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December 28, 2012 by Spreading Joy

One Thing

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As another year comes to a close and talks of resolutions swirl around, my mind and heart considers what this upcoming year will hold.

I don’t typically make resolutions but do set some goals to work towards or try to spend time really enjoying the beauty that the ordinary day brings.

This year is no different.  Instead of setting myself up for failure with a list of resolutions that would likely be long forgotten about mid February, I’ve decided that one thing is needed.

Just one.

Becoming a woman of prayer.

While I pray daily and often, I want to be closer to the Lord more than ever.  I want to boldly speak for Him and of Him.  I want to know that everything I do, any direction I take and each path I explore is exactly where HE wants me to be.

E.M. Bounds said “Prayer that costs nothing gets nothing.” And that is not the kind of Christian I want to be.  I want to schooch in close to the Lord so that before one tear lands on my cheek, my heart is already whispering in prayer; before one thank you can be uttered, my heart is already praising HIM for His mercy and grace.

Speaking of Paul and Silas E.M. Bounds said “Their joy in Jesus was so profound that it expressed itself happily and sweetly in praise and prayer under extremely painful and depressing conditions.”

We’ve faced some hard times and will continue to do so I’m sure but in the end, I want MY JOY in Jesus to be expressed sweetly in praise and prayer.  I want my faith to be built on the foundation of prayer, I want my praise to be continual, no matter what.

One thing is all that I’m focusing on this year.  Just one. 

What are your goals for the New Year?  Do you have a list or will you focus on one or two things?

If you’ve written an article on your goals for the New Year, please feel free to share it below.  If you haven’t but would like to list out some of your goals, please do so and encourage all those who stop by and read this.

 

E.M. Bounds has several books about prayer; I encourage you to get them.  Here are a few of my favorite quotes from him:

Our ability to stay with God in our closet measures our ability to stay with God out of the closet. 

Hurried devotions make weak faith, feeble convictions and questionable piety.  To be little with God is to be little for God.  To cut short our praying makes our whole Christian character short, small, improvised and careless.

Persevering prayer always wins.

Prayer can do anything that God can do. Pity is that we do not believe this as we ought, and we do not put it to the test.

Prayer moves the hand that moves the world.

 

 

 

© 2012, Spreading Joy. All rights reserved.

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Comments

  1. 1

    Tristine Fleming says

    December 28, 2012 at 10:07 pm

    That’s a VERY inspirational “one thing.” I love it!
    Tristine Fleming recently posted..Our Desperate Need for a Savior

    Reply
    • 2

      Marie says

      December 29, 2012 at 3:07 pm

      Thank Tristine. Very much needed no matter who we are. 😉

      Praying for continued healing for your heart in this new year as well.

      Hugs

      @spreadingJOY
      Marie recently posted..Love Continues

      Reply
  2. 3

    Joy Lenton says

    December 29, 2012 at 5:06 am

    An inspirational read. What a great objecttive for the year ahead! I love the way you have narrowed your focus down to the one thing that is needful rather than overloading yourself with resolutions. That alone is worth emulating. Over this year my goals have shifted continually. I included becoming a woman of prayer on the list. Sadly, it has been sidelined by all the others! Your wise words here have brought me back to the essentials. This woman needs time in the prayer closet to discover exactly what the Lord wants her to focus her limited energy on. Thank you, Marie, for this timely message. The E.M.Bounds books are worth a read too. Every blessing in the year ahead. 🙂 xx
    Joy Lenton recently posted..Moving on

    Reply
    • 4

      Marie says

      December 29, 2012 at 3:09 pm

      It’s easy to get side tracked by our hopes, dreams and desires.

      Keep going! Keep plugging away!

      Praying for a great year for you

      Hugs

      @spreadingJOY
      Marie recently posted..Giving – Christmas JOY 2012

      Reply
  3. 5

    evie730 says

    December 29, 2012 at 3:17 pm

    wow! Love that…a woman of prayer! Priceless!

    Reply
    • 6

      Marie says

      December 30, 2012 at 6:26 am

      I’ve always tried to be a pray full woman but when I study Paul and hear him say praying always I want to get there… I hope this article will inspire many to do the same.

