This is a guest post by Carole.
It's the beginning of January, the time of year everyone sets new goals or makes New Year's Resolutions. Many write long, lengthy lists, while others set more realistic goals.
Whatever the case may be, I think we can all agree that there is something about the new year, a new calendar that inspires us to set goals or make resolutions, no matter how few or many.
As women, we tend to focus on all the things we've done wrong, all the mistakes we've made and all our flaws. Now that it is the new year, it's time to forgot all those failures of last year. Stop dwelling on the many mistakes and shortcomings! No one is perfect and God is bountiful in His forgiveness. Let's learn from our mistakes, but not dwell on them. It's time to look forward and thank God for another year. A new year to live for Him!
Philippians 3:13-14 states "Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."
I think as women we also tend to look at those around us (or back in the States) and set their expectations on our shoulders and do what we feel they expect of us. We tend to stretch ourselves thin being busy trying to accomplish everything that we feel is expected of us as missionary wives. Instead of looking around at man's ideal, we need to look to God. What does HE expect of us? He knows our stage of life, He knows our different mission fields and the challenges each one presents. Let's look to His Word and use Him as our guideline for our goals and resolutions this year!
Let's resolve to "press toward the mark" to live for God. To do ALL for HIS Glory. Whether it be making meals for our family, tending to a sick child, teaching classes of nationals, visiting the sick and elderly, homeschooling our children, being a mom, and being a helpmeet to our husbands, let's resolve to do it heartily as unto the Lord!
"Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God." I Corinthians 10:31
May we all have a Fulfilling and Blessed New Year!
Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteThe last several months we've been here, I haven't felt like I've been doing much ministry wise. With all the visa and residence stuff we were going through, I was just not ready to jump back in, especially if it turned out that we would need to leave.
I've now made a plan for the next three months based on a recent "Revive Our Hearts" broadcast about having a Personal Vitality Plan. Then I'll move on to the next phase at the end of March. My plan may not seem like much, but I'm already feeling that I have some direction and purpose, all for His glory!
It's so easy to get bogged down with the "here and now" and the "what may happen" isn't it? But, yes, direction and purpose for HIS Glory is always good!!! :-)
DeleteThank you for the encouraging post and good reminders!
ReplyDeleteThank you for this encouraging post, Carole! Thanks for the reminder :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for this encouraging post, Carole! It is so true that we tend to stretch ourselves too thin trying to live up to expectations. The last months, homeschooling as become more intense, so I've had to let go of some other things. This is a great reminder not to feel guilty and to press forward!
ReplyDeleteAnd I'm learning this again myself. We recently started back to school and I'm homeschooling four this year. Wow, it seems I'm much busier than last year and the years before. I'm having to re-prioritze and juggle some things around.
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