Over the last few years, I've come to really enjoy the practice of making New Year's resolutions. I love thinking about ways to use my days better, about how I can make this year worthy of the time I've been given. So for the last 2 years I've made a relatively long list of resolutions (the first year I arbitrarily cut it off at 13 and I've stuck with that number ever since), then kept track over the course of the year how well I'm sticking to my goals.
As with 2018 and 2019, some of this year's resolutions are easy to accomplish. Others will make you raise your eyebrows skeptically at my ambition. But hey, it's my list. Take a look!
1. Spend 30 minutes in prayer every morning
My most meaningful times of prayer, when I wasn't just rattling through a list of requests but also taking time to give thanks and listen to what God was telling me, took some time. Short prayers aren't bad (especially when you're praying publicly), but like with anything else, the longer you spend doing something, the more engaged you are.
So in 2020, I'm going to set aside time each morning to pray for 30 minutes. So when you tell me about a prayer request of yours and I respond, "I'll be praying," you'll know I mean it.
2. Spend 30 minutes reading the Greek New Testament every morning
I want to work on my biblical Greek, which has been abysmal since roughly the day after I finished my second seminary course in the language. I also want to read the Bible slowly and methodically during my devotional times, which is difficult for someone like me who tends to speedread.
So I'm going to use my weakness for good and do my daily Bible reading in Greek this year. Hopefully by the end of the year I'll be able to translate more than a couple verses in half an hour.
3. Spend one hour writing every day
Here's an ambitious one.
Writing is part of my job—I write sermons, I write Bible studies, I write devotionals, I write e-mails. The thing is, there's other writing I want do: music reviews, blog posts, and (spoiler alert for resolution #13) even a book. But I've finally come to the obvious conclusion that, unless I set aside time to do that extracurricular writing, it's never going to happen.
So in 2020 I am resolving to write every single day of the year for one hour at a time. That means Saturdays, that means Sundays, that means Christmas. Every. Single. Day. Some days that may mean other things I enjoy (e.g. reading) get pushed aside. But I'm bound and determined to be disciplined about this. One hour of writing, every day. We'll see what words I come up with.
4. Buy 5 books or fewer in 2020
A never-ending goal of mine is to read every single book I own, to be able to buy a new book without guiltily thinking about the stacks of unread novels waiting for me at home. But as things currently stand, I own 17 graphic novels/comic book collections and 25 "real" books (novels, biographies, etc.) which I have yet to read. *Note: This doesn't count books on my shelves at the church. Those don't count, because reasons.*
So accomplishing the Big Goal of finishing everything I own by the end of the year isn't realistic. Not this year anyway. But to make it a more manageable goal for next year, I am resolving to buy 5 books or fewer throughout the year. That will make trips to Half Price Books a torturous experience sometimes, but my wallet and my to-read list will thank me.
5. Read at least one classic novel every month
While I read all the time, there are an embarrassing number of books in the literary canon I've never gotten around to, from Moby Dick to The Invisible Man to most of the works of Shakespeare. So in 2020 I hope to be able to cross at least 12 such books off my list. Reading the classics shouldn't stop after high school.
If you go back and look at the last few months' worth of reading logs, I've actually already started doing this. I'm enjoying it so far; here's hoping that continues throughout the year.
6. Organize and decorate my office
Before our Christmas Candelight Lord's Supper service, the deacons gathered in my office to go over the details of the service. While we were waiting for everyone to arrive, one of them looked around at the mostly bare walls of the office, turned to me, and said, "It's, uh, looking pretty sparse in here, pastor."
He's 100% right. When I became pastor of SGBC 7 months ago, I didn't know exactly how I wanted to decorate my office beyond putting my books on shelves. So I put it off. And now here I am, 7 months later, and my office still looks like I just moved in. It's not homey. It's not comfortable. It needs work.
So in 2020 I will finally set aside the time to make this half-empty room a place where I want to work and where people want to come in and talk.
7. Reach out to at least 50 local ministers
One of the things I miss about Waco is the network of local ministers I cultivated over 10 years living there. Moving to Garland, I was basically back at square one in that respect. So in 2020, I'm going to start intentionally building a network of friends and coworkers in ministry by meeting or talking with at least 50 fellow ministers. I'll settle for a phone conversation, but my preference is coffee or lunch.
Lunch meeting #1 is already set up for next week. Looking forward to the connections we'll make and partnerships we'll form.
8. Write a note every day
I like receiving handwritten notes. Who doesn't? And the best notes are the unexpected ones, the notes that aren't prompted by a birthday or a gift, but just written because somebody was thinking of you.
So in 2020, I'm going to do my best to write at least one of these notes every day, mostly to members of my congregation. I'm hoping they'll appreciate it, and I suspect I'll really enjoy doing it.
9. Be intentional about social media
At November's National Preaching Conference, I attended a session in which Dr. Angela Gorrell persuasively argued that social media is neither something ministers should embrace unthinkingly nor reject out of hand. Rather, she said, it is an opportunity to engage with people in a way that you can't or don't in "real life." Social media, when used intentionally and creatively, can be a medium for connection, encouragement, and ministry.
So, after years of toying with the idea of deleting my social media accounts, I'm instead going to lean in, at both a personal and professional level. But here's the catch: intentionality goes for my consumption of social media too, not just what and when I'm posting. So my plan is to check my various accounts 3 times per day: once in the morning, once at lunch, and once in the evening (and not right before bed). This will keep me in the loop, but also keep me from pulling up Facebook or Twitter every time I have an idle second.
Social media can be a sewer. But virtually everyone is swimming in it now, so better that I do my part to introduce some clean water than just hope the sewer cleans itself.
10. Eat like an adult
For roughly a decade, I have been eating whatever I want whenever I want without any regard for the consequences. Chips and ice cream for lunch? Sure. Extra jalapeños on my chili cheese burger? Why not.
2019 was the year my body informed me in no uncertain terms that enough was enough and I was not going to be able to keep eating like a college student for the rest of my life. Not without consequences, anyway. So 2020 is the year I shift away from lazily opting for junk food on a regular basis and start <gulp> eating like a responsible adult.
Note: this isn't a diet. I'm not trying to lose weight. But it's time I start opting for fruit as a snack instead of gummy bears. Or, you know, opting for fruit at all.
I'm not going to lie, I'm not really looking forward to this one. But I'm 30 years old. It's time.
Last year after I read my list of resolutions to Lindsey, she jokingly (or maybe not so jokingly) asked, "You didn't want to include any about doing nice things for your wife?"
Lesson learned.
12. Memorize 368 Bible verses/passages
I tried this last year, and was almost halfway there when I fell too far behind to catch up. So this year, I'm combining that bygone resolution with one of my new ones (#9, the one about using social media intentionally).
Every day I will memorize one of the Bible verses or passages for which I made a flashcard last year. Once I've memorized my verse each day, I'm going to film myself reciting it, then give a brief devotional thought based on the verse (and by brief, I'm talking 2 minutes or less). The videos will be posted to Instagram every day.
My hope is that 1) this will encourage other people in my church to take the challenge of memorizing Scripture 2) offer people some simple, helpful exegesis and 3) hold me accountable for accomplishing this goal. An introductory video for this project is already up; look for the first verse tomorrow!
13. Write a book
This is the third year in a row I've ended the list with this resolution. It's happening this year. I mean it.
Now I just hope the book is good.
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