New Year - Old Baggage

As this new year began, I started reading through my journal from last year.  I have to admit, I was quite the whiner! The ramblings that I wrote must have been hard for God to listen to.  On the up side though, I do see how God met me and answered many prayers in spite of my pathetic groaning.

As with every new year we always attempt to start over, get a new beginning...well this year is no different; I am going to attempt to really dive into God's Word, dig deeper, and mature in my relationship with Christ. The difference will be how I approach this overwhelming task.  With one word!

This morning while I was taking the kids to school, I heard a radio host plug this website on how to make New Year's resolutions different this year.  My One Word of change.

SO lets start by asking some questions taken from MYONEWORD.ORG blog...


Question:  Do you feel that in the past year you have progressed or regressed in your relationship with Christ?  
Answer:  Well, I feel like I have been doing the "Two Step" with God this year.  Meaning, I think I have progressed, but regressed too.  I wish I would have been better at journaling my life so I could track approximately when I went off balance.

Question:  What shortcomings have you observed in your character over the past year?
Answer:  I think harshness, judging, and fear would be areas my character has been under attack.


Question:  What emotions and baggage are you bringing into the New Year?
Answer:  Lack of self confidence, Un-forgiveness, unwillingness or reluctant to serve family, church body, self pitty, self- righteousness, unrepentant heart, judging others based on my view of life though my own heart/experiences.

Question:  If someone were to ask what God had taught you this past year, how would you answer them? If you were honest, would your response be just lip service?
Answer:  I do feel like I have been wounded in the battle this year, but over all I can confidently say God began last year teaching me how precious I am to him.  That has always been a concept that eluded me until this year. I believe over the year's day to day struggle I lost sight of that, and began to doubt my worth in his eyes much less his hear toward me. 


The site just stops here, but I want to take this a little further, these are issues that need to be dealt with at the heart level, but then they need to be forgotten!  Don't keep bringing them back into the picture when the going gets rough.


Here are some ideas on picking your one word (taken from the blog myoneword.org)...


1).  Determine what kind of person you want to become: Ask yourself what kind of person did God create me to be?  What is the very character of God that should be displayed in my life?


2).  Identify the characteristics of that person. Get a picture of that person in you mind.  What are the qualities of that person?


3).  Simply pick one word.  Even though you may think of several qualities, resist the temptation to choose more than one word.  Just pick one!  


The process will be hard at times, even uncomfortable at first, but remember this trait is not part of your current day to day life, hence the need for change...change can be hard! 


Father, please help me to first see the need for change in my life, then give me the courage to step out in faith and make those changes. My desire is to be a pleasing fragrance to you!