What challenges are on the horizon for this year? There are always a lot unknown factors to deal with but what can I do to best equip myself to be successful this year?
I am going to start this year with a 21 Day Challenge to reinforce my good habits and overcome some lazy habits that have made their way into my daily routine. I want to make sure my priorities are right, that God has first place, and my personal habits are on track. Here are my main goals to get this year started out right:
Overall Goal: To get my body, soul, and spirit in the best shape possible.
1. Read God’s Word daily: Do my regular reading thru the Bible in a year and also read through the Gospels in 21 days: Matthew to John: 4 chapters per day (to get to know Jesus better)
2. Pray daily: (spend a minimum of 3-10 minute prayer times on my knees: AM, Lunch, PM)
3. Worship daily: (Play piano and/or guitar and sing to God)
4. Memorize one Bible verse per week:
Jeremiah 29:11-13: “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart.’”
Psalm 27:13-14: “I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.”
Hebrews 12:1-2: Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders us and the sin that so easily entangles us. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.
5. Read a great Christian book: The Apostle: The Life Of Paul
6. Minimize Social Media: Only use Facebook & Twitter for posting daily readings: (30 min/per day max.)
7. Fast TV one day per week and minimize TV exposure: (1 hour per day for 6 days).
8. Fast food one day per week: Full fast one day per week and follow the Daniel Plan the other 6 days per week (no rich foods).
- Acceptable Foods: All fruits and vegetables, legumes, whole grains, nuts and seeds. tofu, herbs and spices and water.
- Foods to avoid: All meats and animal products, all dairy products, all deep fried foods, all solid fats, wine, sweeteners, all leavened bread.
9. Don’t eat or snack after 8 PM: (my personal weakness)
10. Exercise daily: a minimum of 60 minutes per day/6 days per week (walk, run, gym, stretch, bike, squash, tennis, pickleball, snowshoe or ski)
11. Be positive in all my speech: “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer.” Psalm 19:14
12. Write one new song per week: Sing to the Lord a new song, and His praise from the ends of the earth… Isaiah 42:10
“Call on Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart.”
Question: What can you do for the next 21 days to challenge yourself?
