Goodbye & Hello

Before I share with you my new list of resolutions for 2015, let's take a look back at what was or was not accomplished during 2014.

1.  I will only drink water, lemonade or breakfast drinks such as HI-C, apple juice, milk, and orange juice.  ACCOMPLISHED!  I think this would not have been as easy if I didn't already drink as much water as I do. 

2.  I will only eat out once a week.  Exceptions are birthdays, special occasions, or visiting friends or relatives.  EPIC FAIL.  

3.  I will set a budget each month and only withdraw money out of my checking account.  Exceptions are emergencies.  FAILED. 

4.  I will write one letter or card each week and send it to someone by mail.  FAILED.  

5.  I will exercise for 30 minutes each day for at least three days a week.  FAILED.  

6.  I will start and end my days with prayer.  FAILED.

7.  I will finish the Hospitality chapter in my checklist book by March (I accidentally put Humility chapter last time).  ACCOMPLISHED!  This was probably one of the easier goals to reach.  I met this goal by having friends over for homemade pizza and dirt cake.

8.  I will get a credit card to use only during the dead time between paychecks.  FAILED.

9.  I will eat one fruit a day.  FAILED.

10.  I will share the gospel/witness to 14 people this year.  ACCOMPLISHED!  Although I can't count the specific number, I was able to witness to 6 people at the Patriotic Celebrate in Bonifay and several children at Kingdom Quest during our mission trip to Brevard, NC.

11.  I will play a special at church one Sunday each month.  FAILED.

12.  I will walk away from gossip, change the subject, or say something positive about the person who is being talked about.  FAILED.  

13.  I will read the whole Bible this year using the Bible App (Sections each day).  ACCOMPLISHED!  This goal required a LOT of discipline on my part.  I got behind on several occasions and had to spend hours catching up on some days.  

14.  I will be an encourager to others by: speaking uplifting, positive words, helping with their needs, or smiling at them.  FAILED.

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So 4 out of 14 goals were met.  The reason I failed the other goals is because I just didn't put forth effort or didn't have enough self control.  Some of these goals I have decided to put back on my list for 2015 to take another shot at them.

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1.  I will read the entire Bible--again.  I've decided to make this a yearly goal.  I love going back to verses I've read before and learning something new from them.  This year I will be using my new HCSB Women's Study Bible that I got earlier in 2014.

2.  I will share the Gospel with at least 15 people.  I have opportunities every day to go above and beyond this goal. 

3.  I will make 15 shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child.  Every year I procrastinate with making shoeboxes until the last minute and then I'm scrambling for supplies.  This year I plan on buying certain supplies each month.

4.  I will speak positive, encouraging words to or about people.  I'm setting this as a goal because I hear so much negativity and criticism from people around me. 

5.  I will create a budget each month and stick to it.  Nate and I are planning on saving money while knocking out payments at the same time.  If we are able to stick to a budget it will be easier for us to do both of those.

6.  I will clean the house for at least 15 minutes each day.  Should be simple....right?

7.  I will learn/cook a new meal each month.  Seeing how I get a new cookbook each Christmas, I should have plenty of resources to make this happen.  

8.  I will play a special on the piano at church each month.  I was only able to play 3 specials in 2014 because the second half of the year I was left without much access to a piano.  This year I will snag any opportunity I can get.  

9.  I will exercise for 30 minutes each day, 3 days a week.  I hope to use my planner to actually write out the times I can exercise during the week.

10.  I will jog a 5k in its entirety.  If I do #9, this should be a breeze.

11.  I will write and send a handwritten note once a week.  I have this as a goal because I love getting letters/notes in the mail.  It's so much more meaningful and can be a keepsake.  

12.  I will use my Canon camera to take pictures.  Yes, it is easy to just pull out my phone and snap a quick picture.  However, I want better quality, more space, and to actually use the pictures instead of them just sitting on my phone.

13.  I will start and end my days with prayer.  Something else that should be simple to do.

14.  I will sew a dress.  This is something I've been wanting to do for a while.  Now, I have a sewing machine.

15.  I will pass out at least one mixed Christian cd a week.  That's at least 52 cds this year.  That's 52 people who will see/hear something about God.

Whewwwww.  Ok, so this does seem like a lot.  But, I already have two people I know who can hold me accountable for achieving these goals and I'm holding them accountable for theirs as well.  I would love to hear what your resolutions/goals are for 2015!  

In Christ, 

Katie

Like a Chicken with my Head Cut Off.

