2007 is going to be an exciting year. I have no idea where I will be and what I will be doing in August, never mind this time next year. Thankfully, I know that my life will not come to together by coincidences and random events, but instead has been lovingly planned by a God who has plans for wholeness and not for evil, to give me a future and a hope. Whatever happens, I want to grow more and more in my relationship with and in my knowledge of God, and to walk with the Lord daily and in everything I do.

While reflecting on the past year and on the year ahead, I have decided to set myself some goals to help me focus and to have some accountability for my part in my growth over the next year. If I tell you about them, I'd better have a good excuse for not keeping them!

That said some of them might not be as important by the end of the year although I have tried to pick goals that will be good for me wherever I am and whatever is happening in my life.

It is also interesting to look back at previous goals to see what was important to me at the time and if I achieved them. While sorting through a box of school stuff, I found an old diary from 1995. My list of goals for before I was 25, ten years later, included becoming a doctor (done), having long hair (quite embarrassing this is in the same league as the last one but it has been done), getting my name into listings of the Radio Times (done) and being in a musical in the main theatre in my city (not done and I'm fine with that!).

My goals for 2007 are to:

• Read through the whole Bible - I've done this once before in a year and found it very helpful to get everything in context and to see the Bible as a whole, rather than in fragmented pieces. I'm currently swithering (admittedly a bit late in the day!) between Robert Murray McCheyne's plan or reading through the Bible chronologically.



• Memorise key Scripture - The publishers of the ESV Bible have a year's Scripture memorisation plan that covers the basics of Christianity with one passage for every week.



• Learn a question from the Shorter Catechism every week - I think we have lost a great part of our heritage and a wonderful opportunity to learn basic tenets of faith when we stopped catechising children in Sunday school. I didn't go to Sunday school myself so I have decided to start learning them.



• Practise hospitality more purposefully - Carolyn McCulley wrote a great article on this a few days ago. I'll write more about this, but I wanted to recommend it straight away.



• Start singing lessons again - I used to do so much more singing when I was at university, but stopped when I started work. Having got my postgraduate exams out of the way, I should be able to find the time to do something I love.



• Use it up, Wear it out, Make it do, Do without - I want to join the ladies of blogland, led by Sallie, in Celebrating a Year of Abundance.



• Keep blogging - I never intended to start blogging at the beginning of the year but somehow fell into it. I have loved it though and really feel that I have grown from the discipline of writing and from the writings and fellowship over the internet of believers all over the world.

I'll write a little more about these in the days and weeks to come, but until then I'd be interested to know your resolutions or goals for the coming year if you are making them. For others' hopes and dreams for 2007, visit Laurel Wreath for more New Year Meditations.

Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:12-14

In what area of your life do you most need change, and what will you do about it this year?

Almost five months after I began (I originally planned to complete it before my birthday in September), I have finally come to the end of the Consider Your Ways series, based on questions from Don Whitney of the Center for Biblical Spirituality. (It's come recommended by the GirlTalk ladies and Justin Taylor, so you know it'll be good.) Through it, I have been forced to think about all areas of my life and how I should be glorifying God though it. There is plenty for me to get stuck into over the next year.

I'll let Mr Whitney have the last word on this for now:

So let's evaluate our lives, make plans and goals, and live this new year with biblical diligence, remembering that, "The plans of the diligent lead surely to advantage" (Proverbs 21:5). But in all things let's also remember our dependence on our King who said, "Apart from me you can do nothing" (John 15:5).

In what area of your life do you most need growth, and what will you do about it this year?

Oh, there are so many areas that need work! I have found going through these questions such a helpful discipline though. It has made me consider areas of my life that I had almost forgotten about and made me re-evaluate things in light of God and who I am in him.

I have come up with plenty of things to do in my desire to grow, not because if I do these things, I will achieve a higher spiritual plane and be more acceptable to God, but because of my desire to know God more and to reflect him more. Having the accountability here means that I can look back clearly at what I said had to be done, whether I did it, and whether I have learnt anything and grown from it.

Lead me in your truth and teach me,
for you are the God of my salvation;
for you I wait all the day long.
Psalm 25:5

What one thing do you most regret about last year, and what will you do about it this year?