      You bless me sweetness!! Thank you

      Reply
  4. 7

    Penelope Swithinbank says

    December 30, 2012 at 7:37 am

    That is incredibly helpful – just one thing – and you have chosen the better thing! Thank you for the reminder, to simplify, to chose the most important, to concentrate on a relationship with God. It’s very timely and hugely encouraging!

    I’ve decided to make a short New Year’s Resolution list – of things I actually like doing, to encourage and enthuse me.
    It’s the start of a new mini-series on January. A different approach to New Year Resolutions – because this might well work. http://www.ministriesbydesign.org/2012/12/30/how-to-keep-those-new-year-resolutions/
    Penelope Swithinbank recently posted..How to keep those New Year Resolutions

    Reply
  5. 8

    Mark Schutter says

    December 30, 2012 at 12:21 pm

    My one most important thing is “I resolve to never give up on myself,others or my God, no matter
    the circumstances!” You can read the others here > http://wp.me/p2FEx8-aG

    Great idea Joy, thanks for letting us share! God Bless!
    Mark Schutter recently posted..To Resolve or Not To Resolve

    Reply
  6. 9

    Marie says

    December 31, 2012 at 8:50 am

    @penelope -thank you for sharing here! i know it will encourage our readers as it encouraged me so. when we can live out our resolutions – then its enjoying life to the fullest and not duty.

    @mark – I love your list…. sometimes we let circumstances cloud our heart and we simply just “stop” – but you…you are keeping on! thank you sooo much for reminding and sharing here.

    {{HUGS}}

    @spreadingJOY
    Marie recently posted..Because of YOU

    Reply
  7. 10

    Mirv Wondracek says

    January 11, 2013 at 3:07 pm

    Marie, first of all I think ( not that I am any authority in anything) that you are where God wants you to be, when one has Joy in doing the Lord’s work, it is a affirmation that He wants you there, I can tell you that I have been spending more time in His ministries ( http://www.Godlife.com as a Online Missionary, Twitter, Facebook ) and I am truly so grateful that He has called me to be where I am also, making relationships with other believers on Twitter, Facebook Linked in etc. I do totally agree with your article and the direction you are taking in this new year with the focus being “Prayer” .
    The more time we spend in prayer the closer we will be with our Lord Jesus.
    I do want to share that our CPO ( Chief Prayer Officer ) in Global Media Outreach, my friend Colin Millar is the Founder of Igniting Prayer in Action and he has a school of prayer series on his website that is awesome four part series with 8 MP3 audio recordings, and I want to share this http://www.ignitingprayeraction.org/school_of_prayer and I recommend it highly to anyone who reads this.

    Mirv @GMOMirv
    Mirv Wondracek recently posted..Facing the Impossible

    Reply
    • 11

      Spreading Joy says

      January 12, 2013 at 8:10 am

      thank you for sharing your heart for the Lord! Ministries can reach and impact so many more hearts for the Lord in this social media age than ever. I’m thankful to be part of what God is doing.

      thanks for being such a blessing

      Reply
  8. 12

    Nancy says

    January 11, 2013 at 7:13 pm

    My one word for this year is RENEW. Encompassed within that word is a renewal of my prayer life as well. As you can tell from my ‘website’ which is really my blog, I believe that prayers are indeed powerful–the most powerful force we have in this world. God’s blessings upon your efforts Marie.

    Reply
    • 13

      Nancy says

      January 11, 2013 at 7:29 pm

      Oh and I forgot. A pastor friend of my preached a sermon on Sunday about choosing just one word. He got the idea from My One Word by Michael Ashcraft and Rachel Olsen. Michael and my friend use their one word as a part of their passwords on accounts they use regularly to remind them of it.
      Nancy recently posted..Tragedy

      Reply
    • 14

      Spreading Joy says

      January 12, 2013 at 8:04 am

      I love that! i recently heard that many people are doing the one word resolution. pretty cool idea! i pray your heart is refreshed and renewed this year!

      thanks for spreading JOY our way!!

      Reply

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