New Year's Resolutions -- For Keeps

The first week of a new year is a great time to curl up in your favorite chair with How to Reach Your Full Potential for God by Dr. Charles F. Stanley. His seven essentials provide a compelling framework for those of us who can’t resist the urge to make resolutions. The book’s path to healthy hearts, minds, and bodies is paved with spiritual insights and practical suggestions.

For example, Essential #1: A Clean Heart encourages us to set our hearts toward purity. In this chapter, Dr. Stanley discusses the power of daily abiding in Scripture and God’s call for “us to actively and intentionally yield our entire selves to His will on a day-to-day basis.” Essential #4: A Healthy Body presents practical advice on sleep, nutrition, and exercise. Other essentials discuss such topics as relationships, scheduling, and taking risks.

The motivational book provides a Godly foundation for this year’s resolutions. The prayerful resolve to improve oneself and grow spiritually within the seven essentials may prove stronger than the making of isolated, easy-to-make/easy-to-break goals. May this be the year to live the book’s subtitle: “Never Settle for Less than His Best."

(NOTE: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson, Inc.)

Spiritual Journey: Embarking Now

The Hearts Above Ladies Bible Study met last night to embark on our 2010 Spiritual Journey. We talked about how we completed the following sentences:

• I will abide in God's Word by . . .
• I will set my heart on things above by . . .
• I will set my mind on things above by . . .

Several of us are abiding in God's Word by following a chronological reading plan.

We're setting our hearts on things above with prayer walks and meditation.

We're setting our minds on things above with Scripture memorization.

You're invited to share the journey with us. Just leave a comment with your responses to the sentences.