Let's Talk about Finishing Well

It's my birthday today, and I've been thinking a lot about finishing my earthly race well. Actually, I started getting serious about "finishing well" shortly after I received my diagnosis with Multiple Myeloma in 2019. A diagnosis can do that!

In this Wisdom UPGRADE, I want to share some things I've learned as I've thought and meditated on this concept of finishing the final season of life.

We need a blueprint, a well-defined pattern to observe and follow, in order to finish well.

The Bible teaches us principles about finishing well in the final season of life. I see it as a pattern.

• There are "Principled People" in the Bible who illustrate powerful truths. They are the who in this article—biblical characters like Joseph and Paul, and especially Jesus.
• We also need a "Powerful Perspective" as we consider why it's so important.
• Then, through "Productive Preparation," we learn how to finish well.
• And it helps to have a "Practical Picture"—what does it look like to finish well today?

Let's look at each of these.

1. Principled People: WHO in the Bible Illustrates Finishing Well?

So many biblical characters did not finish well. We think of King Saul, Jezebel, King Solomon, Judas, Ananias and Sapphira, and others). But many, though not perfect, did finish well, holding God and His Word paramount in their lives.

Here are just a few examples.

Joseph finished well. In spite of all life threw at him—his brothers' conspiracy and others' abuse—Joseph finished his race in spiritual strength. His family saw firsthand how he had served both God and Pharaoh, trusting the Lord with his whole heart through tough, scary times. Throughout his lifetime, Joseph used the wisdom God gave him, and stood firm and courageous against sexual immorality.

In the last seasons of his life, Joseph wisely provided for his family in a foreign land (Genesis 50:19-21), and in faith, he gave instructions about taking his bones home for burial in the Promised Land (Genesis 50:22-25; Hebrews 11:22).

Joseph lived well and he finished well, giving us an example of courageous commitment and wise preparation.

King David finished well. Even though the "man after God's own heart" had great courage and successes, there are signs that he never recovered from his moral failures, and his family was impacted by the consequences of his sins. His firstborn, Amnon, raped his half-sister, Tamar; and then Tamar's brother, Absalom, killed Amnon. Later Absalom led a conspiracy to take over David's throne. The family devastation continued into Solomon's reign.

So David was not perfect. He confessed his sin and was forgiven—but he didn't act forgiven. In his final years he was hindered by regrets.

Yet Acts 13:36 says David finished well. He "served God's purpose in his own generation," and that is a lesson for all of us—to serve God's purposes in OUR generation. It's worth our time to discover God's purposes . . . ask for wisdom (James 1:5).

The Apostle Paul finished well. In 2 Timothy 4:7, he said, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith."

We say Paul finished well because of all he endured in completing the will of God in his life (2 Corinthians 11:23-28). He suffered three shipwrecks, was imprisoned, flogged, beaten, and stoned. He knew cold, sleeplessness, hunger, and thirst. He was disdained and assaulted by Jews, Gentiles, and false Christians.

Paul trusted God's sovereign love and perfect providence and love (Romans 8:28, 36-37) until his death.

Paul teaches believers how to suffer well in order to finish well.

Jesus, our Savior, finished well. Jesus, said in John 17:4, "God, I have glorified you on the earth. I have finished the work which you have given me to do."

That doesn't mean He finished all the work possible to do. No, Jesus left many things unfinished—for now. (He's coming back, remember.)

But our Lord, in His first advent, finished all the work the Father gave Him to do AT THAT TIME.

• He followed the Father's blueprint, staying closely attuned to His will (Luke 22:42).
• He was sent to "seek and save that which is lost" and provide atonement for all who would put their trust in Him (Luke 19:10; Romans 3:23-25). 
• Jesus completed His work on the cross—not turning away from it (Hebrews 12:2-3).
• He rightly said of His sacrifice for sinner, "it is finished" (John 19:30). 
• And Jesus discipled and commissioned those who would share the good news of salvation after He returned to heaven (Matthew 28:16-20).

Finishing well, for Jesus, required commitment, faithfulness, obedience, and vigilance—the same qualities we need to finish well.

2. Powerful Perspective: WHY is it important to finish well?

It's important for at least three reasons.

