The new year is just around the corner, and many of us are setting goals.  Does your list include a goal for your walk with God?  I hope so!  Are you set up for success, though?

I’m sure you can recall making New Year’s resolutions, and then  realizing in about March that they have sort of gone by the wayside.  We’ve all done that.  Often, the problem lies in the way that we’ve worded our intentions.

This year, try writing goals instead of resolutions. There is a difference, you know. Resolutions are a bit vague for our purposes. Usually, they express a desire to improve some aspect of your world. In this case, your resolutions might say something like, “Read my Bible more” or “Get closer to God” or even “Pray every day.”  Do your resolutions sound like these?

Goals, on the other hand, are measureable and specific. It’s easy to tell if you’re on the right track (and it’s harder to fudge!).  A goal might be worded like this:  “Read my Bible for at least 10 minutes each weekday.”  Other examples include “Try 2 new types of prayer by June” or “Write in my prayer journal at least three times a week.”  You will find that writing goals in this way gives you a clear idea of whether or not you succeeded today, and exactly where you stand. They also leave a lot more room to improve. A resolution, once broken, feels like a lost cause. A goal, on the other hand, leaves room to try again.

So try setting a few goals for the coming new year.  Here are a few ideas related to journaling:

• Record at least three thoughts about my relationship with God each day.
• Write down my supplications, and note the answers when they come.
• Read a chapter from Scripture each day and write down at least one way to apply it to my life.
• read a daily devotional passage and write a response at least four times weekly.

Happy New Year!!