On a personal level, this was the first year that I really got to see significant fruit of a decade plus of working toward my mission statement - To be a man of sound doctrine who studies, lives out and teaches the Word of God - as an elder and especially as the main teaching elder of our church. It was humbling and gratifying to see God prepare me for so long and now bring me to this place and to this role where most of my energies are spent fulfilling my personal mission. I still have a ton of ways for God to continue His gracious work of transforming my heart, knowledge and actions, but it's amazing to finally reach this place.
My personal goals have stayed pretty steady for a while - memorize, read the Bible, read other books and exercise. But this year, I have decided to drop the exercise goal. Hopefully, I will maintain physical discipline, but I have decided to take a year off and not try to run any kind of race.
Instead, I'd like to spend more of that time investing and enjoying the boys and girl. We realized that these years will soon pass and so we really want to maximize the few short years we have left at this stage. Andrew has already showed signs of hitting those "pre-teen" years. Someone described this stage - post toddler to teen years as the golden years of parenting. We are understand and agree with this assessment!
Our family has always been a priority as we spend most nights having a family Bible time, Sandy and I pray weekly and date regularly, I have special daddy time with each child monthly or every other month and we have Friday fun nights together on top of the other spontaneous things we do for fun and spiritual development. But this year, I have decided to take things to another level with Andrew and start a formal discipleship time with him this summer.
I realized that I have spent much time discipling other men, surely I should do this with my own son.The young men to be that I want to have the most impact on, live in my house. So I plan on giving him a summer crash course in a basic understanding of the Bible and christian character. We'll see how it goes.
So some of my goals for 2013 include:
- Memorize Philippians 3 & 4
- Read through the Bible twice
- Read 24 books
- Disciple Andrew over the summer
Andrew's 2012 verses:
- Psalm 119:63
- Proverbs 18:24
- 1 Corinthians 15:33
- Proverbs 13:20
- Matthew 6:33
- Psalm 103:8-14
- Psalm 27:4
- Psalm 19:1, 14
- Psalm 19:7-11
- Joshua 1:6-9
- Proverbs 22:9
- Colossians 4:2
- Proverbs 18:2
- 1 John 5:3
- 1 Corinthians 10:24
- Romans 12:10
- Colossians 3:12-14
- 1 Peter 3:8-9
- 2 Corinthians 5:17
- 1 John 1:9
- Proverbs 10:23
- 2 Peter 1:21
- 2 Timothy 3:16
- Hebrews 13:5-6
- Read through the Bible - Done!
- Memorize Philippians 1 & 2 - Done!
- Read 20 books - Done!
- Run the Duke City Half Marathon in under 2 hours - Done!
- #26 - All Things for Good by Thomas Watson
- #25 - Marine Sniper by Charles Henderson
- #24 - Once a Marine by Steere & Popaditch
- #23 - A Personal Odyssey by Thomas Sowell
- #22 - Dangerous Calling by Paul Tripp
- #21 - Serving God on the Christian School Board by Roy Lowrie, Jr.
- #20 - Rescuing Ambition by Dave Harvey
- #19 - The Meaning of Marriage by Tim Keller
- #18 - American Military History by Allison, Grey & Valentine
- #17 - With the Old Breed by E.B. Sledge
- #16 - The Art of War by Sun Tzu
- #15 - The Heart of Anger by Lou Priolo
- #14 - The Drift Into Deception by Agnes Lawless (Elkins)
- #13 - Expository Listening by Ken Ramey
- #12 - Protestant Biblical Interpretation by Bernard Ramm
- #11 - The Bruised Reed by Richard Sibbes
- #10 - Visit the Sick by Brian Croft
- #9 - Built to Last by Collins & Porras
- #8 - The Shepherd Leader by Timothy Witmer
- #7 - Lady Jane Grey by Faith Cook
- #6 - Memoir and Remains of the Rev. Robert McCheyne by McCheyne and Bonar
- #5 - Applied Economics by Thomas Sowell
- #4 - Gates of Fire by Steven Pressfield
- #3 - John MacArthur by Iain Murray
- #2 - Time and Again by Richard and Agnes Elkins
- #1 - The Sum of All Fears by Tom Clancy
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