Aargh! There are so many things. I hope you don't mind if I share them all with you all. I think it is important though that we confess our sins to one another so that we can be accountable to others in our repentance. I have a couple of close friends with whom I can share everything - their rebuke, encouragement, challenge and guidance is so important to me. I hope that people reading this have people in their life who can do this for them. I suppose it is a further example of the Titus 2 relationship between younger and older women.

As for doing something about it, I am trying day by day to turn away from sin and to set my eyes on Jesus and his teachings and example. I hope that I can show here that I am looking purposefully at what and where I need to change. I look forward to seeing what God has done in my life and how he has worked in me, until that day in glory, when we are made perfect in Christ.

Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper,
but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.
Proverbs 28:13

What book, in addition to the Bible, do you most want to read this year?

I think I have managed to deal with this one already thanks to Katrina's Fall into Reading challenge. I haven't progressed very far though so I will need to get cracking... I'm finding the accountability very helpful though, so I will have to reconsider this question in the New Year once this challenge is over. I have found an interesting site from Christianity Today that I might use to help me pick next year's books: The Top 50 Books That Have Shaped Evangelicals

Be as careful of the books you read as of the company you keep, for your habits and character will be as much influenced by the former as the latter.
Edwin Paxton Hood, English clergyman (1820-1885)

Continuing my reintroduction into society and normal life after that exam, I am going to make a late contribution to the Fall Into Reading challenge set by Katrina of Callapidder Days. She started it to encourage people in their personal and family reading, with the built-in accountability of sharing these goals with others. It's been running since the 23rd September but I've got until the 21st December to read my books. After pottering around my house looking for those half-read or abandoned books, here is what I found!

"Cloud Atlas" by David Mitchell
A friend gave this to me as a birthday present and told me she had loved it. It has been sitting on my book shelf for months however, so hopefully this will be the impetus to read it. I hope it is worth it!






"The Fellowship of the Ring" by J R R Tolkien
Of course I have read this before - it is an absolute classic and if you haven't read it, you should! I just found it while wandering around my house looking at bookshelves and realised that I hadn't read this since I saw the Lord of the Rings films years ago.




"Taken by Communion" by Dan Schmidt
This was in the Bargain Basement of my local Christian bookstore. I haven't read it yet, so I am not sure if that was for good reason or not! The blurb on the back says that Schmidt "offers a refreshing perspective on the Lord's Supper...Discover what happens when you are taken by communions - when the one who longs to love us draws hear." I'll let you know how I get on.

"The Cost of Discipleship" by Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Currently this just sits on the bookshelf looking impressive. I really should get round to reading it.








"The Rich Single Life" by Andrew Farmer
This has been sitting in my Favourites column of my web browser (it's an online book) since the beginning of August! Eek!

What habit would you most like to establish this year?

I have to confess that recently I have failed in keeping up with Flylady as much as I would like. I'm now not at home very much since I started a new job so there is not much routine to my life. Thankfully, as Flylady says, "You are never behind - just jump right in where you are!" The house is much more organised and clutter-free thanks to her, but I am just getting away with the bare minimum. Having some proper organisation back would be good, so I will try again! That said, something is better than nothing, as Flylady would tell me!

As for spiritual habits, I think I need to ensure that I read my Bible at the beginning of every day. Sometimes I haven't been leaving enough time in the morning to read my Bible, so have left it to later in the day. Sometimes after a day on call, I don't take the time or have the energy for a proper devotional time. I wrote about getting up early a few months ago, so I need to re-establish that. Can I even aspire to join the 5:00 club?

O LORD, in the morning you hear my voice;
in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you and watch.
Psalm 5:3

What's the most important need you feel burdened to meet this year?

Since starting my Bible study group for young women, I have been so delighted to see how many times other young women have asked to come or said how much they feel something like this is needed.

Certainly, my friend and I started this group because biblical womanhood and the challenge of living it out has been one of the main topics of conversation since we became friends. We have talked for HOURS about it, debating, encouraging each other, praying together, reading the Bible.

Over the next year, by God's grace and mercy, I hope to continue doing this. I have so pleased to see how much the young women are getting out of meeting together, but also because I am learning so much myself about God, the Bible, biblical womanhood and the importance of fellowship and accountability.

