Believe it or not, I actually had my goals written before New Year’s Eve. However, that night I was at a wedding. Then the next day (after 3 hours of sleep) I went to High School Camp with my church, where there was no Internet access. Then I came home and got sick. Then it was my birthday, and I wanted to write about WHY MY BIRTHDAY IS SO SPECIAL TO ME. And then I went SKYDIVING and it seemed necessary for that to take precedence over posting my New Year’s Goals.

So, without further adieu, here are my goals for the year of 2013

Spiritual

Psalm 38:15 “For I hope in You O Lord; You will answer, Oh Lord my God.”

Psalm 63:8 “My soul clings to You; Your right hand upholds me.

Daniel 11:32 “But the people who know their God will display strength and take action.”

• Love Jesus more this year than I did last year
• Continue daily devotions
• Pray faithfully for family, high school small group, girls I mentor
• Start more prayer groups
• Pray about what ministry to start when my small group girls graduate (women’s ministry, prophetic team, prayer groups, healing center)
• Memorize 1 Scripture/week (I have a working list)

 Financial

Malachi 3:10 “…test me now in this,” says the Lord of hosts, “if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows.”

• Remember that God is my provider (Jehovah Jireh)
• Build savings to ___ by 2014
• Tithe 10%
• Give _____above tithe
• Continue to stick to budget and live within means
• Look for opportunities to give and be generous

Physical

1 Corinthians 9:26-27 “Therefore I run in such a way as not without aim…but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.”

• Work out 3-5 Day/week (Make sure to get up early enough to work out on days I have class)
• Half-marathon? Do INSANITY again? Develop weight routine
• Maintain weight of 108-110 lbs
• Eat healthy (keep fruit/veggies, and healthy food stocked and cook more often)
• Fast once/week
• Do a cleanse/detox

Career/Job

Proverbs 31:25b “She smiles at her future” [daily].

Jeremiah 31:17 “There is hope for your future,” declares the Lord.

1 Timothy 6:19 “Storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is faith indeed.”

• Trust God with my future
• Fill up days at salon
• Get more clients with referrals, social media, and business classes at work
• Continue to develop writing
• Post on blog 1/week
• Submit articles to SingleRoots (I already have two scheduled for Jan and Feb), iBelieve.com, and other publications
• Start working on book
• Finish editing Dad’s book
• Finish Youth Venture Testimony book

School

Timothy 2:15  “Study to show yourself approved unto God…”

• Decide which college to transfer to
• Get all A’s
• Remember this is only a season, “I can do anything for a short amount of time”
• Explore possibilities for a Writing and Literature Studies/English major
• Create a Study Schedule and use a calendar to stick to it
• Apply for SCHOLARSHIPS

Personal

• Mail one encouraging card/week
• Go skydiving (he hee )
• Learn Piano
• Get another Tattoo (maybe)
• Be a faithful mentor: Pray for and check in with them regularly; meet biweekly
• Books to read:

Spiritual Growth:

• Hinds Feet High Places with mentee
• Passion and Purity by Elisabeth Elliot with mentee
• Beautiful Outlaw, John Eldredge. This was highly recommended by my salon owner, who happens to be an awesome Christian. I love learning more about Jesus.
• KNOWING GOD J.I. Packard. This one has shamefully been on my list for years.
• The Valley of Vision: A collection of Puritan Prayers, by Arther Bennett
• With Christ in the School of Prayer, Andrew Murray. I read this book a few years ago with a small group and I really liked it. Prayer is one of the spiritual disciplines I hope to develop this year.

Biographical/Historical

• Wit and Wisdom of Abraham Lincoln
• We Were Soldiers Once and Young
• Shakespeare

Fiction

• Julie and Julia. This is one of my favorite movies. It’s about a writer who got her career started by blogging, and a woman who fell in love with Paris. I mean come on, it’s sooo me.
• Persuasion, Jane Austen

Every year, I pray about a specific trait I want to develop and work on in myself. In 2010 it was joy, 2011 contentment, and 2012 surrender. After some quiet reflection and time in prayer, the Lord and I decided that this year my focus would be: selflessness. I do not think I am an incredibly selfish person, but I have realized that so much of my time, thoughts, and prayers are centered around me: my will, my desires, my needs. I don’t want that to be the case this year. I want to rise above my circumstances and look beyond myself. I want to be others oriented. My life really isn’t about me. It is about Jesus. And Jesus is about people.

Selfish: devoted to caring only for oneself; concerned primarily with ones own benefits, welfare, etc. regardless of others.

Selfless: Having little or no concern for oneself

I know which one I want to be.

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!