Happy New Year! Can you believe it’s 2018? When I was little, I found it hard to believe we’d ever be out of the 1900s. Now, here we are 18 years into this new millennium.
While 2017 was not as difficult as some past years, it was definitely filled with some big things, specifically big changes. This was the year that God moved us from New Hampshire to Colorado to start a new ministry with LifeBridge Christian Church. My wife also started writing more and began working for a pregnancy center.
So, here we are ringing in a new year, hoping for things to get even better in 2018. One way many will try to start off right is by making resolutions. For a long time, I held off on making them, but over the last few years, I have realized their importance. With that being said, here are three of my resolutions for 2018:
- Lose some weight and get back in shape. Yes, I know this is cliché and everyone else is making the same resolution. That doesn’t make it bad, though. Specifically, I’m joining in with several other student ministry workers in this endeavor. Download Youth Ministry is hosting a three-month competition with prizes, so I had to join in! Not only do I want to be healthy for health-sake, I also want to take advantage of all the amazing outdoor activities I can enjoy in Colorado like skiing, hiking, rafting, running, and more!
- Look forward to the future and create goals to get there. This might not sound like a typical New Year’s resolution, but all these recent changes and transitions has gotten me thinking a lot more about the future. I don’t know all the details about what God is going to do through me, but I want to turn my attention and prayers to it in 2018. And then when I begin to get a glimpse of what is on the horizon, I want to start setting up shorter-term goals that will eventually get me to the bigger vision. Living in the moment is incredibly important, but I also want to plan for the future.
- Simplify my life and stuff. One of the big things I learn every time I move is that I really dislike packing. Whether it is across town or across the country, I really don’t like getting all my stuff boxed up and then unboxing it later. I also don’t like clutter. This move to Colorado helped us get rid of a lot of what we had accumulated, but I hope to do even more of that this year. I don’t need a lot of stuff. Hardly anyone does. So, it’s time to simplify. And the same goes for all the non-material things too. I want to live a simple life focused on only what God wants.
Hopefully, I’ll look back in December 2018 and feel a sense of accomplishment!
What are some of your New Year’s resolutions? I’d love to read your list!!
Steve Cullum 