First: It's important to Jesus that we finish well.

Christians in earlier generations made much of the parable Jesus taught in Matthew 25:14-30, the parable of the talents. Two faithful servants used what their master had given them (bags of gold) to increase his wealth, but one foolish servant failed to even invest it. The two faithful servants heard, "Well done, good and faithful servant" (Matthew 25:21, 23).

Jesus shared that parable to help His disciples undertand not everyone will finish well, and He WANTED them to finish well.

"Well done" are the words every committed Christian longs to hear from Jesus someday in heaven. To hear those words, a person must be a genuine believer (Hebrews 11:6) and commit to faithfully serve and obey Jesus as Lord (Luke 6:46).

Martin R. De Haan II said, "Finishing well is the right way for a Christian to close the final chapter of life's book. It testifies to the reality of our faith. It leaves for those who remain a legacy of inspiring memories."

As I'm writing the final chapters of my life, I want to finish well, with purpose, wisdom, strength, and joy.

Second: What we do today matters in eternity, so we need to keep that in mind.

Years ago, a friend, Ken Nichols, shared an acronym that has helped me keep a proper perspective on life. To be fully ALIVE, he said, means "Always Living In View of Eternity." As wonderful as this life can be, we're not to just live for today. We were made for eternity.

J.D. Greear says that in Luke 12 there are three ways to live in light of eternity:

• Be awake to your task (Luke 12:37);
• Be confident of Jesus' return (Luke 12:40); and
• Be faithful to your charge (Luke 12:45-48).

In other words, be alert to God's will and active in your task, remembering that Jesus could return at any moment—and you will want to be found faithful.

Third, there are crowns to be won!

The New Testament mentions five crowns:

• the imperishable crown—it will "last forever" (1 Corinthians 9:24-25),
• the crown of rejoicing (1 Thessalonians 2:19),
• the crown of righteousness (2 Timothy 4:8),
• the crown of glory (1 Peter 5:4),
• and the crown of life—the "victor's crown" (Revelation 2:10).

3. Productive Preparation: HOW do we go about finishing well?

So we know the who and the why of finishing well . . . but how?

A key word that kept popping out as I studied how to finish well was "prepare." God doesn't want us to be lazy or thoughtless concerning spiritual maturity and obedience.

I love the proverb about the ant who stored up provisions in summer and harvest (Proverbs 6:6-11). Solomon addressed the person who foolishly did not prepare in life, saying, "How long will you lie there, you sluggard?"

The Lord wants us to prepare wisely to be a productive servant . . . every single day.

(That doesn't mean we can't rest, as long as our final season doesn't become one big rest stop! And we can vacation, but we must never vacate our position as an ambassador of Christ, wherever we are!)

Preparing to finishing well is a heart attitude and a mindset.

Dr. Paul Chappell wrote about being "finish ready"—being "ever-ready" for that moment when "our ship will leave the harbor" for heaven.

Preparation can take many shapes. For me, it involves watchfulness, being a person who remembers to "love His appearing" (2 Timothy 4:8b). It means watching and eagerly waiting for my Lord's immenent return.

It also means submission to Jesus as Lord, the kind of humble surrender that leads to obedience and service. We cannot call Jesus "Lord" (ruler over us) while refusing to do what He says (Luke 6:46).

It means spiritual growth—not being content with where we are spiritually. It means falling more in love with God's Word, increasing in our love and devotion toward Him, growing in grace and wisdom, etc. Essentially, it's upgrading all the "basics" of the Spirit-led Christian life.

We have to persevere in these things, and when we do, there is great reward. The writer of Hebrews said, "You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. For 'In just a little while, he who is coming will come and will not delay'" (Hebrews 10:36-37).

4. Practical Picture: WHAT does it look like to finish well?

Althought the goals are the same—to love and honor God and obey Him—finishing well will probably look different in individuals.

For me, it's writing the book that is in my heart, preparing my family for when I go to heaven, and continuing to reach out to my neighbors.

