A New Habit

As we celebrate Christmas and bring in the New Year, I am reminded that Jesus, through His love, came to give us life and life more abundantly! His goodness allows us to overflow His life and love into the lives of those around us. This time of year also reminds me of the importance of declaring God’s promises through Jesus over our life and family.

I was a little frustrated at the beginning of 2020. I glanced back at my list of ten goals from 2017, 2018 and 2019 that I had hand-written and saved. Each list had some goals with a check mark in front announcing “Victory!” and yet some had an empty box in front, as if wondering why they weren’t one of the winners that year.

To my dismay, four of the ten goals written on all of my prior lists were the same for the past three years — and still had not happened! Did God forget about those? Were they my idea and not God’s? Did I not work hard enough or pray hard enough? Most of them were big goals, but it wasn’t like I was asking for a trip to Mars.

I’ve been told insanity is doing the same thing day in and day out, yet expecting different results. So I knew I had to do something different! Answer: Job 22:28“You will also declare a thing, and it will be established for you; so light will shine on your ways.”

In 2020, I started a new habit. Instead of just writing down my goals at the beginning of the year like usual, I also voice recorded them on my phone, along with some of my favorite Scriptures and some confessions from Terri Foy’s book Pep Talk. I wasn’t going to simply write them down and read them occasionally this time. I was going to declare them over my life this year and listen to the recording often! (Make sure to look below. I’ve included the Scriptures and declarations from my list if you’d like to use them with your goals!)

I had high hopes of listening to them every morning starting in January. I succeeded at this for about a month, but it quickly became only a couple times a week (except in the summer, when I didn’t listen at all for three or four months). To my amazement, when I picked up my goals again this fall, I noticed that four previously unaccomplished goals (which had not budged an inch in four years) actually manifested this year! Even during a pandemic, national shut down and bad economy! Isn’t it fun to see that God is still God and He is still all about doing the impossible, even when it looks most impossible!

As 2021 approaches, I am definitely going to voice record my goals again for the new year, along with favorite Scriptures and some personal declarations. However, I’m also going to make a couple changes to help insure I follow through with daily listening this time around because I am confident this will bring them about even faster. I am going to make sure my recording is eight minutes or less so I have time each morning to listen to it. Additionally, I’m going to put a little sign on the bathroom mirror that says “Play your goals, Amy!”

Shaun and I are excited to celebrate this beautiful Christmas season with you in December! We feel so very honored to be your pastors and thank God for each of you continually. We pray that your month and year ahead is filled with God’s peace, protection, provision, and perfect plan manifesting in your life! God bless you!
 
Pastor Amy 
 

My 2021 Goals Received and Achieved!

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10 BENEFITS OF THE FAVOR OF GOD

  1. God’s favor produces supernatural increase and promotion for me. Genesis 39:21
  2. God’s favor produces restoration of everything that the enemy has stolen from me. Exodus 3:21
  3. God’s favor produces honor in the midst of my adversaries. Exodus 11:3
  4. God’s favor produces increased assets for me, especially in the area of real estate. Deuteronomy 33:23
  5. God’s favor produces great victories for me in the midst of great impossibilities. Joshua 11:20
  6. God’s favor produces recognition, even when I seem the least likely to receive it. I Samuel 16:22
  7. God’s favor produces prominence and preferential treatment for me. Esther 2:17
  8. God’s favor produces petitions granted for me, even by ungodly civil authorities. Esther 5:8
  9. God’s favor causes policies, rules, regulations and laws to be changed and reversed to my advantage. Esther 8:5
  10. God’s favor produces battles won which I won’t even fight because God will fight them for me. Psalm 44:3
 

Psalm 92 NLT (personalized) It is good for me to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to the Most High. It is good for me to proclaim your unfailing love in the morning, your faithfulness in the evening, accompanied by a ten-stringed instrument, a harp, and the melody of a lyre. You thrill me, Lord, with all you have done for me! I sing for joy because of what you have done.

O Lord, what great works you do! And how deep are your thoughts. Only a simpleton would not know, and only a fool would not understand this: Though the wicked sprout like weeds and evildoers flourish, they will be destroyed forever. But you, O Lord, will be exalted forever. Your enemies, Lord, will surely perish; all evildoers will be scattered.

But you have made me as strong as a wild ox. You have anointed me with the finest oil. My eyes have seen the downfall of my enemies; my ears have heard the defeat of my wicked opponents. But I, the godly, will flourish like palm trees and I will grow strong like the cedars of Lebanon. For we are transplanted to the Lord’s own house. I will flourish in the courts of our God. Even in old age I will still produce fruit; I will remain vital and green. I will declare, “The Lord is just! He is my rock! There is no evil in him!

Psalm 112:1-9 NLT Praise the Lord! How joyful am I who fear the Lord and delight in obeying his commands. My children will be successful everywhere; an entire generation of godly people will be blessed. We ourselves will be wealthy, and our good deeds will last forever. Light shines in the darkness for the godly. I am generous, compassionate, and righteous. Good comes to those who lend money generously and conduct their business fairly. That’s me! I will not be overcome by evil. Those who are righteous will be long remembered. I do not fear bad news; I confidently trust the Lord to care for me. I am confident and fearless and can face my foes triumphantly. I share freely and give generously to those in need. My good deeds will be remembered forever. I will have influence and honor.

