January 1st 2015 – a blank slate - time to make a fresh start. My news feeds are blowing up with articles on resolutions and things you can do to be a better you in 2015. Have you made any resolutions yet? I find resolution setting to be a little depressing. It points out all the things I spent an entire year doing wrong. Why did it take the closing of a year to motivate a change? I am done with that. Instead of a list of resolutions I am making five statements and focusing on them. Call them goals, or resolutions if you want, but these five things are the foundation for my New Year. I encourage you to steal and adapt them however you like.
1. Begin the day with God – I have written about this many times. It is easy to slip out of a daily routine around the holidays or as life gets busy. Having that quality time with God is so important --- especially for those of us in ministry. We pour ourselves out constantly for others, often without giving God the time to pour into us. Without it we'll wither away. That time with God gives us courage to do more, relying on faith, knowing that God is there. When we have that faith, we find ourselves worrying less. Find yourself an online devotional, a study Bible, or the YouVersion app for your phone, and spend time in the Word.
2. Create margin in your life – I am a card-carrying member of the people-pleasers club. I would rather stay up all night finishing a project than say “No.” I have to stop that. I constantly believe the lie that Satan tells that we have to be constantly busy. He would love to see me take on more than I can handle and burn out quickly --- instead of holding steady and making a continual impact on the kingdom. While it pains me to say “No” sometimes, it is okay to say it. Sometimes people will be upset, but they will get over it. It is not my cross to bear to make sure they are happy. Pick up a copy of the book “Boundaries” by Henry Cloud. It's a great place to start if you also have trouble saying “No.”
3. Say “Yes” to God – Creating margin in your life allows you to take God up on the adventure he has planned for you. When you put the first two items into practice, your spirit can become tuned to God and His prompting. For example, the other day, I needed to get some children's Tylenol for my son. He was running a fever. So on my way home from work I was going to stop at the CVS. For some reason I was day-dreaming and wound up in the wrong lane for the turn in to CVS. “Whatever” I say to myself, “I'll just take the other way home and stop at the Walgreens instead.” So I ran in, got what I needed and headed for the cashier. The young lady behind the counter saw my tech shirt and began asking about my church. She was nervous about coming back to church. She knew she needed too, but didn't know where to go. I was glad I was there for her. I call it a God thing.
This year can be filled with hope and a new mindset --- not just a list of things you hope to accomplish, and then abandon by March.
I grew up in the church. But I have to remember that people who didn't grow up in church don't necessarily know what to do. I always tell them, “Just walk in the front door, there's a church on every corner, pick one.” However, often they are overwhelmed and unsure of what to do. The cool fact is though, that 99% of the time, they will go to church if they are invited.
The next day was Christmas Eve and I truly believe God was using me to invite that lady to church. I am glad I was in a place for God to use me. It also made me wonder how many opportunities I have missed --- situations God tee'd up for me --- situations I missed because I was too busy. I am praying that I can say “Yes” to Him more this year than last.
4. Be more grateful – This may just be me, but it seems the news (and my Facebook feed) are filled with people who feel they are entitled to something or another. Unfortunately, the idea of counting our blessings has becoming cliché. It's a saying that we disregard. When I look around at all the God has done for me in 2014 (and continues to do) and I am speechless. I know I find often myself looking at other churches and what they did for Christmas and become down right jealous of their accomplishments. I have to guard myself from that remembering that God has me where I am, doing what I am doing for a reason and I am grateful for that provision. Stop looking at what God is doing at other churches and feeling depressed. Look at what he is accomplishing around you and through you and rejoice.
5. Slow down to love people – I want to focus less on the mechanics of production and more on the people who make it happen. I have an amazing team. My staff guys work crazy hours and my volunteers are even crazier for what they do for free. I don't ever want them to think I take their service for granted or assume that they are not sacrificing. I can so easily get caught up in all the to-do's of being a technical director, but if I lose sight of those actually making it happen then I'm not doing my job at all. This also transcends work. If I slow down and make sure my kids know they are a priority and that my wife knows she more important to me than work – life will be good. Take time to look for people who just need an encouraging word.
Each of these five statements overlaps another in some way. I said earlier that these are the foundations to achieving your goals. For example, by creating margin in your life will have more time for your resolutions --- like going to the gym to lose that extra weight. When you slow down to love people, your family will feel it. Being grateful never made anyone feel bad about themselves. This in turn will give you a self-image boost.
This year can be filled with hope and a new mindset --- not just a list of things you hope to accomplish, and then abandon by March.
I pray God will be at the center of all you try and accomplish this year --- that 2015 is the year you remember as the turning point in your faith and your ministry. Happy New Year!
