Renew

This post is part of The Peony Project‘s January prompt linkup.

January is the time for fresh starts and new beginnings. The new year brings with it positive energy and a chance to create new habits to better ourselves. However, we all know that those ambitious resolutions and the excitement that comes with starting them wears off all too soon; often before January even comes to a close.

I’ve often pondered why exactly we humans can’t seem to stick to our goals. I mean, these are goals that we’ve picked for ourselves after all. It isn’t like we just plucked a random resolution out of the sky and decided to try it out. We make resolutions based on the things that we want to accomplish in our lives, so how come we so often end up dooming ourselves before we start? There are several reasons why this is, but one answer stands out so clear to me.

Our resolutions are not deep enough.

According to USA.gov, the most popular New Year’s resolutions include losing weight, getting fit, drink less alcohol, saving money. While these are admirable goals, I can think of something (or someone) who will provide a much bigger return on my investment.

This year, I’m working on growing even closer to the Lord. What better source of renewal could there be?

How I’m choosing to do this is first by intentionally reading the Bible this year. Initially, I had planned on doing this through my Daily Bible, but then She Reads Truth announced their Bible in a Year reading plan. So far, I’ve been spending sometime before I go to bed each night with my Jesus Calling devotional, following by the day’s Bible readings on the SRT app. As I read the day’s readings on the app, I have a notebook that I’ve dedicated to my Bible journey and I jot down key points, verses that stand out, and any questions or takeaways that I have.

I will also be joining a small group at church in the next few weeks and although I’m a little worried about how that will be balanced with both work and grad school, I recognize that I need to find a community of people to connect with and study the Bible with.