My Sabbatical

Well it’s approaching the new year and people are starting to think about changes they want to make in their lives. New Year Resolutions as they are called.

I looked up the most common resolutions and this is what I found…
1.Drink Less Alcohol
2.Get a Better Education
3.Get a Better Job
4.Get Fit
5.Lose Weight
6.Manage Debt
7.Manage Stress
8.Quit Smoking
9.Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle

10.Save Money
11.Take a Trip
12.Volunteer to Help Others

To me those all sound like good ideas, but most of the times we seem to fail. To be honest there are a few on that list that should try and do, but this year I am only putting one thing on my list. What is that you may ask?! Well here it is…

Know God. Grow in God. Sow God’s Love.

This year it is my goal to S.O.A.P. up more. I will journal as a way to both record and process what God has spoken to me and what He is doing in my life.

What is S.O.A.P.?

S for Scripture Open your Bible to the reading found under today’s date of your Bible bookmark. Take time reading and allow God to speak to you. When you are done, look for a verse that particularly spoke to you that day, and write it in your journal.

O for Observation What do you think God is saying to you in this scripture? Ask the Holy Spirit to teach you and reveal Jesus to you. Paraphrase and write this scripture down in your own words, in your journal.

A for Application Personalize what you have read, by asking yourself how it applies to your life right now. Perhaps it is instruction, encouragement, revelation of a new promise, or corrections for a particular area of your life. Write how this scripture can apply to you today.

P for Prayer This can be as simple as asking God to help you use this scripture, or it may be a greater insight on what He may be revealing to you. Remember, prayer is a two way conversation, so be sure to listen to what God has to say! Now, write it out.

If this seems a little overwhelming, take it slow and keep it simple. No matter how you decide to do your devotions, the important thing is to show up for your daily appointment, because God is always waiting for you!

So with that being said… in order to stay on the right path I will be doing the following:

1. Staying away from Facebook and Twitter.
      – for how long I don’t know, but of course my Fan Pages and Twitter accounts are connected so everyone will receive blog post updates.