This is a post I wrote last January after having a date with my sweet man and talking about things we were working on in our home and marriage. I never posted it and wanted to share it. These are all things I want to work on this year as well, just have to slightly change it as now the Lord is my husband.
Instead of the typical written out goals, I wanted to challenge myself with some thought provoking questions that would constantly challenge me, the whole year long. The answers to some of these questions change depends on the season I am in and what is looks like practically, but regardless I want to be in a constant state of growth in these areas of my heart and family.
Here they are:
What am I doing to exalt and magnify Christ?
How am I spending my time that is producing a hunger in my life for more of Him?
Am I being still so that I can hear from the Lord?
How am I managing my day so that I can enjoy the blessings God has given me freely and uninterrupted?
What am I doing to intentionally grow my marriage and invest in my husband?
What am I doing to train and pray over the boys in the ways of the Lord?
In what ways can I be intentional to remove stress from our lives?
How can I find more time to refresh myself in writing and reading?
How am I fostering godly community?
What am I doing to establish time to hide God’s word in my heart?
What am I doing for my spiritual, physical, and emotional well being?
**And already I am convicted as I just wrote it out again. Lots to work on this year and instead of being overwhelmed with a list of to do, in a very tiring season, I am trying to focus on my heart and what I am doing to foster growth from the inside out. What are some things you are working on this year?
Comments 16
Brittany you constantly inspire and challenge me! I hope you don’t mind me sharing this! Love you and pray for you often!
Thank you so much! And it’s a huge compliment that you would share it. Thank you so much!
I am so inspired by you!!! Thank you!!!!! Thank you Loren for sharing! !!!
Thank you!
Once again, your thoughts and insight are a blessing and a challenge to me as I continue to be more like Him and lead others to see Jesus in my everyday life. May God continue to strength you and uplift you.
Thank you Marie!
Isn’t she amazing Kelley?
Love you Brittany! I was praying for you as I fell asleep last night.
I hope this year will bring you many encouragements as you cope with life’s challenges.
Thank you SO much! So thankful for you! Thank you for the precious & generous ways you have served us!
I so need these “resolutions” in my own life to challenge me. Marriage, parenting, and simply daily life is riddled with distractions from our Father. It’s not easy, but with Him, all things are possible. Thank you, for sharing your strong spirit, Brittany.
Nicole
(friend of Scott & Kerry)
Thank you so much for your encouragement!
These are good questions. I am trying not to just read them but examine if I put them into practice. I want to do better, but I know I need to take action, even if only in one category:
What am I doing to exalt and magnify Christ? First I need to focus on Jesus instead of ignoring or disregarding or even just forgetting about Him during the day. When God gives me opportunities at work, I speak of Him.
How am I spending my time that is producing a hunger in my life for more of Him? Since getting married 8 years ago, my husband initiated a commitment: that we would get up earlier than necessary and read the Bible and pray together. Sometimes it’s only 15 minutes, but it has strengthened our relationship with our God and each other. I highly recommend this.
Am I being still so that I can hear from the Lord? I need to be stiller. But first I just need to learn to listen.
How am I managing my day so that I can enjoy the blessings God has given me freely and uninterrupted? It’s a good thing to be intentional about being grateful. About the strawberries in the cereal; the hot water in the shower; nice neighbors. Simple is good; grow from there.
What am I doing to intentionally grow my marriage and invest in my husband? Learning to argue well.
What am I doing to train and pray over the boys in the ways of the Lord? Now it’s grandchildren, and we try to support the values their parents are trying to instill.
In what ways can I be intentional to remove stress from our lives? My husband and I wrote down everything we did during the week on a chart. What we wanted to keep; what was keeping us stressed. We are making adjustments from that.
How can I find more time to refresh myself in writing and reading? I love both of these but don’t have much time now to randomly pick up a book. The other day my husband picked up a novel and the TV/Netflix was off. He read. Guess what–I wrote a letter!
How am I fostering godly community? Doing some things; need to think about this more.
What am I doing to establish time to hide God’s word in my heart? I will admit that when I was younger, this was so much easier. Reading it everyday makes a big difference.
What am I doing for my spiritual, physical, and emotional well being? First you have to ask the question. So glad you asked, Brittany! Can’t wait to hear what your other readers have to say. It will encourage all of us–stir us to good works!
Love reading these! So thankful for you & your friendship!
This is beautiful–Jesus will never leave us widowed. You are his bride and I am his bride and all those belonging to the Church are his bride because the Church is his bride and the Church is one as the Trinity is one.
Thank you Daniel!
As for me, what I am going to do this year to help intentionally grow my relationship with my husband (the spiritual one, Jesus) is I am going to increase my Marian devotion following the archetypal bride of Christ reciting the Magnificat on a nightly basis.
I don’t know you and you don’t me but I’ll keep you in my prayers.