I love fresh starts, a crisp new book, a newly made bed or a freshly painted room. New Year is an opportunity I relish to claim a new start. I know any day can be a new beginning but new year seems a good place to begin.
Do you make resolutions and if so have you ever kept them all year? I’m not sure if I have kept any because I don’t write them down. That’s where you all come in, as I thought I’d share my resolutions here on the blog in the hope that you might just keep me accountable, I can but try!
New Year Resolutions 2025
- I plan to read or listen to the Bible more than reading articles or watching videos. I intend to listen to the Holy Bible app when I’m doing the washing, stacking/emptying the dishwasher and when I’m getting ready for the day. I love watching history videos but I need to get my priorities straight and Jesus needs more of my attention. Psalm 119:105, ‘Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.’
- This January I’m going to finish the book I’m reading, it’s called ‘Boundaries’. I’m a slow, easily distracted reader who reads the newspaper more than whole books. I plan to read 10 pages a day before bed. I tend to be a bit of a walkover, thinking it’s my Christian duty to be servant-hearted, but I’m reminded that Jesus had boundaries. He prioritised time with his Father and spoke up against the Pharisees hypocrisy. I want to be kind but also wise enough to know when to say no or walk away from a situation. Matthew 10:16, ‘I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.’
- I need to intentionally focus on the present. The here and now is always busy and requires my full attention. God doesn’t want me to dwell on the difficulties of the past or to fear for the future, as both steal our joy, instead he calls us to be thankful in all circumstances, remembering Psalm 118:24, ‘This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.
- I hope to grow in self- confidence- I need to realise and accept who I am in the eyes of God, in order to find my true value as his child and thus embrace more fully all he has called me to do. Perhaps, in order to grow, I will read this Bible verse daily, which reminds me that I am important to God, Isaiah 43:1, ‘I have called you by name, and you are mine.’
- I plan to create more of a routine to my daily life; I’ve found this harder to achieve with several older children, with varying schedules. I need to lead by example and go to bed earlier and get up earlier. I crave routine particularly in a season where change is a daily occurrence due to growing teenagers and I know I am more productive when my choices are limited by established healthy habits. 1 Corinthians 14:40, ‘Let all things be done decently and in order.’
I hope you all have a blessed 2025. Do let me know if you’ve made any resolutions and we can keep each other accountable 😁
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Angela says:
Hello Vicki,
these are all great points that I should do, too.
But I usually don’t do New Year’s resolutions cause I’m afraid I wouldn’t follow through with them anyway and then feel like a failure.
I hope that with God’s hekpmand grace you’ll see big improvements in the areas you need and want it.
Not sure if you appreciate a vlog recommendation, but I came across one yesterday that I think you might really like, from a mom of 15 and now Grandma about biblical womanhood and homeschooling.
One viewer asked her how to have motivation and strength for homeschooling after 25+ yrs and still having a first grader. I found the response so good, I’ll copy the link hope that’s ok. Couldn’t copy the text.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=tibhZdM3biY&lc=Ugx9BufvW1P40JWYVtF4AaABAg.8ZvaoZ4mi5p8Zvk1qWoMDD&si=_tLHSgxROkJvyMPs
The channel is “Mom delights” by Sherry Hayes. I checked out her oldest videos first.
Don’t know about the homeschool Videos, since it’s not allowed here in Germany anyway.
Stay blessed and it was so nice to read from you, had been waiting/ hoping for a post for some time (don’t know where you ever find the time to post but I enjoy it).
Angela
Vicki says:
Angela, Lovely to hear from you. Thank you for the vlog, I’ll take a look, she seems to be just a few years ahead of me, so it should be interesting. I know what you mean about feeling like a failure, I often avoid things for fear of failure, but my goal is to improve in the areas I chose, not necessarily achieve all of them, thus failure is less likely and hopefully I’ll make some progress. I pray you have a good year. Blessings, Vicki
Claire Banbury says:
Thank you Vicki!
Every blessing to you all for 2025!
Xxx
Vicki says:
And to you and your lovely family.
Jonathan says:
New year resolutions, I usually don’t make them. But a good one for me personally would be to thank God in prayer for the pain and suffering in my life, which has brought me closer to God and reignited my faith. For without the pain and suffering I have gone through, (and am still experiencing), I would not be worshipping and calling upon God daily as I do now.
May God bless you and all readers of the blog beyond measure
Vicki says:
That’s such a wonderful testimony, that it’s in the pain and suffering that we meet with God in the most intimate way. I have always found that to be true and yet in my flesh I want only comfort but I know that God will sometimes say no, for our good.
Jonathan says:
I never thought of it as a testimony, just a slow realisation I came to after reading what a Roman Catholic Priest had written on the subject of pain and suffering, and how Christ suffered for us that we may have everlasting life and the forgiveness of sin. And when you think of it how Mary, Joseph and the disciples and followers of Jesus must have been grief stricken by the suffering Jesus endured on the cross, as he cried out ““Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” which translates to “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”. As is recorded in the gospels of Matthew and Mark.