I’ve never been one to make New Year’s resolutions. January 1st is known to strike up the attitude “new year, new you.” The reason why most people don’t follow through with New Year’s resolutions is because a day on the calendar can’t successfully change your heart and mindset, at least not for most people. We try. Our new diet and exercise plan may last a couple months but after that it’s back to your old eating habits and watching TV, thinking ‘maybe next year…’

As the New Year is upon us, I can’t help but want to encourage everyone I come in contact with to make the decision to pursue Christ in 2013. There is no better time than today. I’m always for new believers accepting Christ, but what about us seasoned believers? We can ALWAYS grow deeper in our relationship with our Creator.

I think back to previous circumstances in my life, the ones that drew me closer and the ones that caused me to flee. Were the activities in my spare time robbing me of Christ? Too much TV? Sleeping instead of spending time in the Word? Are you a sports fan and spend your Sundays watching football? Me personally, I’m a huge reality TV fan. Awful, I know. It keeps me entertained, but not in a good way. I encourage you to think about the things that draw you closer to Christ. Do you enjoy walks outside? Worship music? Quiet mornings with Him? Learn to separate the your actions and pursue ones that better you as a child of the King.

This is no easy task. Like most of our New Year’s resolutions it will take time and effort. The most important thing is putting your whole heart into it. Giving your all up for Christ is so worth it. Going into the New Year, instead of having a ‘this is right, this is wrong’ kind of outlook, look at the things you do and remind yourself over and over again that you are giving up old ways for Him, to get to know Him better, to fall more deeply in love with Christ. If we don’t have Jesus as number one we are lost. Philippians 3:7-8 reminds us, “But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus, my Lord, for whose sake I have lost everything.” It’s not about what you did in 2012 it is about what you are going to do in 2013. It is never too late to get to know Christ on a deeper level. The perfect time is NOW.

As you start this journey I invite you to pray aloud Psalm 63:3-4 “Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands.”

Every December 31, since 2009, my two best friends and, I have each sat down to write our take on a New Year’s resolution list, a “honey-do-list.” Taking the time to reflect over the past year’s ups and downs and writing out things we want to see ourselves accomplish in the coming year has a real way of putting things in perspective. 

Because we’re all best friends, we write not only to ourselves but to each other. These letters are filled with honest love, as we only want to see each other become the best women we can possibly be. After we write our letters, we then read them aloud for accountability purposes.

Mid-way through each year, we take a break from our routine hustle and bustle and re-read our “honey-do-lists.” I LOVE this part, because it helps us see what on our lists we’ve accomplished thus far, and how much further we still need to go. Re-reading the list can also be kind of funny because sometimes, what was so important on December 31 doesn’t seem so important in June or July.

In preparation for my 2013 “honey-do-list” I began to really think about the past year and even more so, anticipate the coming year. As I began to pray about the past year and the coming year, a single phrase kept resonating in my spirit.

We’ve all heard the saying “oil and water just don’t mix,” but as it’s been a while since my last science class, I let my inner nerd out and did a little research. 

In my research, I came across a video titled “How to Make an Ocean in a Bottle.” Sounds pretty cool, huh? The premise of the video is to illustrate how oil and water don’t mix by putting oil, water and blue food coloring in a clear bottle. Tilting the bottle back and forth, you can see the oil floating on top of the now blue water. Thus, an ocean in a bottle.

The more the scientist in the video tilted the bottle, the more intense the “waves” became and at one point it almost looked like a storm. 

Much like the ocean in the bottle, there is an ocean inside each of us. The ocean is comprised of our flesh and our spirit. Like oil and water, the two don’t get along very well. And, like the experiment, the more shaken up we become, the more it can feel like a storm is taking place inside of us.

Have you ever been in a position or a situation where you can almost feel your spirit and your flesh at war? Perhaps someone says something to you and your emotions and flesh quickly rise up but just as quickly your spirit checks you? What about those days when you “wake up on the wrong side of the bed” and spend the day fighting for your joy?

Whether you’re making a New Year’s Resolution List or a “Honey-Do-List” for 2013, be prepared for those oil and water moments. Commit this year to being your “faith” year. Yes, losing weight, putting down cigarettes and saving money are all great goals but I challenge you to do something a different this year. Make one resolution or add one item to your “honey-do-list” that involves a huge step of faith. Honoring God and staying close to Him will allow you to recognize those oil and water moments.

Anytime you aspire to make a change in your life, it requires faith and a trust in God. Your flesh is going to talk you down every time. Your flesh is not going to want to release your plans, old habits and comfort zone for the unfamiliar path of true faith. But by keeping your eyes set on the things of the Kingdom, you can overcome your flesh and calm the storm.