For you, finishing well might look like this:

• Cultivating you Marriage to the glory of God—drawing closer to your spouse in every way.
• Considering what kind of legacy you're leaving your children and grandchildren—and if that doesn't look like what you want, what can you do to change it?
• Working on difficult relationships . . . like finally talking to that person you offended with a spirit of reconciliation—or to the person who offended you, with a spirit of forgiveness.
• Getting finances in order so your family won't be saddled with debt and so you can invest in a ministry.
• Giving more of your time and resources to people and ministries instead of buying more stuff.
• Finishing a beloved project, maybe something powerful to help the needy in your community.
• Serving in church in a more impactful way, remembering we never "retire" from all Christian service.
• Going on a ministry trip while you are still physically able to serve.
• Knowing you are ready to enter eternity when you lie on your deathbed

This is more than a bucket list. It's a Prepare to Finish Well list. And we all need to make one and take some productive action every day.

A suggested prayer: 

"Father God, please help me finish the work You've given me, and help me finish it well. Show me how to live in light of eternity, all for Your glory and the praise of Your name." Because of Jesus, Amen.

What does finishing well look like in your life, your circumstances? How can you prepare better to finish well?

Dawn Wilson, founder and President of Heart Choices Today, is a speaker and author, and the creator the blog, Upgrade with Dawn. She is a contracted researcher/reviewer for women's teacher and revivalist, Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth at Revive Our Hearts, and is a regular columnist at Crosswalk.com. She and her husband Bob live in sunny Southern California, and Dawn has traveled with Him in Pacesetter Global Outreach. They have two grown, married sons, three granddaughters and a rascally maltipoo, Roscoe

Graphic adapted, courtesy of Silvia at Pixabay.

Finish Well: Embrace Freedom

In the previous two UPGRADE posts, "Take Courage" and "Build Strength," we considered a number of ways seniors can finish well. In this final post in the series, I (Dawn) want us to consider how we can "Embrace Freedom."

In my span of 65 years, I've discovered two kinds of seniors.

One kind retires from life and fails to dream new dreams. As one such woman told me, "I'm just waiting for the rapture." You may have heard someone say that too.

The other kind grabs hold of every day, buying up the time. As one senior I know said,  

"I don't know how many days I have left on this earth, but I'm not dead yet and I'm going to drink my cup of life dry!"

The first woman foolishly sqandered many opportunities to serve the Lord. The second woman was living out Ephesians 5:15-16, redeeming time, wisely making the most of every opportunity.

I want to be like that second woman. I want to redeem the rest of my years. Because I have freedom in Christ, I want to embrace freedom and finish well.

Now I don't know what redeeming the senior years looks like to you, but here are four ways I'm going to embrace freedom in my own senior years.

First, I'm going to . . .

1. Purge the Unnecessary.

In today's culture, with so many things to buy and so many storage units to keep them in, it may not be as natural to pare down in the senior years as it used to be. To be sure, many are "down-sizing" as they get older, but others are still burdened down with too much stuff.

In our elder years, we should be simplifying our lives, purging out the unnecessary, making much of our sweet memories, and preparing for heaven!

Many problems would be helped or even solved, if we just owned a lot less.

• We might find extra hours in our day or more money in our checkbooks;
• We'd have a lot less housework to do—like dusting all those knick-knacks;
• We'd eliminate a lot of stress about our stuff;
• We'd find the calming freedom of "space;"
• We'd be able to, perhaps, release ourselves from others' expectations (just think about the freedom of not having to keep up with the Joneses or fashion's dictates); 
• And maybe we'd finally learn true biblical contentment.

It's not about being a minimalist. It's about becoming a wiser consumer and a better steward. It's about finding the joy of freedom. It's about not being "encumbered" and distracted by so much stuff!

If you're looking for help decluttering, there are many good books that can help. I recommend Kathi Lipp's book, Clutter Free, and Marcia Ramsland's, Simplify Your Space.

2. Use Resources Wisely.

Wouldn't it be wonderful to enjoy financial freedom in old age? That doesn't just happen. Many seniors have frittered away valuable dollars that could have been invested for the latter years.

But regardless of our past foolishness, we can still learn to be good financial stewards. There are so many helpful resources to read and apply, like Ron Blue and Jermey White's Faith-Based Family Finances; Dave Ramsey's Your Money after the Big 5-0; and numerous books and booklets by financial expert Ellie Kay.

