Amanda.Greene@ReligionNews.com
On New Year's Eve, when we're rejoicing with friends or thinking of the year ahead, we all resolve to be more fit or do more family activities.
But do we consider our souls on New Year's?
One of Wilmington's megachurch pastor's Mike Ashcraft and co-author Rachel Olsen just released a book on this topic called My One Word.
"This is a really helpful tool for people who are seeking God, and who tend to equate their relationship with God to their behavior. This takes that pressure off," Ashcraft said.
Philip Stine | Dec 24, 2012 | 4:37pm
My father was my spiritual guardian. He prayed for me daily, and he often talked with me about how I was feeling or responding to things happening to me or around me. My spirtual well-being was his focus. After he died, I realized that a friend, a man much older than I, assumed that role. He too wrote or phoned to encourage me and ask how I was. Now he is gone.
One resolution is find a new spiritual guardian. But a second is to become such a person for someone else.
Amanda Greene | Dec 24, 2012 | 5:20pm
Thank you Philip! Merry Christmas!
Sejal Patel | Dec 24, 2012 | 6:30pm
Recently while reflecting over the past years, I realized a great piece of advise given to me by my mother.
I was going through some personal crisis, and her advise to me then was that only because GOD thought me worthy of the challenge and was assured that I will be able to take it in my stride, He chose me for the task in this wide world.
This year I resolve to remember her advise more often and feel honored and special during times which are not too smooth.
PadricMHarris | Dec 25, 2012 | 7:48am
Marry Christmas to all !! Well my new year resolution is to keep happy to myself and my family. I will try to forgive my close-ones for their mistake. To love myself and keep clam and cool in every critical situation.
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David Scott | Dec 27, 2012 | 12:17pm
In these terribly fractious times marked by paralyzing polarization, short tempers, angst, and ill-will, I resolve to adopt Steven Covey’s adage when dealing with those I differ with: “Understand first, then be understood.” Many of us who have opinions fall too quickly into the belief that we are always right when truth is usually found between in the middle ground. Finding the truth is always more important than being right.
Bonny Logsdon Burns | Dec 27, 2012 | 1:29pm
My continual resolution is to be the kind of soul that makes others feel at-ease, encouraged and loved. It is a resolution to be the exact opposite of how the main-stream media portray Christians. May Christ use me to coax out the best in my fellow person.
Ladywriter1 | Jan 3, 2013 | 1:38am
Hmmmm, my “Spiritual Resolution’s” I pray to God for my health & strength on all levels: Physical, Mental, Emotional, Financial and Spiritual. It’s safe to say that my “Spiritual Resolution” is to get closer to God, without it being a life event, circumstance or situation, where I’m praying Fox Hole prayers! i.e; “God if you get me out of this, I’ll…. and to thank him constantly, no matter what. Asking for his patience no to be tried by me on any given day of the week - and for acceptance in the spiritual sense, no matter what the carnal sense is telling me. DAC
India | Jan 4, 2013 | 12:03pm
A resolution is a statement of commitment to take a specific action. Not a desire to try to do something, or a soft and fuzzy idea of being a better person. Too often, people’s “resolutions” fall by the wayside because they either weren’t specific enough to demand any real action take place, or the person didn’t bring true commitment to it.
My New Years resolution is more devotion to my spiritual practice by reducing my use of substances and spending more time in meditation. I am doing this by adding a half hour meditation every evening in addition to the 1 hour daily every morning which I’ve already been doing. Also, to reduce my use of substances: Alcohol, which dulls the mind, should be used only occasionally, once per month. Tobacco, which is habit forming, I will use sparingly, one cigarette at the end of a hard day, on occasion. Etc.
Hope this helps some people who are committed to real change through their New Year’s Resolution : a solid commitment to meaningful action in 2013. May it be a great year for all.
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