Having finally entered into the New Year, I decided it might be a fitting time to outline some tips on how we can make the best of 2013. I hope you find them encouraging and helpful.
-Put God first in your life and seek Him for guidance in your decision - making. (Ps 119:105, Ps 37:23)
-Embrace a positive attitude and surround yourself with positive people of faith. (Num 13:30, Num 14:6-10)
-Decide on the legacy you would like to leave behind. Your legacy will impact on the vision you have for your future. Remember, legacies are not comprised solely of things of monetary value but rather the priceless treasures of eternity. (Prov 13:22, 1Pet 1:3-5, James 5:1-7, Luke 12:13-21)
-Write down your visions and break them down into manageable goals for the year. Break each goal down further into action plans for easy implementation. Set dates for each task to easily keep yourself on track. (Prov 29:18, Hab 2:2)
-Commit time in your schedule for the important things in life. Letting your busy schedule intrude into your devotional time is akin to spiritual suicide; it will negatively affect every other area of your life. (Matt 6:33)
-Next to God, the most important thing in your life is your family. Remember, a man’s wealth or happiness is not found in the multitude of material things he possesses. Commit uninterrupted time in your schedule for those you love. (Eph 5)
-You CAN say “No!” Count the cost every time you overcommit. Delegate wisely. He who accepts help when he needs it, is wise. Only a foolish man attempts to do everything himself. (Eccles 4:9-10)
-Prioritize your tasks to ensure that you spend the most time on those that are most important. This will help you keep focused and prevent you from getting overwhelmed or unduly stressed.
-Don’t discount small beginnings. Remember what Jesus said about the mustard seed?(Matt 13:31-32, Lk 17:6)
-Celebrate your successes! Small goals achieved give you greater faith to tackle the bigger things in life.
- Learn from your failures and use them as stepping stones to success! Experience is a great teacher and trials result in patience and endurance. (James 1:1-3)
-Take care of your health. Without it, you will not achieve anything you plan to accomplish. It is a precious gift of God often trivialized by the world and oftentimes only appreciated once it’s gone. Eat your veggies! Drink enough water. Work smart, so you can play hard! Remember to take 10,000 steps a day or carve out half an hour a day to exercise. Don’t over-indulge; although it may not seem serious, gluttony is a sin. (Is 58:3-8, 13, Prov 23:21)
-Resolve to use all your talents and to learn something new each day. (Matt 25:14-29, 1 Cor 12)
-Don’t look for faults in others, but focus on what YOU can control! Time spent gossiping is a waste of time! Don’t give the enemy room to plant the seed of hypocrisy in your life, because it will destroy your witness for Christ. Be true to God, and honest with yourself!(Lk 6:41-42)