It's not just financial resources we need to consider. I believe God wants us to walk through our homes and ask Him how we might better use the material goods in our homes. Maybe we could lend or give an item we own to someone in need. Or maybe we could sell something we have to make compassionate use of the money we generate.

Maybe there is a skill we have that could be used for the Kingdom. We could make quilts, blankets or clothing for someone in need. We could paint someone's fence or help plant a garden. We could write or edit for a financially-strapped ministry. Ask, "What can I do?" Then ask, "How can I use this, Lord?"

Another wise use of resources is considering where we might leave special financial gifts in our will for a favorite ministry or two after we pass on. (You do have a will, right?)

3. Keep on Dreaming.

As people in many walks of life have noted, when we stop dreaming, we start dying inside. If nothing else, our dreams die! And that's sad. Seniors need to keep on dreaming. Dreaming is a diamond for old age with many facets.

Part of dreaming is creativity—figuring out ways to act on our dreams and keep on contributing to our families, church and society.

Creative expression is said to benefit the elderly, promoting health and wellness. I've always admired people like "Grandma Moses" (Anna Mary Robertson Moses), the American folk artist, who started painting in earnest at the age of 78!

Dreaming also includes visionary thinking. Cam Townsend, founder of Wycliffe Bible Translators, went to Moscow and learned Russian to assist in Bible translation when he was 72.

Another part of dreaming is reading and being a lifelong learner. Did you know Chief Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes began the study of Greek at the age of 92? People no doubt wondered why he waited so long. He said, "When else would I have had the time to take it up?"

So keep on dreaming. It will keep your mind young and give you unexpected opportunities to serve the Lord.

(Lost your way and think you can't dream again? Cindi McMenamin can help—read her book, When a Woman Discovers Her Dream.)

4. Pursue New Adventures.

Related to dreaming is: Never be afraid to try something new. When I think of the word "freedom," I often associate it with the word "adventure."

There's just something exciting and freeing about going on an adventure with God!

My friend Pam Farrel has modeled adventursome living over the years. I loved Pam's book, Becoming a Brave New Woman: Step into God's Adventure for You. 

This year, "Adventure" is Pam's focus word—with perfect timing. God is taking Pam and her husband Bill on a big detour in life, but rather than sitting around and complaining about it, they are contemplating what might be right around the corner! They are on a fresh adventure with the Lord. They are anticipating new opportunities with their family and growth in their ministry together.

When we allow God to lead us as He wills, as our Sovereign Lord, we can know that all our adventures will be for our good, others' benefit and His glory.

So don't be afraid of new adventures. Embrace them! (I'm determined to run my life race, wherever it takes me, with joy! Isn't that what you want too?)

• Let's take courage and fight the good fight (2 Timothy 4:7).
• Let's build strength so we can "press on toward the goal to win the prize" (Philippians 3:14).
• Let's "run in such a way"—embracing freedom in Christ—as to get the prize" (1 Corinthians 9:24, NIV; Hebrews 12:1).

Let's FINISH WELL!

What does finishing well look like for you? What is God asking you to change in the days to come so that you can hear His words, "Well done, good and faithful servant"?

 Dawn Wilson, founder and president of Heart Choices Today, is the creator of three blogs: Heart Choices Today, LOL with God (with Pam Farrel), and Upgrade with Dawn. She is the Director of the San Diego chapter of Network of Evangelical Women in Ministry (NEWIM). Dawn is the co-author of a devotional, LOL with God, and contributed "The Blessing Basket" in It's a God Thing.She and her husband Bob have two grown, married sons, three granddaughters and a rascally maltipoo, Roscoe.

Graphic Adapted: image courtesy of Mike Enerio, Stocksnapio.com.

Finish Well: Take Courage

If we want to finish well, I believe the first thing we must do is take courage!

As I (Dawn) mentioned in an earlier post, I am resetting my priorities and goals in order to "Finish Well" ... to complete the rest of my life with joy. I think it's important for seniors to pause and evaluate, to determine what needs to change in order to someday hear God's "Well done, good and faithful servant" (Matthew 25:21), but also for a better life while we are on earth.

