Happy 2015!
It’s become the norm to make a new year resolution, along the lines of “I am going to stop this” or “my life goals for this year are going to be…”
Interesting enough though, very few resolutions are adequately embraced for the long haul, and some within a few weeks throw in the towel with the inner commitment to try harder next year. But do you want to change something because it was pointed out to you, or are you loathing a certain habit that you know you have, and can’t shake off?
I have started almost every other year with some promise either verbally or internalized with the intent of making a definitive change that would either make my life better or at least for those in my circle of influence. The end goal has truly almost always been dismal failure. That’s the honest hardcore truth. I think if we can admit to making an attempt, even if the outcome results in failure, it can be said with fairness “I tried”. Sometimes though, “I tried” doesn’t cut the mustard.
People call it going “cold-turkey”. Quitting or giving something up that you know has been your personal thorn in the flesh, your literal cross to carry, knowing full well that every attempt has resulted in failure, and acknowledging that misery loves company, the ideal you resolved to surrender, to give up, to change, really never did leave. So then what is the answer, and wherein lies the victory?
- You don’t need a new year to decide on a resolve to change!
- No one can tell you to adjust/quit/stop or give anything up!
- It is ok to fail!
- Trying is already a victory!
Judgement in failure comes swiftly, doesn’t it? And then the very resolution we made becomes our nemesis. The journey becomes arduous, tiring and pathetic.
If there is a resolution that has “success” written all over it, it is the mere fact that you have identified something in your life that needs an adjustment. It doesn’t need to happen overnight, and the beauty is you don’t have to wait until the new year to jump into the deep end.
- Pick a small thorn that you know is a discomfort to you…
- Begin daily, weekly and monthly to address it in the affirmative…
- When you stub our toe, be sure you’re failing forward…
- Be vulnerable, and make yourself accountable…
Resolve to change, it is not as daunting as you may think, and as you gain steps in victory of the smaller matters, you will have honed your skills and be at the ready to tackle the bigger things that once were insurmountable, and in doing so, in your resolve to succeed will be able to help the next person up that stumbles and fails forward.
I created this space as a welcoming home for candid life discussions, faith, and purposeful community. My journey has been anything but conventional—from navigating childhood moves to Europe, spending 40 years in the printing industry, and living across two vastly different worlds in Zimbabwe and the United States, God has spent decades quietly forming my heart before officially calling me into pastoral ministry. Recently ordained and commissioned as a pastor, I write from a place of real, lived experience, openly sharing the highs of deep faith alongside the raw seasons of depression, doubt, and navigating life’s unexpected detours. Since establishing this journal back in 2005, my mission remains simple: to listen without judgment, share honest testimonies, and encourage you to slow down, press pause, and discover how to shine brightly for Jesus in our everyday lives.