Have to Start Somewhere when needed….no regular schedule there.  This blog is the oldest of them all and the one that I think I owe the most writing to…..so I hope to write here 2 or 3 times each week.  I’m shooting for Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.  My professional blog is Collaborations and was dormant for much of 2012.  My goal is to have a new post on Thursday of each week.  You can be part of my success in this endeavor; your comments on the blog site reminds me that other people are reading them which motivates me to carry on.
4. Schedule times of rest.  Most workers look forward to the weekend.  It’s a couple of days to rest and revive their energy for the challenges that lie in the week ahead.  Since I’m piecing together several part-time jobs to make a living, my schedule rarely works out where I have entire days without any work.  I’m sensing the beginnings of burn-out and fatigue in my personal life and feel directed by God to correct the constant work-mode that I have maintained in the past year. Since taking a “Sabbath” day is not possible at this time, my goal is to allow myself to divide the “Sabbath” up throughout the week, finding chunks of time during the week that I can block out for rest and relaxation.  Since school hasn’t started, finding these days of rest has been easy so far.  (I’m actually enjoying one today!)  Once the semester kicks off next year, I’ll be looking for 8 hours (at least) each week to devote to me.  Given my mindset and work ethic, I know this will be a challenge for me.  I am committed to making it a priority, however.
5. Spiritual growth.  This will be the resolution that I will keep most private for obvious reasons. I am not satisfied with my spiritual condition and I don’t think that any growing Christian should ever be satisfied! As such, there are several things that God has placed on my heart to develop me into the man He has designed me to be. I’ll be pursuing these quietly behind the scenes and I pray that they will display themselves in my life so others can see the light and love of my Savior.  I would appreciate your prayers throughout the year as I pursue a more intimate relationship with my Heavenly Father in the coming year.

That is what’s motivating me as I step into the early days of 2013.  Now it’s time to get going and see how I can make these resolutions reality!