Happy New Year!

I love the start of a new year! It always feels like a fresh start. Which reminds me of Jesus. He gives us a fresh start. A rebirth! Although New Year's Resolutions don't work very well...at least not for me...I still like the thought of starting something new. What I have been doing for the past few years is writing myself a letter, a prayer of sorts. I find that when I focus on God and ask HIM to help me change, my results are much better.



Lamentations 2:19 (NLT)
"Rise during the night and cry out. Pour out your hearts like water to the Lord. Lift up your hands to him in prayer..."



For those of you following my Better Together Challenge, I'm sorry that I haven't been posting updates. It's not because I haven't been working on my goals, but rather that I have needed to take a blogging time out. I had been staying up way too late at night and not getting to bed early enough. So, how am I doing? Well, pretty good I guess. I did not meet my goals, but I did get a good start and I will continue working on them. I lost a total of 8 pounds. Not great, but not bad either! I've been doing fairly well on breakfast, but there's still room for improvement. And well, as far as daily exercise....yikes! Ok, the good news is that we the kids got a Wii for Christmas from my sister and brother-in-law. Well, we got Dance Dance Revolution and it's a great workout. I LOVE IT! So, that is what I will use for my working if I can get my kids to stay off it long enough! ha!

Well, here's my letter, my prayer for myself for 2009.

Dear Lord,

Thank you for an amazing 2008. Thank you for your goodness. Lord, I pray for continued protection for my family, especially Amanda who is getting ready to venture out on her own. Lord, I ask for you to continue to work in all areas of my life. I want to be more like you Lord. I want to die to my self and live with you in me.

When I speak I want it to be from you, as you would speak. I want so submit my tongue to you Lord. The words that come from my mouth are powerful and I want them to be words that uplift and encourage. Lord, help me to make my words soft and not harsh or loud. That even when I'm angry they would be soft. Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing. 1 Thessalonians 5:11

Lord, help me to make my house one that is filled with peace and tranquility. Please help me to train my children up in a way that is honoring to You, Lord. I want to discipline them in the ways of you, but without crushing their spirits Lord. I ask for your Spirit to be upon my children at all times Lord and that they would continue to grow in their love for you. Continue to surround them with others who love you too Lord. Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it. Proverbs 22:6

I desire to be the wife that you created me to be, Lord. Help me to focus on my own shortcomings and not those of my husband. Help me to see him as you created him Lord. You have already done amazing things in and through my husband and our marriage Lord and for that I thank you. I ask you to continue to give me a servants heart for my husband, the one you created just for me. Help me to put him second only to you Lord. Thank you for him Lord. I am so blessed. For wives, this means submit to your husbands as to the Lord. Ephesians 5:22

Lord, I want to honor you by what I do and what I eat. So Lord, I come before you and ask that you give me strength in the physical area of my life. I need your strength to keep myself on track to exercise! Create a love in me that I would desire to work out every day! Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself... 1 Corinthians 6:19

Thank you Lord for the friends and family I have. You have blessed us so much and I love you Lord. In Jesus' Name I ask these things...Amen!