I am a companion of all who fear you,
of those who keep your precepts.

Psalm 119:63

I originally visited this website just for fun but it has really made me think. I had forgotten just where I stood compared to the rest of the world. I had forgotten about the abject poverty that in which most of the world's population. Almost because of their accessibility and exposure on the news or the internet and in books and magazines, I had become desensitised to the plight of billions of people; men, women and children all made in God's image and loved by God.

I find myself horrified at just how far up the scale I am as I sit in the top 0.67% richest people in the world. And what have I done with it? What do I with all this comparative wealth that God has given me? Where is MY treasure?

A friend was involved in a discussion about purity. She was asked, "God shouldn't care about who I want to sleep with. Why isn't he dealing with important issues, like sorting out famine?" The truth, as she pointed out, is that he has sorted out famine! There is more than enough food, money, fresh water, in the world for us all, yet we (and it is we in the West who are to blame for this) have hoarded greedily and kept it from others. Often in these countries, there is then a layer of corruption which prevents the food, which we have so grudgingly given, from getting to people in need.

This has challenged me to urgently consider how and where I spend my money. Just as we are reminded in the parable of the talents, we are to be responsible stewards of the time, gifts and money God has given to us. These are not entrusted to us because of any inherent good in us, but we are called to use them for God's glory and for building up his kingdom. As I sit here typing on a laptop computer, after a tasty dinner in a warm house, with my lights blazing and my washing machine churning away, knowing there is clean water directly into my house, about to have a leisurely hot bath in a room complete with flushable toilet, I pray that I will not let money become an idol for me but that I will use everything I have to God's glory, knowing where my true treasure lies.

Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Matthew 6:19-21

Momrn2 found this website and posted it on her blog, A Quiet Corner, so I had to have a go. It seems to work out the most commonly used words on your website.

It got me thinking too. I wonder and shudder to think what a word cloud of all the words I say (and worse, all the thoughts I have) would look like...

Let the words of my mouth
and the meditation of my heart
be acceptable in your sight,
O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.
Psalm 19:14

What's the most important way you will, by God's grace, try to make this year different from last year?

As students, we used to stay up late discussing and debating deep theological points, sharing the emotional, spiritual and physical struggles we faced in our lives, reading and praying together, and encouraging and admonishing one another. Since moving away from my university town and living on my own, I really miss that, both for the conversation and challenge but also the accountability it gave me. Living on my own, no-one needs to know how I spend my time or what I do and no-one is there to stretch my thoughts.

I have written before about the importance of a Titus 2 relationship, with the older women encouraging and teaching the younger women. I think that as my desire for biblical womanhood increases, the time has come to be brave!

Over the next few weeks, I will make a particular matter for prayer my desire to have a mentor, an older and wiser Christian woman teaching, encouraging, admonishing and guiding me in the way I should go. I have an idea who I could ask, but I will pray first before going to her to ask her for her guidance and prayer in a more formal and purposeful way. I will also pray that I will be honest with her, not hiding my struggles or failings, but being truthful about where I struggle and where I need to learn.

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age.

Titus 2:11-12

What is the single biggest time-waster in your life, and what will you do about it this year?

When I moved into my own flat, I decided not to get a television. It's not a decision I've regretted. I found it sucks your soul through its mindless drivel and seductive hypnosis.

Sadly, the Internet, for all its wealth of knowledge and shared wisdom and experience, can have the same effect. It brings me into contact with news, people, ideas, friends and places all over the world, all at the tap of a few keys. Through it, I have read classic works of art, seen beautiful paintings, improved my command of various foreign languages, shared my faith with others, and been challenged and encouraged by Christians across the globe.

However, used wrongly, it can draw people more into themselves and away from the world. With the huge amount of information available, it is easy to become distracted to the detriment of other activities.

As a Christian, I am called not only to be accountable for how I use my money but for how I use my time and talents for God's glory. So this is my resolve, while recognising the value of the Internet, I will ensure that I spend a maximum of one hour each evening using the Internet, whether working, writing, chatting or investigating.

So teach us to number our days
that we may get a heart of wisdom.
Psalm 90:12

Hopefully, this is what I am and what I strive to be!

Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,
but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
Proverbs 31:30