January is named for the Roman two-faced god, Janus. She has one face looking to the past and the other to the future – Janus is the god of beginnings, endings and the transitions they create. Life is full of these rhythms – personal, family and congregational. Here are some simple ways I plan to make this new year a time of powerful transformation. I invite you to connect the dots for your life and reflect on your own new year endings and beginning (these are “I” statements and you may want to try them as “we” statements, e.g. family, church, partners, marriage, etc). A disclaimer is needed here. These ideas originated with Kevin Eikenberry of Indianapolis (www.kevineikenberrycom). I adapted and modified Kevin’s much larger list of questions.
Celebrate!
- What did I accomplish this year?
- What obstacles did I overcome?
- How am I different now than I was at the start of the year?
- What am I most grateful for?
- In what ways did I contribute to others, our world?
- In what ways did I grow in my relationship with Jesus?
- Be creative – what else do I want to reflect upon?
Create Your Best Year Ever!
- What possibilities excite me about this new year?
- In ways do you hope to be different next New Year?
- What lessons can I apply to help me this year?
- What is a spiritual discipline I need to practice to grow in my Christian faith?
- Who will I serve more effectively and/or completely?
- What new habit will I develop that will make me healthier/more satisfied with life?
- Be creative – what else do I want to reflect upon?
These reflections can become the basic building components for a plan this year. At the core of our thinking is that, Janus notwithstanding, our God is the “I AM”, life and existence. Our God is the beginning, the ending and the in between. Now, here’s my second invitation. If you would like to enter a conversation with me about my answers to these questions, let me know! We can grow together.