Welcome to 2014.  Now get up and change!  I am not talking about making a resolution or even a list of resolutions.  I am talking about real change.

Too often, we enter the new year full of excitement and anticipation.  We ‘resolve’ to do a long list of things.  We set specific goals and work hard to achieve them.  Yet, several months into the new year, our ‘resolve’ is failing and our goals have long been forgotten or given up as unrealistic.

This year, let’s do something different.  Let’s keep it simple.  Let’s focus on one change.   Forget the list.  Just pick one area of your life where you would like to improve.  Spend all of your energy on that one area.

Let me give you three examples of what I’m talking about.  Obviously, this list is not exhaustive.  These are just some of the common areas where we often need to make changes.  You could add many more examples to this list.

1. Food.  Perhaps you need to spend your energy focusing on the food that you put into your body.  Keep it simple.  Learn to say ‘NO.’  Pay attention to how you feel after you eat or drink certain foods.  Learn all you can about food.  Understand what takes place when you eat.  Change your eating habits.
2. Finances.  Maybe you need to focus on your finances.  Perhaps your finances are train wreck.  If so, focus on this area in 2014.  Learn all you can about personal finance.  Check out books from the library.  Enroll in Financial Peace University.  Stop spending!  Leave your plastic cards at home and start using cash for everything.  Change your financial habits.
3. Family.  Perhaps you need to invest in your family.  If so, make 2014 the year you re-connect with them.  Make this the year that your family life goes to new heights.  Plan exciting trips for your family.  Plan out the time you spend with them.  Turn off your cell phone when you are with them.  Focus on them.

One Big Objection
I can already hear what most of you are saying.  “I need to focus on all three of these areas, plus many more!”  I understand exactly what you are saying and can relate.   However, let me give you an illustration that may help.  Picture a forest of trees.  Your job is to cut down all of the trees with an ax.  So, you go to the first tree, raise the ax, and chop at the tree one time.  Then, you move to the next tree and chop at it once.  Likewise, you move to each successive tree and chop at it only once.  Your rationalization is that you are trying to work on multiple trees at once.  In reality, the better plan of attack would be to focus on one tree, chop it down, and then move to the next tree.

So, focus on one thing!  Keep it simple.  Start with one area.  Crush it.  Conquer it.  Achieve victory.  Then, move to another area.

So, what change are you going to make in 2014?  Leave a comment and let us know.

Stephen

PS – Our Annual Business Meeting is scheduled for Sunday night, January 19th, following the evening service.  Letters have been mailed out to all church members.   All of the documents that were mailed out are available here.  Additionally, this flyer lists the men that have nominated for deacon.  We will be voting on these men at our Annual Meeting.  Contact us if you have any questions regarding the Annual Business Meeting.