A New Start

I looked around my home office floor and cringed at the disarray before me. I really don’t like clutter and the floor was definitely clutter 2.0. Papers, files and trash….everywhere. It’s that time of year when I work hard to get super organized by throwing out the old stuff and making way for the new......New files. New ideas. New beginnings.

It feels really good to get organized and start anew. But, I always get stuck on the resolution thing. Statistics say I’m not alone! 80% of us have stopped practicing our resolutions by February! Shocker!

So, I’m all in for setting some new goals for the year. I certainly have them tucked away in the corner of my mind….and they will soon get to paper. But, what will actually help you and I live out our goals for 2019? 

We need each other!  Drew Dyck writes about a conversation he had with an older man at the airport. Dyck learned he was a recovering alcoholic who’d been clean for years. When he praised him for his self-control, he smiled “Self-control is important,” he said. “But if you just rely on self-control, you’re dead. You need a community around you. I know alcoholics who haven’t had a drop for 40 years and still go to the AA meetings.”

Whatever your goal, you are not designed to do it alone! We need those around us encouraging us, challenging us and listening to us. Reach out and ask for help…don’t go it alone!

Invite God to help you.  Long ago, an older woman mentor from seminary challenged me toward setting goals in all areas of my life. This was the first time I thought about the concept of God partnering with me in accomplishing my goals. For each goal, I wrote down what I needed to do and then how I would need God to help me. I would pray for each of the goals throughout that season. I still today remember how God used that season to help me both professionally and personally make some key changes!

Just think! Jeremiah 29:11 states  “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” If God indeed has plans for us, wouldn’t we need to stay close to the Planner and allow Him to guide us?

Don’t give up.  It was Winston Churchill that spoke the infamous words “Never, never, never give up.” He also said “Success is the ability to go from failure to failure without losing your enthusiasm.” Wow! How can you and I keep the same enthusiasm for our goals both now and next spring or summer or fall? How can we keep them on the front burner ALL year? That’s for each of us to decide, but it can be done.”

So, here's is a brand new start to the year ahead! Make it your best yet! Happy New Year!

“For nothing will be impossible with God.” Luke 1:37

Nancy Abbott is the Chaplain for the YMCA of Greater San Antonio.