What are your New Year’s Resolutions?

We asked some of our full-time staff for their goals and resolutions they made for 2018, and it was inspiring! Sometimes our culture tells us that New Year’s Resolutions have to be huge life changes or weight-loss goals only, but even making one small intentional change per year can have a huge impact in the long run. Here are a few of the goals we have made:

“This year I want to drink tea instead of eating dessert! And to look my hubby right in the eyes when we’re talking, so he knows I’m really there with him.” -Bea “Ichi Mini Hoi” Rosenhauch

“Word before World this year! I want to get into God’s Word before I try and tackle the things like work/Facebook/family/social media/etc.” -TJ “Philly” Connor

“This is the year I’m going to run a marathon! This has been on my bucket list for a few years now, and since I’ll be turning 26 this year, it’s the perfect time to accomplish the goal. 26 miles at 26 years old!” -Meagan “Sushi Roll” Moore

“As a family, we are trying to memorize a group of verses. We have young kids so we got four packets from Desiring God that provide verses and they are really reasonably priced. (Find them here.) As a family, we know that memorizing Scripture is valuable but never have really found a way to easily incorporate it into our day.  We use this package of verses to have a set of verses that are easy for my young kids.  We go over them briefly at dinner and it makes it fun that mom and dad are working on them as well.  My eight-year-old daughter recently corrected me on a mistake I made when I was reciting it back to her.  I love it that she knows a particular verse better than I do.” -Jason “Payless” Wallace

“Instead of resolutions for the full year, I decided to make monthly resolutions this year! my resolution for the month of January is to literally get on my knees in prayer every single morning and night. Hopefully, this will lead to a lifetime of starting and ending each day in prayer!” -Paige Holland

“Run a marathon! Also, it’s the year of paying a lot on loans so with that comes saving money. But I’m going to try to say yes to as many things as I can that are under $50!” -Kristen “The Good Sherpa” Kimmel

“I want to make my relationship with my wife the most important thing in my life, outside of my relationship with Christ, because it’s easy to allow work and friendships (especially at Pine Cove) to take a hold of too much of my life, causing me not to selflessly love my wife the way Scripture calls me to.” -Brandon “Bomb Squawks” Gray

“Read 50 books this year! I love to read for fun, but it also is a great way for me to be always learning new things.” -Chelsea “Hive Impact” Connor

“To be a missionary in my home and represent the love of Jesus as an individual, wife and mother, because life is short!  We believe that we will have a tomorrow, but the next second is not guaranteed.  I want to live a life that represents the love of Jesus as a wife and a mother.  My words speak of God’s love and tell of his word, but my actions often show something different. I fail to stop and soak in the moment with my family. My goal is to live Jesus.  To be intentional with each member of my family.  To stop and listen.  I want to be a representation of what a Godly wife and mother looks like.   So if my tomorrow doesn’t come there is no doubt that my soul is with my father and my people know that they are loved unconditionally and know how to love unconditionally.” -Windy “Croppie” Lattis  

If you haven’t made resolutions for 2018 yet, it’s not too late! Dutch talked to some of us just this week about the importance of “living the evaluated life.” He encouraged all of us to take some time to intentionally evaluate our lives in 2017 in several areas. He recommends evaluating your year in your personal life: spiritually, physically, professionally, intellectually, recreationally, and financially. He also encouraged us to dive deep into the year for our marriages and family too, to see where you have been heading and what you might want to tweak in the new year.

After all, we all need to be purposeful and deliberate about protecting our own hearts and our families, because “Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8) It’s also a great time to ask the Lord for wisdom, like James talks about in James 1:5, “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault.”