God, I believe, gave me three marching orders last June: (1) Take Courage; (2) Build Strength; and (3) Embrace Freedom.

In this and the next two UPGRADE posts, let's consider these three "resets."

Today, it's TAKE COURAGE.

I think these are days when Christians must be brave. There is too much at stake for our nation, churches and families for us to sit back, timid shadows of the warriors God calls us to be "for such a time as this."

The Israelis have a word for this: hazaq (pronounced Hah-zahk).

Hazaq is a verb meaning to be or become strong, firm or courageous. It is one of the Hebrew words used for man's power ("strong hand") and also God's power.

Hazaq was often used in the Old Testament to encourage soldiers to be strong (for example, Deuteronomy 31:6; 2 Samuel 10:12) and not be afraid of their enemies, because God would go with them. According to a biblical scholar friend of mine, a form of this phrase (Raq hazaq) is still used today by Israeli soldiers. They shout, "only be strong".)

We see this concept in Psalm 27:14:

"Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!" (ESV)

We are to wait for and confidently expect the Lord! We are to allow our heart to "take courage" in Him!

Marvin Wilson, in his book Our Father Abraham,* describes how, in ancient and modern-day synagogue services, an entire congregation will shout loudly to each other, "Hazaq! Hazaq! Venith Hazeq!" ("Be strong. Be strong. Let us strengthen each other.")

One of the secrets to taking courage is to come alongside each other, supporting each other in the battles we must face!

I think there are at least four practical ways we can be strong and "Take Courage"—especially in the second half of life.

1. Face Uncertainties Bravely.

Our confidence is in Christ, as Psalm 27:14 indicates. Because our confidence is not in our weak flesh, we can face the uncertainties of life bravely.

In fact, when we trust the "arm of flesh," we are playing into the enemy's desire to destroy us! (See Isaiah 31:1; Jeremiah 17:5; 2 Chronicles 32:8.) We must always face life's uncertainties with the Lord, not in our own strength!

It's foolish to stay up worrying at night, afraid of the unknown. God is faithful in our future as clearly as in our past and present. And what's even more precious, if we have trusted Christ, God is our loving Father. He desires what's best for us—no matter our circumstances—and we can trust Him.

Wise King Solomon said it plainly:  

"Do not be afraid of sudden terror or of the ruin of the wicked, when it comes, for the LORD will be your confidence..." (Proverbs 3:25-26, ESV).

2. Confront Your Weaknesses.

Face down your weaknesses. And your failures. And your sins.

God can enable us to courageously face who we've been, what we've done, and who we are in our darkest moments even now. Covering up or hiding what is true about our lives is not the path to growth or freedom.

We like to stay hidden in the darkness, hiding our ugliness. We don't want to come to the Light of God (John 3:19-20); but who do we think we are kidding? Jeremiah says our "ways" are not hidden from God's sight (Jeremiah 16:17; Isaiah 29:15).

We must come to God and welcome Him to enter the secret places in our hearts if we ever hope to have mercy, forgiveness and strength in ministry.

• "Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy" (Proverbs 28:13, NIV)
• "... Forgive my hidden faults" (Psalm 19:12b, NIV)

When we have that merciful freedom of forgiveness, there's no need to fear being "exposed."

3. Stand for Righteousness.

And then, when our spiritual house is in order, we're in a better position to have spiritual influence. And oh, how this world needs spiritual influence ... BIBLICAL influence.

Even as we are courageously taking all our sins and faults before the Lord—"confessing" them, agreeing with God about them (1 John 1:9)—we need to remember who we are in Christ!

We are already righteous in the sight of God, because of what Jesus has done for us (2 Corinthians 5:21; Romans 3:22a; 4:5; 10:4).

The life we now live is "in the Son of God" who loved us and gave Himself for us (Galatians 2:20). In and through Christ, we can approach God with freedom and confidence. And in that confidence, we can stand against the wickedness in our world.

We can stand for righteousness, knowing God will be with us, enabling us to do the work He calls us to do.

4. Become a Warrior.

God calls us to be soldiers in His army. We must determine to impact this world for Christ, using our spiritual gifts and the Christian disciplines as tools for our warfare.

