There are many ways that you can start off your year to try and get back on track spiritually or to just start this year on a positive foot. I started mine by listening/watching online sermons and I'm going to be having a few days of silence.
I've thought a lot about how to go about this whole silence-vow thing and I've prayed about it every night and I'm happy to say that I've come to a final decision. I will be starting my silence on Wednesday. I plan to stay silent Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. This may carry on to Saturday, but I'm not making that choice right now, we'll see what God has to say on Friday about it haha. I decided to stop trying to be so strict on myself with "I will talk to PJ for one hour in the morning and once at night," as I had previously talked about. Instead, I'm just remaining silent. I won't be getting online, I won't be answering my phone unless it seems like something extremely important (like a number I don't know, which could be about a job). I *will* be checking my texts, but I won't be responding to them unless they're an emergency. I *will* be checking my voicemails, but I won't be responding unless it's an emergency. I'll respond to all of them after my silent time, but not during or before.
Now, this is just the way I want to start my year. I don't think this is necessarily what is best for everyone else's spiritual journeys. Other options are out there. One that I really suggest for anyone who is up for it is a Daniel Fast. The diet you eat during a Daniel Fast is very similar to veganism with adding in no sugars and no processed things like white flour and white rice. They typically last for 21 days, though you can do one for any amount of time you feel is being put on your heart. The blogged I linked on the "Daniel Fast" text outlines everything that it entails, and if you have the money and want to I highly suggest her book "The Daniel Fast." I own it, and it's great.
So maybe fasting isn't for you.
There are even more options. You could begin doing devotionals, decide to do a "read the bible in a year" program, start regularly attending a church, etc etc.
And you may choose not to do anything new! It's all about personal choice because faith is an extremely personal thing and no one can tell what is best for your life. But I just find something empowering about starting the new year off doing something to "mark the occasion."
Hope you all are still having a wonderful new year, and a wonderful Sunday!
Off to watch today's live broadcast (in 20 minutes) of the sermon at Champions Centre because I missed church this morning (long story).
Showing posts with label new years. Show all posts
Showing posts with label new years. Show all posts
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Pastor Chris from The Rock Church (Asheville)
I spent my New Years morning watching some sermons online. I'll post about some of them later, but I wanted to share the ones I especially loved. As I've said in past posts, I used to go to a church in Asheville called The Rock. It's an amazing church and I miss going there. The youth pastor there is named Chris Stapleton, but to us he was Pastopher. I'm not saying I don't like the head pastor at The Rock, because I do...pastor Kirk Bowman is a great man and I really have enjoyed his sermons. But I've always been extra partial to Pastopher's because of his ability to seamlessly mix comedy into his message. He would make an extremely good comedian, there have been times I laughed myself to tears listening to his message...all while getting some great information and feeling the passion for God.
Today I watched a few of his messages that I could find on YouTube, so I wanted to share them with everyone. Not all of them are religious messages, but they're all amazing anyways. I encourage anyone to check them out, even if you don't usually enjoy listening/watching sermons (^_^).
* Reclaiming the word "Love"
* Jesus and the Kool-Aid Man
* Sca[r]y Movies
I also enjoy the music at The Rock. As I've said a bazillion times at this point, I really feel God speak to me through music. It was the warm welcoming at The Rock paired with the music and the message from Pastor Kirk that got me hooked. I decided to watch a few videos of their music while I was on YouTube. I wish there were more to really give you the feel of the atmosphere there, but still...check these out!
* Livin' On A Prayer
* Airplanes
Well folks, I know this page is mostly just links...but they're all worth checking out :). Hope everyone had a good New Year's Day!
Today I watched a few of his messages that I could find on YouTube, so I wanted to share them with everyone. Not all of them are religious messages, but they're all amazing anyways. I encourage anyone to check them out, even if you don't usually enjoy listening/watching sermons (^_^).
* Reclaiming the word "Love"
* Jesus and the Kool-Aid Man
* Sca[r]y Movies
I also enjoy the music at The Rock. As I've said a bazillion times at this point, I really feel God speak to me through music. It was the warm welcoming at The Rock paired with the music and the message from Pastor Kirk that got me hooked. I decided to watch a few videos of their music while I was on YouTube. I wish there were more to really give you the feel of the atmosphere there, but still...check these out!
* Livin' On A Prayer
* Airplanes
Well folks, I know this page is mostly just links...but they're all worth checking out :). Hope everyone had a good New Year's Day!
Friday, December 31, 2010
New Years Resolutions
New Years is always an interesting time.
People reflect on the past year and make resolutions to improve in the new one. I'm happy to say I have always kept my resolutions, but part of that is that I always make ones that I'm extremely confident that I can keep. I also make ones that are specific, because it's easier to keep track of ones like that compared to ones that are broad and somewhat open-ended. I have to say that most people I know don't keep their resolutions. Everyone goes into the year with good intentions, but there's always a reason that they don't pan out. Part of that is that you have be realistic and learn to forgive yourself. I feel like being realistic with yourself and your resolutions is key to keeping them.
