5 Things I Want To Do Better In 2017

“Get up, Stuart. Let’s Go. Many are called, but few are chosen” I heard. I did some good things in 2016 – overall it was a pretty good year for me spiritually. While I was still foolishly patting myself on the back, God was already moving on to 2017. Needless to say, I got a newfound sense of direction from that night – and that’s what I intend to write about, with the hope that you, my revered reader, can also be inspired by some or all of it!

1. Love People Better. Just being transparent – I can be a complete jerk at times. It’s not even that I mean to be, but sometimes it just happens. I am an intensely logical thinker, and when making decisions, I overwhelmingly think about whether or not it logically makes sense, sometimes neglecting peoples’ feelings about the situation. When I am in tune with God’s spirit, and I am filled with His love and joy, I am naturally more in tune with other peoples’ feelings as well as my own. My goal here is to constantly be walking in God’s love, and to pour that out into others in 2017.
2. Prioritize My Work. I have a proclivity to want to prioritize my hobbies and wants over the work that God has called me to. This must end if I want to succeed in my path. I mean, let’s be honest, we all want to go out and have fun more than we want to work. I happen to be in a season that is very demanding of my time and energy, I need to prioritize my time and energy into my work. Work is a blessing from God – in fact, before Adam was given his wife, God gave him the work of naming every animal on the planet (take note of that fellas).
3. Work With An Orphan. I really did not want to put this in here for fear of boasting, but I think it will inspire somebody. God placed it on my heart to work with an orphan in 2017, one on one. This life is not about me, my wants, my desires, or my feelings. This life is about positively affecting the people around us in the short time that we have here. Serving and volunteering, regardless of where it’s at, makes the world a better place. If you aren’t already, I would challenge each of you to find a place to serve God outside of church. That is where the holy spirit truly moves!
4. Be Bold. In the past, God has called me to things – placed things on my heart, and I’ve procrastinated the heck out of them. It’s easy to procrastinate. But Jesus did not procrastinate. When God calls me to do something, I am going to be more bold in stepping into that area in 2017. That starts with me taking a missions trip in 2017.
5. Wake up! So… God called me to wake up in 2017. This is hard to admit, but I’ve kind of been a luke-warm Christian in the past. In 2016, God gave me a huge wake up call. I never stopped loving God, but I would give an analogy of the passion that newlyweds share versus a burned out 10-year-old marriage. The remedy to this was, and is, quite simple. Pursue God more. Intimate time with God builds passion, just as intimate time in a relationship builds passion. If you aren’t feeling passionate about God, spend more time with Him!

There you have it guys and girls, Five Things I Will Do Better In 2017! Love people better, prioritize my work, work with an orphan, be bolder, and wake the heck up! It is my hope that through my learnings, some or all of you will be able to grow and or prayerfully consider making some of these changes in your own lives! If not, well, sorry. Not sorry.