StudentPastors.com Blog

The New Year is a chance to start over, we get a do-over, a mulligan, a second chance. That is what's great about a New Year. The bad part is, is that we just did this a year ago and where did it get us. Last year for me, I wanted to lost 30 pounds by my birthday, May 10. I did it. Then I spent the next few months putting it all back on.

This year, I want to be more intentional in my resolutions. As I begin to think of how I want to be different at this moment in 2010, I am reminded of one of my heros. Jonathan Edwards was a Puritan Pastor who was a great man, father, husband and Pastor. As a young man, he wrote 70 Resolutions. I have these in my office, here is a link to them online. Here's a few:

5. Resolved, Never to lose one moment of time, but to improve it in the most profitable way I possibly can.

9. Resolved, To think much, on all occasions, of my dying, and of the common circumstances which attend death.

15. Resolved, Never to suffer the least motions of anger towards irrational beings.

41. Resolved, to ask myself, at the end of every day, week, month, and year, wherein I could possibly, in any respect, have done better. Jan. 11, 1723.

There are 70 of these in total and they make my "I want to lose 30 pounds" seem superficial and self-serving.

At this time next year, I would rather be more centered on Christ and the Gospel. I would rather be focused on making God smile in my actions, my thoughts and my attitudes.

As I think about these things, I am thankful for the latest blog entry from Pastor Brandon Porter on how to make SMART resolutions, be sure to read it here.