Start The Year Off Right
I love the beginning of the New Year! I love the motivation to achieve big things. I love the desire to grow. I love the excitement of a new planner. We know that the new year brings all these things and that those around us are striving for big things, too!
Here are a few of my goals in the new year:
More dedication to personal scripture memory
Going to bed with an empty/clean sink each night
Build a better routine for family devotion and prayer
Have you thought about the goals you might want to set for the new year? Maybe you’ve chosen a word or phrase for the year. Intentional, rest, grow, focus, or connect? How about a scripture for the year? Such as…
Lamentations 3:22-23 - Because of the LORD’s great love, we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
Micah 7:7 - But as for me, I watch in hope for the LORD, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.
Just like we tell parents in Baby Dedication, take a minute to pause and think about how you want to be intentional with 2024! It’s easy to do a Google search and find many good ideas for all of these things, but let me encourage you to seek the Lord and ask Him what He has for you and your family in the new year!
Going into 2024, here are three things I’d like to encourage you to pause and consider:
First, are you ready to Reach? We have been preparing to Reach those in our neighborhoods and community for several months and have gospel conversations. We want your family to be committed to seeking opportunities for gospel conversations. Those 8,400 conversations we’ve been challenged to have as a church shouldn’t just happen with adults. We all have a role in sharing our faith. Our elementary kids have been learning to share the Gospel through The Gospel: God’s Plan for Me and the Three Circles. Parents, you can foster these habits by modeling these conversations, challenging your kids to have them, and being intentional together. As a family, discuss how you will have Gospel conversations!
Next, I want to encourage you to deepen your spiritual discipline in the coming year. Parents, utilize the resources that we’re giving you! Check out the Family Resource Hub to continue faith conversations with your preschoolers. Memorize scripture, use the rbcLittles family calendar to incorporate faith into daily activities, and most importantly, read the Bible and pray with your kids! If you have elementary kids, make sure they’re using their Time Alone With God book, and they’ll be ready to discuss what they learned at home with their KidsLife group! Parents, maybe it’s time for you to join a Small Group or a Life Group! Let the New Year be a time to launch your spiritual growth, too!
One more way to encourage you to think intentionally about the New Year is to make a bucket list. But it's not a traditional bucket list. We don’t just want to fill our year; we also have to think about what we are already doing that may keep us from being what and who God wants us to be! As a family, list things you want to do this year, including going to Silver Dollar City, having a family devotion three nights a week, tackling a home renovation, or eating dinner at the table more. But don’t stop there. Make a list of some things that need to come off your to-do list or routine that may be cluttering your life. Is it time to have only one extracurricular activity at a time, or maybe you need to limit all screens on school nights? Whatever is going on or coming off your list, I hope it brings you closer to the Lord in 2024!
I can’t wait to see how God will work through our families at Ridgecrest in 2024!