Lately, there have been two words that keep coming to my mind: Slow Down.  Why?  I mean, I have free time, I'm able to catch up on watching The Voice, I have plenty of time to play Hay Day and eat junk food.  So why do I need to slow down??  Because: I feel myself getting caught up in the craziness of life instead of enjoying the moments I get to spend with friends, family, and God.  The above picture is how I feel most Sunday mornings.  I'm literally "running around like a chicken with my head cut off" trying to make sure I talk to everyone I need to talk to before they, too, rush out the door.  As a result of this, I miss out on speaking to someone that I haven't seen in a while or TRULY listening to another person as they're talking to me.

This afternoon I was able to slow down.  I sat outside in the perfect fall weather.  I spent time reading the Bible.  Then, I just sat there looking at the sky, the trees, the homes of my neighbors (not like a stalker), and I just took it all in--and enjoyed it.

Are you living life in the fast lane?  Challenge: Take a breather.  Call up someone you haven't talked to in a while.  Enjoy the time with your family.  Taking care of tasks and errands are important, don't get me wrong, but even more important is speaking into someone's life and allowing God to speak into yours by giving them, and Him, your TIME.

Slow Down.

Got Change?

This morning I was blessed with the opportunity to speak at Bonifay Middle School's FCA meeting.  I was asked a couple of weeks ago, but, like usual, I procrastinated.  Yes, I had been thinking about what message I could bring, but I didn't start PRAYING about it until last night.  I prayed that God would show me something that I could share with the students.  After reading my daily sections of the Bible, praying, flipping through the Bible, and more praying....I went to bed.  That's right.  It was the night before I was suppose to present a message and I had no idea what I was supposed to be talking about.  So, I slept on it.

I woke up this morning with about an hour before I was to be at the school.  Still clueless.  I get dressed, looking pretty put together for this unprepared message.  Then I got into my truck and rode out.  My truck can be one of the places where I do most of my thinking/praying.  I began to feel as though the students didn't need a typical lesson from me.  What would I have needed to hear when I was their age?  The things that kept coming to my mind was my testimony; how I lived when I was their age.  Maybe that's what they needed to hear.

I arrive at the school freaking out and afraid I was going to let down the teacher and the students.  Now, FCA at Bonifay Middle School usually isn't held on Mondays, but due to FCAT and me being the speaker, this is the day it was scheduled for this week.  When I walked into the gym there were 3 students sitting there.  "Ok, this won't be too bad," I thought to myself, "Maybe a lot of students will have forgotten it was moved to today."  Nope.  I was wrong.  As the minutes ticked closer, more and more students walked in.  I couldn't tell you how many, but it was enough to get my heart racing and hands shaking.  The FCA teacher comes in and I'm handed a microphone.  He says something encouraging to me, but I'm too distracted by the students who are still walking in.  Then he gets in front of the students and introduces who I am.

I walk "boldly" to the front, facing the students.  I introduce myself a little, tell them how nervous I am and then I prayed that they wouldn't see/hear me, but God speaking through me.  The message went something like this:

"I've been praying about what I need to share with you guys and I felt like it didn't need to be a typical lesson.  I thought about what I would have needed to hear when I was your age.  So, I'm going to share my testimony.  I'm going to start off with some scripture from 2 Corinthians 5:15-17: And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.  So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer.  Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!  I was saved when I was about 7 or 8 and got baptized.  I lived the "good Christian" life, I went to church, prayed, read my Bible, wore the Christian T-Shirts.  But, I wasn't living TRULY as a Christian should, a Christ follower.  Anybody can do those things I just named.  When I was in 10th grade, God got me out of my comfort zone.  I went to Camp Wiregrass over the summer, the first time I ever went without any of my friends.  During this one week at camp, He opened my eyes to how I had been living.  I wasn't getting out of my group of friends.  I wasn't reaching out to those around me, my other classmates.  I regret not taking advantage of those opportunities."

I continued on just a little more about the following (I know I didn't say all of this to the students so now it's just to whoever is reading):  When you accept Christ into your life there should be an evident change, just like the scripture says.  Even if you're like me and have grown up in church your whole life and seemed to be that "good" person, there needs to be that change.  Is there fruit being produced from your relationship with God?  Can people listen and watch you and say to themselves, "They must be a Christian."  I told the students that, growing up, I had several friends who professed to be Christians, but by their life I couldn't tell one way or the other.  God is the only one who can tell where a person's heart truly is.  I also challenged the students who do not have that relationship with God to make sure they had genuine Christians as their examples.

I fumbled over the last few words in my message and turned it back over to the teacher.  He reassured me that this was something the students needed to hear because it had been on his heart just this morning and recently.  It's funny how, this past week at marriage counseling, I realized how much I don't share my testimony.  I was reminded that mine is just as important as any other, even if it is short and sweet. 

Challenge!!  Take time to write down your testimony.  When did you see that change in your life?  Has there ever been a change in your life?  {Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!}

In Christ,
Katie Jo