What I Want for 2011

I spend a lot of time when I am driving listening to praise music and praying and reflecting. I have learned that God will listen to your prayers anytime, and this is an excellent time for quiet time with him.

Yesterday, as I was driving I heard a familiar song, but it spoke to my heart in a different way than before. "Jesus, all for Jesus...All of my ambitions, hopes, and plans, I surrender thee into your hands....for it's only by your will that I am free". This is what I want for 2011. I want to give all of my ambitions, hopes, and plans to Jesus. I pray that my will lines up with his will!

I journaled a few goals for this year. I don't necessarily like the word "resolution" because it gives the implication that something needs to be resolved or fixed. I like the word goals better. It just seems more positive to me.

I have seen so many people say that they were so ready for 2010 to be gone, and they hoped that 2011 was going to be better. I believe that in a way, I could say at the end of any and all years of my adult life. However, I don't have regrets in 2010, and I wasn't in any hurry for it to be gone. It does create the opportunity for new beginnings, but don't we get that every day? Isn't every Monday an opportunity for a new week? I personally love Mondays because they are fresh and new and an opportunity for a new beginning, but do not want to live my life thinking that happiness is just one step away. I have had a difficult and life changing experience every single year for the past 5 years, and will experience difficult times in every year that is to come. Happiness is available right here in this moment, not tomorrow or next year. The Bible says not to worry about tomorrow for today has enough trouble of its own. I find this to be true and challenging. I am a worrier by nature! I strive to live in the moment, and to be happy NOW regardless of the situation at hand.

I believe that making goals are healthy, and help move your life in a positive direction. They can be a way to inventory your ambitions, hopes, and plans. They are a way to become more self aware. They are an excellent time for a spiritual inventory.

This morning at church, the sermon was entitled "Running on the Treadmill of Life" which was an appropriate title for the first Sunday of the year! The focus was on Ecclesiastes Chapter 1. In it, the message was about the vanity of a focus on life "under the sun" which refers to the secular aspect of the world. The overall message was that in life, we can spend remarkable amounts of time seeking things that will fullfill us. We strive for more money, big houses, nice cars, high paying jobs, a better body, etc. We run and run and run as if on a treadmill, but do not actually go anywhere. These are secular things that cannot be taken with us to eternity. True fullfillment can only be obtained through Jesus Christ.

It is so wonderful when things that are on my heart are spoken from the pulpit! My main goal for 2011 is to put all of my ambitions, hopes, and plans into the hands of Jesus Christ for that is the way to true fulfillment!

I see so many people who put on a positive facade, but are actually so bitter and lost. They spend hours analyzing how to make things better for themselves, but a lot of the time do not act on these analyzations. They think that if they can just do______, they will be happy or if they just had _______ they could be happy. Sadly, you can put a lot of things in that blank, but they will not experience true happiness without Jesus.

These are my thoughts and goals for 2011! I am beginning a book called "A Woman Who Reflects the Heart of Jesus" and look forward to reaping the happiness that comes with being a woman who lives a Christlike life. I look forward to seeing God work through me to bless others.

I welcome 2011! The Joy of the Lord is my Strength!

-JoyDay-