As we enter the new year of 2023, it is the perfect time to reflect on our spiritual journey and set new goals that draw us closer to God. The beginning of a new year offers a fresh start and a renewed sense of purpose. As Christian women, it is essential to prioritize spiritual growth and intentionally seek ways to strengthen our relationship with Christ. Setting spiritual goals is not just about doing more but about aligning our hearts, minds, and lives with God’s will.

The Bible reminds us in Proverbs 16:9 (KJV), "A man's heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps." As we create plans and set goals for the year, we must first seek God’s guidance, trusting Him to lead us in the right direction. When we commit our spiritual goals to Him, we place our faith in His ability to direct our paths toward fulfillment and peace.

Setting Spiritual Goals as a Christian Woman

1. Deepening Your Relationship with God

A Christian woman's most important spiritual goal is to de...

Christmas is a profoundly spiritual celebration for Christians around the world. While it is often associated with gifts, festive gatherings, and beautiful decorations, the true essence of the season transcends the physical. Christmas celebrates the birth of Baby Christ—the world's Savior. It is a reminder of God's great love for humanity, a divine plan that unfolded in a humble manger in Bethlehem over two thousand years ago.

The Incarnation: God With Us

At the core of the Christian spirituality of Christmas is the doctrine of the Incarnation—God becoming man in the person of Jesus Christ. As foretold in the Old Testament, the birth of Baby Christ fulfilled God’s promise to redeem His people. Isaiah 7:14 prophesied, “Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel,” which means "God with us." The miracle of Christmas is that the Creator of the universe chose to step into human history, not in a palace but in a stable, to be with us and to offer s...

 Like many of us, my client Barbara struggled with prayer for years. She longed to be close to God, to hear His voice, and to walk with Him as others did. But when it came to prayer, she felt awkward and unsure what to say.

During our coaching session, I encouraged her to spend fifteen minutes a day trying to pray. I explained, "It feels awkward because God is a stranger to you. You have heard about Him. And you have accepted Jesus. But you do not truly have a relationship with Him...yet."

Many women are like Barbara. They want to develop a relationship with God but struggle with prayer. It might be helpful to consider your early prayers a "blind date." Naturally, you will feel awkward—you do not know God yet. Not personally.

When we persist through the initial awkwardness and continue to 'meet' for regular 'dates' (i.e., prayer time), we will cultivate a relationship—a profound, enduring relationship with God that will carry us through life's trials. This relationship will ...

One definition of failure is a lack of success in accomplishing something or coming short of a performance standard we or others have set. Disappointment is the sense of unhappiness and frustration resulting from the failure. These feelings can stem from our failures, the failures of others, or both. What does the Bible teach us about failure and disappointment? How should women respond to disappointments?

Scripture's consistent message is that failure and disappointment are inescapable parts of the human experience. Biblical examples of failure expose the painful disappointment that follows in its course: disappointment with self, others, and even God. One of the challenges with the constant victory narratives we are fed today is the message that triumph is for everyone and that everyone will be a winner. The result is that no one is prepared when victory is slow to visit and when failure knocks at their door, sometimes repeatedly.

Wisdom from disappointments can boost your...

We need to humble ourselves before god, and He will honor us. This humbleness does not mean that Christians should carry the burden of low self-esteem. Learning from successes can boost your self-esteem. You learn more about yourself and your strengths. Everyone excels in at least one area, and often in more than one. A Spiritual Gifts Assessment helps you understand your God-given talents. This can help you understand where your best skills lie. You should then do activities that empower you to take advantage of those proven abilities more often.

^“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” – James 1:17 KJV

If you do something well, you feel a sense of accomplishment. Your confidence surges because you were able to achieve something that either helped you or helped others. In many cases, you were the best choice for the task and were more easily able to achieve ...

Our lives are so hectic that it is easy to get caught up in the day-to-day routine, and we forget how truly blessed we are. There never seems to be sufficient hours in the day to get everything done. And then there are the constant interruptions. The phone rings, a new email or text message pops up, and a colleague walks into the department. Many times our day feels like nothing more than a series of disruptions.

Add to that the triviality of being surrounded by media and ads, and it is no wonder we yearn for a simpler and more spiritual life. While we cannot alter our surroundings, there is an approach we can use to help us be calm, more balanced, and more spiritual - beginning our day with spiritual activity.

When you want to strengthen your relationship with God and uncover your spiritual gifts, here is the one thing you can do today:

Strengthen your relationship with God first thing in the morning!

Start your day off with a prayer, devotional meditation, read...

We all love a fresh new year. New Year’s Day always seems so special. It is a point to let go of the past year, past mistakes, and regrets, then move on to a fresh new slate. Our hopes are high with new goals and beginnings.

We are focused on new things and making them work in the new year. Some of us make new year resolutions and promise ourselves we will commit to them without fail.

We are full-on excited about the new days ahead, and then we fall off the wall of resolution and back to our old ways. We tell ourselves we will try again in 6 months, which turns into the next new year. We ride this cycle every year, and every year we only get it half done.

I want to urge you to keep reading because this may be the year that you stop the cycle, get off the merry-go-round, and thrive with success. I invite you to look at the new year that is coming with a different set of eyes or a different heart tone.

This new tone of the heart is a heart of gratitude.

Gratitude ...

START OVER

When you've trusted God and walked his way
When you've felt his hand lead you day by day
But your steps now take you another way ...
Start over.

When you've made your plans, and they've gone awry
When you've tried your best, and there's no more try
When you've failed yourself, and you don't know why ...
Start over.

When you've told your friends what you plan to do
When you've trusted them, and they didn't come through
And you're all alone, and it's up to you ...
Start over.

When you've failed your kids, and they've grown and gone
When you've done your best, but it's turned out wrong
And now your grandchildren come along ...
Start over.

When you've prayed to God so you'll know his will
When you've prayed and prayed, and you don't know still ...
When you want to stop cause you've had your fill ...
Start over.

When you think you're finished and want to quit
When you've bottomed out in life's deepest pit
When you've tried and tried to get out of it ...
Start over.

When the year has been long and success...

When Life Spins Out of Control, Find Peace

Brenda's husband was in the military, and her family frequently transferred to different locations. As soon as it seemed they had put down roots in one spot, they inevitably moved to a new place.

One day, a long-time friend asked Brenda how she managed to cope with the constant change. Brenda explained, "I've learned that peace is not something that comes from perfect circumstances. Peace is something that flows from my relationship with Jesus."

It is tempting to think that if you had ideal circumstances, you would feel at peace. Maybe you say you would be at peace if your job were not so stressful. Perhaps you tell your friends that you would be at peace if you had a better marriage. Maybe you say you would be at peace if you did not have that chronic illness.

But as Brenda has learned, peace does not stem from your circumstances. You can be living in the best or the worst moments of your life, and you can still know peace.

3 Hard Tru...