Happy New Year…Here We Go

Happy New Year…Here We Go

I’ve spent much of the year-end holiday break doing what I enjoy, reading, sleeping, spending lots of time with my kids (lots ☺), having long talks with my wife about everything imaginable and, of course, thinking of what 2012 might bring. And there’s my problem…

2012 is spot on the timeline of my life…of eternity for us all. 2012 will not be bringing me anything, so the question must be: “What will I make of 2012?”

I love new years because it’s a big “do over” time. We get to set a new path, adjusting some of the missteps of 2011 while charting some completely new territory just ahead. What will you new year look like? Here’s a few of my personal goals, resolutions if we must label them as such.

21 Day Fast (Jan. 8-29). I’m beginning the year with my church family, pressing ahead to draw closer to our Savior. I’ve been praying and thinking about it. I’ll be doing a series of 3-day complete (water only) fasts each of the three week duration while also fasting all media (TV, talk radio, newspaper, internet news sources) for the entire 21 days. I’ll be reading the Bible and one other book during this time, Tozer’s, The Pursuit of God, researching for upcoming sermon series and spending lots of extra time in the BT Prayer Room.

Baby Prep. Our new bundle of joy is due to arrive May 29. Having done this twice already, I know there will be much “nesting” to be done on the house. New baby room to paint, furniture to move around, undone projects needing attention. The list is long, but it only builds excitement for a new chapter in the Freeman family chronicles.

Blogging. I have a blog site, martyfreeman.com, that is has been woefully unattended for the past year. However, here’s what I know about me. I love to write. It’s therapy for me. It causes me to reflect and to hopefully offer something worthwhile to a few readers. I want to write better and maybe see some of these thoughts get a bit more organized and assembled into a book or two down the road. It’s also a very life-giving gift I can give myself. It charges my batteries.

Drop 30 pounds. Okay…you knew this was coming. We all think it in the back of our minds, but are we daring enough to write it down and let others know. I do want my pants to fit better. But I’m 46 with a new baby on the way! I’ve got to get in shape to handle the rigors of baby life. I feel better when I’m exercising regularly. It’s the absolute best way I can handle stress and stay focused on all of the areas of my life.

Read more. Charlie “Tremendous” Jones once said that “You are the same today as you’ll be in five years except for two things: the books you read and the people you meet.” I want to be better, sharper, more skilled and have more influence on others than I do right now. Read for knowledge, something new…but also consider reading for enjoyment and fun. Read about things you like to do, place you want to see, people you wish you could have met and it will change you.

Be a better leader. I’ve been blessed to have great people around me. My staff, our church leadership, the prayer warriors, the mentors are irreplaceable. I want to lead them well. I want them to have confidence in who they are following, so they will never be hindered from achieving all they are called by God to become. God has a way of gathering the right people together…and I’m interested to see what He does this year.

Hope this helps someone. It sure has helped me to simply write it down and ask God for His help to accomplish it all.

Happy New Year!