New Years Resolution

I am more excited about the start of a new year more than ever before.   Let me back up just a little bit and tell you why.  On New Years Eve our family had a small time of reflection on the past year.  Hands down we all agreed that God has blessed us abundantly.  For me the greatest blessing comes from a deeper walk with Christ.  No material blessing can top that even though we have been blessed in that way too.  This year has been a year of huge Spiritual growth for me.  God has done some amazing things in us, but also all around us.  We are in awe that God would even choose to use us.  I love the fact that He uses such ordinary and unworthy people.  He is such a great God!

So, I am so excited about the start of this new year because I can't wait to see all that God does this year.  We are expecting another year of God doing the impossible in our lives and in the lives around us. 

I am also thrilled because this year I have signed up to be a Compassion blogger.  Compassion is an awesome ministry that helps children all over the world hear about the Lord.  They also provide food, clothing, schooling, and medical care as well as work with churches around the world to disciple these children.  You will see me post about Compassion a couple of times a month.  It is my hearts desire to one day take a blogging trip with them.  That is an impossible request, but one I know God can work out. 

My first Compassion post has nothing to do with Compassion, but a New Year's resolution.  The gal from Compassion challenged each of us to choose one word to describe our resolution and post about it.  It took me several days to really think and pray through my word.  As soon as I read the email I knew exactly what word was on my heart, but I wanted that word to match up with what God wanted for me.  Several days later I had that peace that SACRIFICE was the word God had given me. 

If you read my previous post about the Gucci shoes you will see that God has already started working in my heart in this area. 

I want my life to be as Romans 12:1 says, "...a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God..."  I want to live my life in every way in obedience to Christ.  As I have thought about all the ramifications of this I realize it will not be easy.  This means that I will have to sacrifice food, money, time, energy, and my heart.  It sounds easy, but I know its not.  Last July a friend and I went on a journey where we denied ourselves certain foods until Thanksgiving and it was tough.  Sacrifice is tough.  Discipline is tough...BUT so worth it because of the end result. 

All of my goals for this year fit into this word sacrifice.

•  I want to set aside weekly budget money to help those in need. 
•  I want to go on a missions trip to Africa this year.
•  I want to spend everyday with my best Friend - Christ.  Not just a quiet time, but a daily walking and communing with Him.
•  I want to (want to) live a healthy lifestyle.  I am (except for Holidays), but I am not wanting too.
•  I want to follow the Lord in leading and writing more Bible studies.
•  I want to do good and share with others - Hebrews 13:16
•  I want to do more miles of prayer walking this year. (I will post about that later this week.)

Each of these things require sacrifice and there is no way I can do any of these things apart from God.  So ultimately I just want to grow in my relationship with Christ, and if it is His will these things will out pour as a result.

If you had to summarize your New Years goals into one word what would it be?