Woohoo! January 2021! 2020 is over. Can I get an Amen? The past year was like none other I have experienced and while I don’t expect things to have changed between December 31, 2020 and January 1, 2021, a new year brings a little bit of excitement—excitement at the possibilities of the year that lies before us. 

Are you a resolution maker? I am. I love to set goals or do that whole “pick a word for the year” thing. A feeling of hope. Maybe I really can do this. In the past, goals have been everything from health-related, POPSUGAR’s reading challenge (This one is excellent! You should try it.) and saving up for a fun electronic item or vacation to what has become my favorite resolution, the “Satterlee Family Food Adventure 2020.” This year, we filled a jar with slips of paper containing food challenges we want to try. Each week, we draw out a slip of paper and take on the challenge; everything from lobster to cheese to street food—we have had a blast trying new things. Our family has really enjoyed it.

If you’re anything like me, though, you haven’t achieved every resolution you’ve set. I’ve been thinking about this and trying to figure out why I don’t always reach the goals I set. It’s discouraging, especially for a perfectionist, to miss the mark you were aiming for. 

First, while I knew where I wanted to arrive, I didn’t make a plan for how to get there. And two, most importantly, I didn’t always consult the One who is always with me, ready to help. There was always an end result in mind, but I didn’t always create action steps or smaller goals or even place little markers of achievement that would help spur me on to completion. When I would get discouraged, I didn’t seek the help of the One who created every part of me and knows me better than I know myself. No wonder I didn’t reach the goal.

This month, you’ll find articles on identity, purpose and goal setting. Who am I? What am I doing? How do I get there? All important questions and ones that need answers in order to do the things we need to do. I hope that you find them helpful. But don’t forget to seek the face of the One who wants to help and guide you as you seek to become the person He created you to be! 

With that in mind, 2021 resolutions, here we come!