Towards the end of 2013 I started praying and thinking about how I wanted to do better in the new year in my walk with Christ. I felt like I wasted away an entire year. Granted I tried with doing some bible studies but I never finished any of them. I was inconsistent in my bible reading, and had an almost non-existent prayer life. I am determined to turn this around through several goals. 

1. Read through the bible in a year. I am doing a chronological reading plan and using the Chronological Guide to the Bible for background info. I have also challenged one of the teen girls at church to do this with me. We are holding each other accountable and learning from each other along the way. 

2. Word Focus. I will be keeping a journal on one word throughout the year. The word I chose is Submission. I struggle at submitting to authority and I am determined to break this flaw. I need to be in submission to my husband, my pastor, government authorities, and most of all Christ. By focusing and praying on this throughout the year I know Christ will teach me how to submit. 

3. Focus Scripture. Similar to the Word Focus I will be focusing and praying through a scripture for the year. My scripture passage is Proverbs 31:10-31. I know most would say I should choose just one verse, but this passage has been on my heart for a long time and I really need to just study it out, pray it out, and memorize it. I want, no, I NEED to become a better wife for my husband, a better mother for my daughter, a better friend, and mostly a better daughter of Christ. 

4. Bible study. Most of my bible study time will be done through the Good Morning Girls online bible studies. The first study of the year is entitled, "Intentionally Focused." This study answers so many of my prayers I had at the end of 2013. In August of 2013, I was given the opportunity to attend the Women Living Well Conference. At this conference I was inspired and encouraged by some of the most amazing Christian women I had never met!! LOL I had read most of their blogs as I searched throughout 2013 how to live a better life for Christ. My main search was a bible study on Proverbs 31. Through this search I came across www.Proverbs31.org which led me to www.womenlivingwell.org and then www.goodmorninggirls.org Each of these website encouraged me to live life for Christ through blog posts and videos. I saw that a conference was coming up and I knew I should go but we just couldn't afford it. I prayed for God to make a way for me to attend. I think a week or two later I saw that www.karenehman.com was having a raffle for two tickets to the conference. I submitted my entry and I WON!!! I went to the conference and I cannot tell you how much I learned that day. I met these amazing women that I was learning from and was just inspired to do more and live better. So I am determined to do just that through continuing to read their blogs and encourage as many women as I can to read them.



5. Prayer. Another journal I want to keep is a prayer journal. I want to write out my scriptures every day so that I can stay focused as I'm praying and when prayers are answered I can see how much God is hearing me. I tend to lose faith when I don't realize He's actually answering my prayers. It's a flaw I want to change and I think this is something that can help me. 

All of these goals will take time and discipline but I think as the year goes on, if I stay faithful they will become easier and like second nature to just get up and start my day with Christ. 

Crystal

Share your thoughts below:
What are the things you are doing to strengthen your walk with Christ?