In Christ, we can be a soldier of the cross. We can go into to battle, enabled for the fight by the grace of God.

• Some will do battle on the front lines, exposing Satan's lies with the truth of the Word of God.
• Some will battle as mighy prayer warriors for those in the thick of the conflict.
• We all have a part. No one should be standing on the sidelines.

So take courage! In Christ, you will finish well.

Which of these four "Take Courage" goals is hard for you? Ask the Lord to show you how you can change in order to finish well.

* Marvin Wilson, Our Father Abraham, p. 190.

Dawn Wilson, founder and president of Heart Choices Today, is the creator of three blogs: Heart Choices Today, LOL with God (with Pam Farrel), and Upgrade with Dawn. She is the Director of the San Diego chapter of Network of Evangelical Women in Ministry (NEWIM). Dawn is the co-author of a devotional, LOL with God, and contributed "The Blessing Basket" in It's a God Thing. She and her husband Bob have two grown, married sons, three granddaughters and a rascally maltipoo, Roscoe.

Graphic adapted, from pixabay.

Don't Say You're Too Old

Elaine W. Miller's practical humor never fails to make me smile, while I'm getting a kick in the pants spiritually! In this special UPGRADE for the senior set, she encourages us to keep on "running the race" with the Lord in the stewardship of our years.

"'It ain't over till it's over!' is one of my favorite Yogi Berra-isms," Elaine said.

You had me (Dawn) at "Yogi," Elaine. I thought, what can Yogi teach me about spiritual things? Aha!

Elaine continues . . .

I agree with Yogi! As long as we're breathing, our work on this earth is not finished. God still has a plan for our lives and a race for us to run whether we're 25 or 75, whether we're healthy or ill, whether we feel like it or not.

As birthdays come faster and faster, let us resolve to keep running the race God planned for us since before we were born. Will you run with me?

Let's be encouraged by what God says and enjoy a few more Yogi-isms to "drive home" the point.

1. God ordained all of our days, not just the days before we turn 65.  

"All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be" (Psalm 139:16b, NIV). God knows all our days. If we're alive, we still have races God wants us to run. 

   Or as Yogi says, "If you come to a fork in the road, take it."

Because . . .

2. God has work for us to do.

"The righteous . . . . will still bear fruit in old age. . .  " (Psalm 92:12-14, NIV).

If we wake up and our names aren't in the obituary, then hop to it. God has fruit for us to bear!

   Or as Yogi says, "You've got to be very careful if you don't know where you are going, because you might not get there."

So . . .

3. Let us persevere to the end.

". . . let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us" (Hebrews 12:1, NIV).  Let's not walk, let's run with all the energy we have (which is enough when God is our power source).

   Or as Berra said of Joe DiMaggio " . . . he never walked off the field."

Because . . .

4. Life is worthless unless we complete the task God planned for each of us.  

May our hearts resound with these words, "However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me — the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace" (Acts 20:24, NIV).

   Because, as Yogi says, "It ain't over till it's over."

Jesus has our days planned. He has work for us to do. We must persevere to the end and complete the task. 

In our older years, let us be encouraged by some who lived these principles:

• Benjamin Franklin signed the Declaration of Independence at age 70.
• Grandma Moses began painting at age 76 because her hands were too crippled to hold embroidery needles.
• Roget published his Thesaurus at age 73 and oversaw every update until he died at age 90.
• Peggy Smith, (age 84 and blind), and her sister, Christine (age 82 and crippled), were key people in the world-famous revival in the Scottish Hebrides.

God may have a home run planned in our extra innings.

Let's not walk or strike out, but let's go the distance for the Lord. I want to die a winner, don't you?

Which of these four "Don't Say You're Too Old" tips helps you move forward today?

Elaine W. Miller is an international author and speaker known for sharing biblical insights with warmth, enthusiasm, and humor. She is the author of three books including her latest We All Married Idiots: Three Things You Will Never Change About Your Marriage and Ten Things You Can (available in English, Spanish, and Bosnian). Residing in upstate  New York with her husband of 45 years, she enjoys having three married children and 11 grandchildren close by. Visit Elaine's website/blog to learn more about her unique ministry.

