Does a Christian set New Year's resolutions?

Do you set New Year's Resolutions? 

Do you somehow seek to try to "plan" out your next year? 

Image: We make plans, God plans outcomes.

We plan; God laughs. 

It's amazing how God changes us. Talk about grace! I'm truly relying on it more than ever (that, and faith, and the Holy Spirit's in-dwelling) because this is the first year that I decided NOT to set a goal and certainly not a resolution. 

I used to do Vision boards. 

A former writing client of mine holds a vision workshop in December of each year, to set goals and "visions" for the next year. I used to love and look forward to these workshops. Year after year, I wrote out my goals and answered tough questions, then found images that "spoke " to me and pasted them on to a large white board, intent to hang it up somewhere. 

One year I planned to develop a fitness regimen and lose weight, I posted a thin woman in a bikini. When I intended to take on more freelance writing clients, I posted business and money images. 

I even posted pictures of women with long hair (drawing the hair longer with a Sharpie!) when my goal was to grow out my wavy, shoulder-length hair. 

What happened? 

Well, the goal setting worked.  I made more money/took on more clients in the respective year, lost the weight in another year and grew out my hair in the other. Do I attribute seeing such success it to the vision board? 

I really think thatit contributed

The vision board serves as a reminder.

Writing things down sets the intention and commits the goal to both memory and yourself. 

I had a lot of fun those years. And, if you choose to set goals and maybe even do vision boards, that's all fine. You do you. 

But, as for me, I serve the Lord. It's not that I hear Him telling me not to create those any longer, but He 

 

 It's fantastic, because more than 

It is the first time I intentionally chose not to go. Intentionally chose NOT to set an intention for  the year. 

And, a part of me feels free. And, another part feels like I've got no roots this year, and for the rest of my life! For the first time, I am truly relying on faith... truly relying on Jesus! Telling myself I would  rather put His plan before my own, any and every day! 

That's all fine and good, except that I DON'T KNOW HIS PLAN FOR MY LIFE!! 

Not the exact plan. The best clues I can garner/glean are from His word Jer. 29:11, for example.

 "For I know the plans I have for you, to prosper you and not to harm you and to give you a future." 

 

This video below talks about the prodigal song those people that run away from God and yet He still pursues. Also, He lets us run, but He does not leave our side. 

More so, beautifully so, sometimes we go out to buy Satan's lies and to  go after to get what we want, what we envision for our lives. 

Watch what Marc Cohn, lead singer of contemporary Christian rock band, Casting Crowns has to say.

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Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash