new year

10 New Year Resolutions to Renew Your Spirit!

10 New Year Resolutions to Renew Your Spirit!

Simple Resolutions to Enrich & Revitalize Your Life

Spiritual New Year ResolutionsThe New Year is just beginning.

Why not make this year’s resolutions ones that

will enrich and revitalize your life?

If you find there are a million things you intend to do,

but somehow you forget, procrastinate, or

just plain run out of time, I know how you feel.

Sometimes the simplest things are…

the hardest to accomplish.

When you evaluate your to-do list and priorities

this new year, move the things that enrich your life to the top of the list.

Clear out what you can when it comes to those things that drain you, and make simple resolutions that will renew your spirit. Even though they may be difficult to commit to at times, the results will definitely be worth the effort.

10 Simple New Year Resolutions to Revitalize Your Life
(You’ve probably already heard them a thousand times, but they still work.)

1. Read the Bible cover-to-cover this year. Keep a helpful Bible study resource handy to get you through those difficult reading points that may cause you to lose heart.

2. Volunteer your time and talents. Reach out to others through service in community and church based organizations. Be a blessing to your neighbors by serving them in some way.

3. Heal broken relationships. Forgive those whom you need to forgive. Don’t allow unforgiveness to hold you back any longer. Forgive and allow peace to rule.

4. Read a classic book. Enrich your life through some of the classics that you may have yet to experience such as C.S. Lewis, A.W. Tozer, Jane Austen, Shakespeare, etc… And don’t let reading be your excuse now that so many books are available on audio.

5. Make a monthly date night with your spouse. For those of you who are married, dedicate at least one day a month for a special date time with your spouse. Take a day to give your spouse the intimate attentions he or she deserves and enrich your marriage.

6. Pray daily. Bring your thoughts, praises, concerns, and requests to God every morning (at least). Stop trying to live life all by yourself. Talk to God and He will listen attentively and respond specifically.

7. Take a vacation. To many people never take vacations, but a time of refreshing is very important. Even God rested on the seventh day!

8. Renew relationships. Contact a friend or relative you haven’t heard from in a long time. Relationships are important to God and they should be important to us.

9. Visit a museum. Why not? There is a museum for just about everything. Revitalize your life by sparking a long-forgotten interest.

10. Share the Gospel. It is what we are here on earth to do. Make it a priority this year to share the Good News and show your concern for the spiritual welfare of those you come in contact with.

The New Year is a gift from God and a fresh start.

May you start strong, revitalize your life and experience growing prosperity!

Aim higher –

Cheers,
Brenda

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Happy New Year! Joy and Expectation for a Great 2011!

Happy New Year! Joy and Expectation for a Great 2011!

May You Have a BLESSED and PROSPEROUS 2011!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

God has so much in store for this year,

and we know that everything He’ll do is…

going to begin and end with the Word!

So, I invite you to dig into the wonderful Word of God in 2011. 

I urge you to begin calling those things that be not

as though they were, just as Romans 4:17 says.

Let God’s promises energize and refresh you. EXPECT healing and miracles, prosperity and debt-free living, as well as the protection of the Lord, wisdom, and divine favor.

Determine NOW, at the beginning of this special year, to focus your faith on living a more powerful and overcoming life in 2011. Let’s raise our expectations for what God can do in this great year!

May God bless you abundantly and fill your life with growing prosperity!

Be blessed to be a blessing –

Cheers,
Brenda

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New Year, Fresh Start – 7 Exit Tips to Move You into the New Year with a Clean Slate!

New Year, Fresh Start – 7 Exit Tips to Move You into the New Year with a Clean Slate!

Out With the Old and In With the New

New Year Fresh StartA new year means a new start.

But first we need to look at the ‘out with the old’

before we look at the ‘in with the new.’

Why not start the New Year with a clean slate?

We all have skeletons in our closets;

those unpleasant things we are ashamed of

and hope nobody discovers about us.

But God can clean up our closets and wipe the slate clean.

He can give us a fresh new start and a clean slate in life so that we no longer care if others find out about our past, because God has cleaned it up and made all things new.

“Old things are passed away; behold all things are become new.” 
— 2 Corinthians 5:17

7 Exit Tips for the Year:

1. Take an Account of the Past Year

Make note of the people that have done you wrong and FORGIVE everyone of them. Release them, loose them, let them go, and let it drop.

Don’t let your anger cause you to sin, or let the sun go down on your wrath. (Eph 4:26) Remember, forgiveness does not condone behavior, but a lack of forgiveness hurts you. And if you don’t forgive others you hold yourself in unforgiveness. (Matt 6:14-15)

2. Forgive Yourself

Confess your sin and God will forgive you. (1 John 1:9) We are not to sin, but if we do, we have an advocate with the Father; because Jesus is righteous we are righteous in Him.

If God will forgive us, but we won’t, that is extreme arrogance and pride.

3. Examine Yourself

Ask yourself, “Where am I at in my faith?”

“Examine yourselves, whether you be in the faith; prove your own selves.” 
— 2 Corinthians 13:5

4. Repent

Repent means to turn from our ways and change for the better. Repentance is a basic principle of the doctrine of Christ. Repent and face the New Year renewed.

5. Commit to Forget the Past

“Forget those things which are behind and reach for those things which are ahead.” 
— Philippians 3:13

Let God wash away your sins and any heavy burden of guilt that you have been carrying with it. Leave them in the past and press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. (Phil 3:14)

6. Commit to Not Live on Past Successes

Don’t live on yesterday’s successes. Today is a new day and a new year is upon us; keep pressing forward. God does not want us to live on yesterday’s manna.

Don’t take record of the past. (Phil 3:8) Be busy about your Father’s business today. Commit to hunger after God’s Word daily.

7. Bury Past Events that Need to be Buried

Sometimes we need to bury past events.

“Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which does so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the author and finisher of our faith.” 
— Hebrews 12:1-2

Before we start the race we have to first drop the weights holding us down. Strife, gossip, worry, fear, pride, arrogance, racism are just some of the many weights.

Now what? Take some time to let God help you exit the year with a clean slate. Let Him fill your New Year with love, joy, hope, peace, power, prosperity, and victory.

May you have a blessed and Happy New Year filled with growing prosperity!

Cheers,
Brenda

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Dave Ramsey on Holiday Shopping – 4 Tips to Celebrate Debt Free

Dave Ramsey on Holiday Shopping – 4 Tips to Celebrate Debt Free

Why Go Into Debt to Celebrate?

Debt Free Holiday Budgeting TipsHappy Holidays.

If the holidays are supposed to be the happiest time of the year, why does it often seem like the most stressful time of the year?

Financial stress is at the top of many people’s list this time of year.

Many folks just don’t have extra money available to do all the celebrating and shopping they desire. Yet the world puts the pressure on to buy more and keep up with Joneses; even if it means going into debt. Throwing it all on the credit card seems to be the solution.

Although after the New Year, the bills start coming in and the struggle just to pay the minimum payments begin. The struggle to get the debt paid off can go on late into the year or longer. And that only adds to the stress the following holiday season. So instead of planning and enjoying the new season, there still remains the hassle of left-over debt and the stress that goes with it.

Are you ready to end the cycle and say no more debt, no more credit? Then it is time to make a plan early in the year and stick to it so you can avoid piling up mounds of debt on credit cards.

Dave Ramsey provides the following holiday shopping ideas and tips for celebrating debt free this year:

1. RESEARCH

Look for deals online before heading to the stores. Find out what the prices are at the stores you plan to visit and don’t waste your time shopping at one if you know another store down the street has a better deal.

2. MAKE A BUDGET

It’s common sense stuff, but amazing how many people have no financial plan for their spending. And when they go shopping they are like kids in a toy store buying the first flashy toy that catches their eye.

If you plan to work your way out of debt, it requires becoming disciplined during the holiday season. If you must buy for many, keep it simple and stay within your means. Don’t get caught up in the mindset that bigger is better or it will just come back to bite you when the bills start coming in after the new year.

3. USE CASH

As Dave always says, you spend less when you use cash. So stop by the bank or ATM to get your pre-planned amount of shopping cash before you hit the stores. And when it’s gone it’s time to stop shopping.

If you’ve planned ahead and followed the previous two steps then using cash should be easy. You will know what you need to buy and how much it will cost before you start. Planning time well spent!

4. START NOW – PLAN EARLY

If you haven’t made a plan this holiday season, then stop now and take some time to evaluate your situation and make a budget. Look at the big picture and consider the outcome of your choices this holiday season. Shop smart and keep it within your means.

And if this holiday season caught you off guard once again, well remember, it is never too late to try again. Next year you can make better decisions and do things differently.

Happy Holidays to All & a Very Merry Christmas!

God bless you,
Brenda

P.S. Check out www.daveramsey.com for a wealth of information on finances and budgeting. Dave Ramsey also provides a tool that allows you to create a budget online in 60 seconds.

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