My New Years Resolution...

A new year. A fresh start. A clean page. An opportunity many of us take to re-evaluate life and   set ourselves some challenges that we intend to have kept by the end of the year...

My resolution this year?

To slow down.

I know I have a tendency to rush around like a headless chicken. My default is to be busy and my head is full of ideas that I always want to act on immediately. But with a second baby on the way, I know for the sake of my spiritual, physical and emotional wellbeing, I need to re-evaluate this year.

So this year I want to learn to stop. To ponder. To marvel. To appreciate the little things. To spend time with my maker. To really pray. To talk with loved ones without being half there and half not because my head is somewhere else. To set my laptop down from time to time. To read. To be. To enjoy long walks and breath fresh air and appreciate all that God has given me.

A tough call? Yes it could be interesting given that we are about to re-enter the world of sleepless nights, endless feeding, countless nappies and juggling two babies, but God is good and I trust he will give me the strength to accept that I can't be Supermum...

It's a resolution with a difference. Its a proactive "not doing" as opposed to the usual to-do list, and I know I won't be able to do it in my own strength... why? Because my natural instinct is to be self-reliant, "sorted" and busy. I'm praying God will help me to re-prioritise and lean on Him for my strength, and as I pray, I know he will keep his promise that "the peace of God, which supasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4, The Bible)

On Sunday night, David and I were leading a time of worship as we looked back together as a Church on God's goodness and provision in this past year. I was really challenged to remember to see beyond the "practical" blessings of God that so often catch my attention, and instead to focus on the fact that those blessings are bonuses. Really all I need is Christ and all I have is Christ. Everything else is extra.

Just before we sang one of my favourite songs (which I'll attach below), I read out the following prayer from a book called The Valley of Vision (which I highly recommend!!) It's old, and the language is a bit archaic. But it is my prayer for the start of this new year. Maybe you'll join me in praying it too?

O God,

Thy main plan, and the end of thy will 

is to make Christ glorious and beloved in heaven

where he is now ascended, 

where one day all the elect will behold his glory 

and love and glorify Him forever.

Though here I love Him but little,

may this be my portion at last.