Some people dislike the talk of, much less the setting of, New Year’s resolutions. Others love setting New Year’s resolutions; they just cannot wait for the year to start. They even have charts and pictures of their resolutions plastered everywhere. I have a love-hate relationship with setting New Year’s resolutions. I love setting goals, but I often find that by the end of the year, I have either forgotten about them or failed so dismally that I give up. On January 1, 2025, like many years before, I spent some time thinking and praying about what my goals would be for this year.

Resolution 1: Spiritual Formation

I would like to continue to deepen my spiritual journey. As a leader and preacher, I often catch myself reading Scripture and immediately thinking about how I can use it in the next sermon or the next class I will teach. But this year I want to be intentional about making sure that I read Scripture beyond sermon or teaching preparation, so that the Scripture is solely for me. I want to listen to God and apply the Scripture to my own life. I will do this by continuing my habit of waking up at 5:00 a.m. to do my devotional, prayer, and listening to the Lectio365 daily devotional.

This year, I would like to explore the idea of engaging a spiritual director. Additionally, I would like to start praying the Psalms.

Resolution 2: Health and Exercise

I would like to walk 10,000 steps a day for at least five days a week. My wife and I will aim to walk around our neighborhood five mornings a week.

I also intend to continue my annual checkups with my doctor. I particularly would like him to continue monitoring my high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and anything else that may derail my health goals. A good night’s sleep is necessary for good health. I plan to jealously protect my sleep by going to bed early and ensuring I am well rested. At my age of 51, I believe that my energy management is far more important than time management.

Resolution 3: Quality Family Time

This past year my wife and I became empty nesters, a strange and new experience for us. For the past 24 years we have poured our lives into our daughters. We have had countless discussions about school, the girls’ behaviors, their successes, and so forth. But now we come home and it’s just my wife and me. So, I would like to be emotionally present at home. I plan to have a weekly intentional check-in with my wife. We have planned to go on weekly Friday night dates. We also plan to have weekly Sunday evening FaceTime calls with our girls since they both live in different cities from us. I want to continue to practice listening without fixing, because being a good husband and father is mostly about availability rather than what I can say.

Resolution 4: Invest in Others

For me to be where I am, many people have invested their lives in me. I believe it is important for me to also pour deeply into others, even if it’s a small number of people. This starts by me praying and identifying the few people I plan to invest in this year. I will set up monthly mentoring conversations with them, ask deep questions, and pray for them.

There could be more I could say or plan, but for now these are the goals I have. What are your resolutions this year? What are you working on?