FCS Blog

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year! I trust you had a wonderful Christmas break and have had a
great start to the new year. I trust you had a great time with friends and family,
maybe at home or maybe after doing some traveling? Now it is time to get back
into a routine. School has started again. You are going back to work on a regular
basis. Rec league and other activities are back in full swing. Resolutions have
been made and a few of them have been tossed to the side while others are

going strong after the first week.

Many people start the year with big plans and goals. Most of them are more of a
wish than a goal. The difference is that goals are specific, have a timeline, are
measurable, are important enough to follow-through. Some people have a focus
on growth in certain areas for the year. Just like goals and wishes, a focus on
growth is only as good as the plan to get there. Some people like to have a word

for the year and look at things through that lens.

I like to have a word or phrase for the year. Last year, my word for the year was
linger. I would take time during the day and at special occasions to reflect on the
time spent and create memories. It was an intentional act that helped me
appreciate the moments of my life. It helped me slow down a bit on vacation or
at my kids or grandkids events or just spending time thinking about what was
going on in my life. I will try to continue this in the future because it was a nice

way to process what was going on around me.

This year, I am planning to do that same process again. While I was thinking
about this over Christmas break, I came across an article that talked about how
the author decided on the word he would live by that year. He mentioned that
someone had suggested to him that maybe looking at God’s Word to find a word
would be worthwhile. He was led to Galatians 5:22-23, the fruit of the Spirit
verses. Why not choose one of these? Aren’t these the things that God is saying
shows that you are a mature Christian? That seemed like a good idea to me, so

that is what I am doing this year.

I am choosing peace as my word for the year. I will strive to have peace in all
situations. They may not all be enjoyable or easy, because they won’t. They will
not be all hard or painful, but there will be some of them. Through all of the
moments of life, I am going to do my best to find the peace that passes
understanding, because that is the sign of a mature Christian. I will do my best

to be Battle Ready by cultivating peace in my life.

I pray that this will be the best year of your life and that God will work through
you in wonderful ways. You can do that by being Battle Ready and maturing in

your Christian walk. Happy New Year!

In Christ,
David