Be realistic.
Are you actually going to the gym enough times every week/month of the year to justify that gym membership you're going to paying for?
Are you actually going to give up 100% of sweets? You're not going to sneak a peanut butter cup even ONCE?
Are you actually going to read the Bible every single day? EVERY.SINGLE.DAY?
Probably not.
But that doesn't mean that the moment you mess up that you should give up your resolution completely. That's right, I'm calling people out here. Most people I know who give up on resolutions do so because they messed up one time...
"I missed going to the gym the past two days, I should just stay home today too."
"Well, I ate a piece of candy...might as well go buy a whole bag and pig out."
"I haven't read my Bible in like two weeks...screw it."
If you want to keep resolutions, you can't beat yourself when you mess up. The point of a resolution isn't to obtain perfection. The point of a resolution is to make a conscious effort to better yourself about something you feel you need to work on. Here's something you have to just accept: At some point you are probably going to do something you made a resolution you wouldn't do.
Remember how I said I always keep my resolutions? That doesn't mean that every second of every day I lived up to them. It means that at the end of the year I felt that I accomplished my goal of doing better with "x" and that I felt I created good habits that I can keep in the long term. "Keeping" a resolution is a personal thing. Maybe you didn't go to the gym like you wanted...but you lost 15 pounds and gained some muscle definition. Sure you didn't "keep" your resolution to about going to the gym, but you achieved your goal for going to the gym. You kept your resolution. If you made a goal to go to the gym and eat better you were more than likely trying to lose weight or gain muscle/muscle definition. Maybe that's not what you wrote down, but it was your real objective.
I don't know, I guess my point is to not be too hard on yourself this upcoming year.
That's my personal resolution, not to be too hard on myself. Sometimes I won't keep up with my devotionals the way I want to. Sometimes I'm not going to eat the healthiest or exercise. Sometimes I'm not going to have the clearest complexion. Sometimes I'm going to make an absolute fool of myself in public. And sometimes I'm going to want to be so self-critical that in the past I would have ended the day in tears.
But that was in the past.
This year, I resolve to not be so hard on myself!
What's your resolution?
People reflect on the past year and make resolutions to improve in the new one. I'm happy to say I have always kept my resolutions, but part of that is that I always make ones that I'm extremely confident that I can keep. I also make ones that are specific, because it's easier to keep track of ones like that compared to ones that are broad and somewhat open-ended. I have to say that most people I know don't keep their resolutions. Everyone goes into the year with good intentions, but there's always a reason that they don't pan out. Part of that is that you have be realistic and learn to forgive yourself. I feel like being realistic with yourself and your resolutions is key to keeping them.
Be realistic.
Are you actually going to the gym enough times every week/month of the year to justify that gym membership you're going to paying for?
Are you actually going to give up 100% of sweets? You're not going to sneak a peanut butter cup even ONCE?
Are you actually going to read the Bible every single day? EVERY.SINGLE.DAY?
Probably not.
But that doesn't mean that the moment you mess up that you should give up your resolution completely. That's right, I'm calling people out here. Most people I know who give up on resolutions do so because they messed up one time...
"I missed going to the gym the past two days, I should just stay home today too."
"Well, I ate a piece of candy...might as well go buy a whole bag and pig out."
"I haven't read my Bible in like two weeks...screw it."
If you want to keep resolutions, you can't beat yourself when you mess up. The point of a resolution isn't to obtain perfection. The point of a resolution is to make a conscious effort to better yourself about something you feel you need to work on. Here's something you have to just accept: At some point you are probably going to do something you made a resolution you wouldn't do.
Remember how I said I always keep my resolutions? That doesn't mean that every second of every day I lived up to them. It means that at the end of the year I felt that I accomplished my goal of doing better with "x" and that I felt I created good habits that I can keep in the long term. "Keeping" a resolution is a personal thing. Maybe you didn't go to the gym like you wanted...but you lost 15 pounds and gained some muscle definition. Sure you didn't "keep" your resolution to about going to the gym, but you achieved your goal for going to the gym. You kept your resolution. If you made a goal to go to the gym and eat better you were more than likely trying to lose weight or gain muscle/muscle definition. Maybe that's not what you wrote down, but it was your real objective.
I don't know, I guess my point is to not be too hard on yourself this upcoming year.
That's my personal resolution, not to be too hard on myself. Sometimes I won't keep up with my devotionals the way I want to. Sometimes I'm not going to eat the healthiest or exercise. Sometimes I'm not going to have the clearest complexion. Sometimes I'm going to make an absolute fool of myself in public. And sometimes I'm going to want to be so self-critical that in the past I would have ended the day in tears.
But that was in the past.
This year, I resolve to not be so hard on myself!
What's your resolution?
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