Isaiah 11:2-3 & Romans 8:14 The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon me, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord. My delight is in the fear of the Lord, and I shall not judge by the sight of my eyes, nor decide by the hearing of my ears. Instead, I am led by the Spirit of God because I am a child of God.

1 Chronicles 4:10 NLT Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!

Proverbs 31:26 I open my mouth with wisdom, and on my tongue is the law of kindness.

Psalm 56:3-4 Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You. In God (I will praise His word), in God I have put my trust; I will not fear. What can flesh do to me?

Malachi 4:2 AMP For you who fear My name [with awe-filled reverence] the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in His wings. And you will go forward and leap [joyfully] like calves [released] from the stall.

Matthew 6:33 (Personalized) I daily seek the Lord and His way of doing things, I live righteously, and He gives me everything I need.

2 Timothy 1:7 The Lord has not given me a spirit of fear, but of power, of love and of a sound mind.

Psalm 35:27 Let the Lord be magnified, who has pleasure in the prosperity of His servant.

Psalm 65:11-13 NLT You crown our year with a BOUNTIFUL HARVEST; EVEN THE HARD PATHWAYS OVERFLOW WITH ABUNDANCE. The grasslands of the wilderness become a lush pasture, and the hillsides blossom with joy. The meadows are clothed with flocks of sheep, and the valleys are carpeted with grain. We all shout and sing for joy!

Philippians 4:19 But my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

2 Tim. 2:21-22 NLT Keep yourself pure, you will be a special utensil for honorable use. Your life will be clean, and you will be ready for the Master to use you for every good work. Run from anything that stimulates youthful lusts. Instead, pursue righteous living, faithfulness, love, and peace. Enjoy the companionship of those who call on the Lord with pure hearts.

Colossians 4:12b NLT I pray earnestly for you, asking God to make you strong and perfect (mature), fully confident that you are following the whole will of God.

Psalm 133:1&3 CEB Look at how good and pleasing it is when families live together as one! …because it is there that the Lord has commanded the blessing: everlasting life.

PROVERBS 3:13-14 NLT Joyful is the person (me) who finds wisdom, the one who gains understanding. For wisdom is more profitable than silver, and her wages are better than gold.

  1. I am worthy of love because Jesus made me worthy.
  2. I am a child of God.
  3. I am valuable to God.
  4. Jesus loves me.
  5. I am chosen and anointed by God.
  6. I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
  7. I love myself with God’s love.
  8. I respect myself.
  9. I respect others and I am treated with respect and dignity.
  10. I have healthy, fulfilling relationships.
  11. I am committed to God and my family.
  12. I am an encourager.
  13. I treat others the way I want to be treated.
  14. I am quick to listen and slow to speak.
  15. I walk in love and avoid strife at all times.
  16. I am peaceful and I have the peace of God.
  17. I follow the peace of God in my decision making.
  18. I am positive with my words and expressions.
  19. My smile is radiant and touches the hearts of others.
  20. I am merciful and I receive mercy.
  21. I operate in godly wisdom and discernment because I fear the Lord.
  22. I am forgiven and I forgive myself.
  23. I have the courage and wisdom to step out and pursue my dreams.
  24. I think positive thoughts towards myself and others.
  25. The Holy Spirit brings all things to my remembrance.
  26. I am sensitive to God’s voice.
  27. I am highly organized.
  28. I am fearless and confident.
  29. I am beautiful inside and out.
  30. I am healthy and strong.
  31. I am full of energy and enthusiasm.
  32. The joy of the Lord is my strength.
  33. I daily fill my mouth with good things and my youth is renewed like the eagles.
  34. I am in the best shape of my life.
  35. I am fit, firm and muscular.
  36. I am bold and courageous.
  37. I am funny and fun to be around.
  38. I am creative and thoughtful.
  39. I am proactive and plan ahead.
  40. I stay focused on my priorities.
  41. I easily complete and delegate tasks.
  42. I maximize my resources daily.
  43. I work smart, on the right things at the right times.
  44. I am fulfilling 100% of God’s calling on my life.
  45. I confidently walk out my calling day by day.
  46. I dream big dreams and believe that nothing is impossible with God’s help.
  47. I am highly favored with God and man.
  48. I stand before great men and women because of the gifts God has given me.
  49. I have fun doing what God has called me to do.
  50. I am in God’s perfect timing in everything I do.
  51. I am impacting this entire world for Jesus in a unique way.
  52. I am prosperous.
  53. I am divinely protected by God.
  54. I am enjoying a debt-free life.
  55. I am generous.
  56. I am a great problem solver.
  57. I am a genius and the world needs what I have to offer.
  58. I give praise to God daily and I have strong faith.
  59. I easily express gratitude to others.
  60. I am getting better and better, every day in every way.

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