Graphic adapted, Image courtesy of photostock at FreeDigitalPhotos.net.

2016 - An Opportunity to "RESET"

As we enter another year in just a few days, I (Dawn) am thankful for a fresh opportunity to reset my priorities and goals. In fact, "reset" is my focus word for 2016, and the topic of this New Year's UPGRADE.

We reset diamonds, reset odometers, reset alarm clocks, but—praise the Lord—we can also reset our lives.

To reset is to "set again" or to "set differently." I'm going to do both.

In 2015, I turned 65. I'm well into the "I want to finish well" stage of life. Whether the Lord gives me 30+ more years or fewer, I want to honor and serve Him with all my heart.

"Well done, good and faithful servant" (Matthew 25:21). "Good and faithful servant" isn't just something I want to hear someday. It's what I want to practice being now.

This past summer, I lamented my advancing age and wondered if God could use me in the coming years. I basically wimped out, weeping, and two Christian women, Anita and Yvonne, had to "prop me up" again with truth from God's Word.

But I couldn't sleep that night. And in the middle of the night, the thoughts that came—could they have been from the Lord?—became my marching orders for the next "however many" years.

At the end of next month (Jan. 21, 26 and 28), I'll be writing more about the three fresh goals I believe God gave me for finishing well, but for now, I just want to list them because they are a huge part of my "reset":

1. Take Courage.

2. Build Strength.

3. Embrace Freedom.

I believe I need a major "reset" in all three of those areas, and I'm going to study these topics all through 2016 in Bible study, scripture memory, prayer and meditation.

But don't get me wrong. It's not about better self-effort!

I'm very aware that no lasting "reset" can happen without God working in and through my life. It's all about Him and what He wants to do ... or not do.

He may hijack my plans and send me in directions I can't imagine right now ... and that's fine with me too, because He's in charge and I trust Him. And I just need to be ready to move forward with Him.

The verse I've chosen for 2016 is Isaiah 43:19:

"Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert." (ESV) (*See my note at the end.)

Yes indeed. We may experience dry seasons, but God gives us many fresh opportunities to reset our lives.

Think about it:

• Some embrace New Year's resolutions as a way to jumpstart the year.
• Some evaluate the year just past and make new goals.
• Some, like me, choose a word for focus and change.
• When you think about it, every Sunday is an opportunity to reset as we come together around God's Word and then listen and apply.
• Even better, every morning—as we consider God's faithfulness to us—we can rejoice in a new day to repent of sins and reset our commitment to faith and obedience to God.

The truth is, the Father and the Holy Spirit are working within all of God's children at every moment to make the biggest reset of all: 

• He is sanctifying our lives (John 17:17; 1 Corinthians 6:11; 1 Thessalonians 5:23; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; 2 Timothy 2:21; Hebrews 10:14) ... and as a result,
• He is making us more like the Son, Jesus (Romans 8:28-29; 2 Corinthians 3:16-18; Galatians 2:20).

For many years, I've thanked God for the wonder of His grace in giving me the desire and ability to cooperate with the Holy Spirit as He changes my mind and heart. It's been exciting to see God at work.

Are you grateful too?

Thank God for each reset opportunity!

What is God asking you to "reset" this year?

* [Note regarding Isaiah 43:19 - While the context of this verse is the prophecy of God (Israel's only Savior, vv. 11, 15) planning to deliver His people from Babylon, it speaks to me in a powerful way too. It reminds me our Creator God is always doing "new things" in our lives so we can honor and serve Him even better as we are enabled by the Holy Spirit. We simply need to be alert and ready to obey Him!]

Dawn Wilson, founder and president of Heart Choices Today, is the creator of three blogs: Heart Choices Today, LOL with God (with Pam Farrel), and Upgrade with Dawn. She is the Director of the San Diego chapter of Network of Evangelical Women in Ministry (NEWIM). Dawn is the co-author of a devotional, LOL with God, and contributed "The Blessing Basket" in It's a God Thing. She and her husband Bob have two grown, married sons, three granddaughters and a rascally maltipoo, Roscoe. 

Graphic Adapted: Image courtesy of Stuart Miles at FreeDigitalPhotos.net.