2012 – I Resolve NOT to Overextend!

December 31st again? Unbelievable! It has been a year of incredible change for this 40 something year old woman! My son was married in August and my daughter began her first year of college. I actually ran my first 5K in 34 minutes. My sweet husband was blessed with a fabulous new job. Even though I still have the same position, my job description has changed dramatically this year and I have decided to begin my educational specialist (EdS) work this semester. I also set a ministry goal last year at this time. I prayed that God would allow me to serve in at least one ministry event each month. I went back to my calendar this week and counted 13 ministry opportunities in 2011. See, God does want to give us the desire of our heart!

That first paragraph makes me want to go take a nap! It has been a busy year. However, I have this sense of expectancy that 2012 is going to surpass 2011 and be full of great events! I have been teaching through 2 Corinthians in my Connection Group class at Underwood Baptist for the past few months. When we hit chapter 5, God put my 2012 New Year’s resolution right under my nose. It is found in verse 9: “Therefore, we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him.”


In the past, I have been plenty ambitious in my teaching career. So ambitious in fact, that I neglected my family at times and definitely neglected my time with God. Even though I have plans to be a more godly mother/wife, further my education, pray for more serving opportunities for SHINE Ministries, and to do the best possible work with my job, these things are NOT my ambition for 2012. If I keep pleasing God as my ambition, He will bless in all other aspects of my life. God knows we have a lot on our plates, but if we always keep Him our top priority, then He will bless our efforts in the other areas of life.

However, there is a line that I will not cross. God clearly taught me (through Apostle Paul) not to overextend my boundaries.  In 2 Corinthians 10:14, Paul tells the Corinthians that he would not overextend himself beyond the boundaries of ministry with which God had entrusted him. How often do we get ourselves in trouble because we have overcommitted and overextended ourselves? When we CHOOSE to do this, we become cranky, tired, and neglect important relationships. Believe me – I know whereof I speak! Notice I said it is a choice – we get to choose how we spend our time. Furthermore, these choices reflect what we value most!

So what are your 2012 ambitions? Go ahead and set goals for your career and your personal life – but always keep pleasing God as your #1 ambition and do not overextend yourself. When you exercise the self-discipline of working within the boundaries God has established for you and are faithful there – you will reap good fruit. And as God grows and sharpens you, He will entrust you with a larger sphere of influence and will extend the boundaries of service for you. I am not making this stuff up – go read 2 Corinthians 10!

So bring it 2012 – I am living expectantly to see what God has in store!! Leave a comment and let me know what God will have you working on this year.