2009 Has Begun

It's hard to believe, 2009 has begun.
Here we go... Another year. A fresh start.
God has given me renewed hope and I am believing for a GREAT year! I think we may go thru some job transitions and other transitions with our toddler and still more life transitions with a new President and a less than perfect economy. But overall I think 2009 will be wonderful. And I guess change is part of growth.
What does your 2009 look like? What are you hoping for? What's on your life list?

2009 LIST:
1.) Intentional prayer times/prayer & intercession
2.) Intentional time of reading or listening to God's word
3.) Intentional worship
4.) Intentional giving & tithes
5.) Intentional relationships (be connected to others)
6.) Intentional service (community or church)
7.) Intentionally go on a mission trip
8.) Intentionally grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus

If we are not intentionally growing and moving toward the Lord, in 2009, then we will unintentionally be drifting away. (These are sermon notes from Tom Tanner)

When I hear the word drifting, I always think of a story I heard from Mark F several years ago. He described laying on a raft in the ocean and just drifting along and allowing yourself to go with the current and the tide. Eventually you would end up way down the beach somewhere, very far away from your hotel. He also talked about a lot of the specific waves that effect us in our American suburban life and how those waves want to carry us. But we have a choice to get off the raft and STAND UP. It's not always easy to stand up against a strong wave or current, but then again doing what is easy (just drifting on a raft) can lead to destruction or even death. Drifting may be good intentioned. Drifting may be apathy. Whatever causes us to drift on the waves will still culminate in the same results. Do lives and life effect you? Carry you? Pull you out to sea? Or do you STAND UP and live your life intentionally?

This challenges me. I hope it challenges you to make wise decisions as we look ahead at a bright new year. God is so good to give us the choice of how we will live this life and what we will do in 2009.
Let's live life on purpose!