Tony’s Blog

A friend of mine a few years ago got me hooked on having a word…or character trait that would be worked on throughout the year.  As usual I have tweaked the idea to have 1 or more words that would guide my year.  I needed to have more words because I have more stuff I need to work on that he does.  This year my words are Guard, Boldness (that’s his word), and Respect.  Guard has to do with my heart…proverbs 4:23 “guard your heart with all diligence for from it flow the springs of life.”  Boldness was suggested by my friend and I have taken it as my own.  I need boldness to reach out to people that I don’t know.  To share truth, and demonstrate care for others.  Boldness is good.  My last word is Respect and it is a reminder that people matter. It is a great word for me to remember when I get focused on tasks of daily living.

SO, what is or are your words for the year to help you become more like Christ in all respects?

Because He is worth everything,

Tony

I want to be a fighter…not with other people per se.  But, I want to fight for truth in my OWN heart.  It is so easy to coast through life taking in the promises that are offered on every billboard and to believe them as if the best life is found in their offerings.  I want to fight to believe that there is nothing better than God in Christ Jesus every single moment of the day.  The fact is that if I don’t learn to fight this fight well then I will only have regrets at the end of my days.  Because at the end of the day there is GOD…not the promises of this world…only Him and His promises will remain.

SO, keeping a pulse on what is happening with the appetites of my heart is essential for a life with “less” regrets.  A great place to understand the pulse of our hearts is in the Book of Proverbs.  THis year my daughters and I are reading a chapter in proverbs and psalms  every day.  I am once again struck by the clarity that this brings.  I love the way the wisdom of Solomon is seeping into our everyday conversations.  I think one of the things that I love about proverbs and psalms is that they give you handles for the things you know in your heart but maybe haven’t been able to put into words.
We must learn to fight for what is best…not to settle for what is offered and coast.

So, go fight with yourself and if you aren’t using a plan already…jump into proverbs and psalms.  Your head and your heart will be nourished in the fight for what is best.
Because He is worth everything!

Tony

I love the new year, because it gives me another time to start over.  I love starting over with new goals, new dreams of what God may do.  I make new goals every year…and yes, some fall by the wayside very quickly but others endure and I am the better for it.  For example last year I set a goal of reading through the Bible in 90 days.  Well, when all was said and done I didn’t achieve my goal in the strict sense.  It took me about 100 days.  The key thing for me is that I would probably not have read the Bible through if I hadn’t set the outlandish goal of doing it in 90 days to begin with.

I tend to look at every goal that I make to enhance my spiritual life as a way of digging my well before I am thirsty.  The fact is that my soul is far more thirsty for the Great things of God than I am consciencely aware of.  SO, when  I read the Bible through last year there were parts of my soul that were being nourished that I had no idea were wasting away.  God was also showing me things about Himself that I needed to understand…not for that moment…but for this one that I’m in right now.  I’m thankful that I did some extra “well’ digging last year.

SO, what about this year?  I have a digging plan for this year as well.  I am reading through proverbs and psalms.  I am reading a chapter a day in both books and I will do this for the first 5 months of the year, which allows me to read proverbs 5 times and psalms once.  I am reading these chapters each day in 4 different versions…why?…you are wondering.  Because I know my soul is thirsty and I need to saturate my heart and mind with truth and longing for God.  I am also planning to read the Bible through again in 90 days…okay, probably 100 days, after I do the proverbs and psalms plan.

It isn’t much, but it keeps me focusing in the right direction.

Because there is nothing better than God in Christ.

Keep digging,

Tony