As 2019 came to a close, Calvin and I thought about what we will focus on in 2020. You could say, this past year didn't turn out exactly how we thought it would. Yet, here we are in the new year thankful with hearts full of joy for all of the good and the challenge the Lord has extended to us. We are thankful because we believe Romans 8 and that God is working all things (including the painful and difficult) together for our good - being made to look and act like Christ in everything that we do.

There are a lot of streams of influence out there fighting for our attention and trying to tell us how we need to think, how we need to spend our time, and what we need to be living for. It’s necessary for you and me to be thinking about these things and answering the big questions like: What are we going to live for? What should we focus our time and energy on? Children? Spouse? Financial stability? Health?  Matthew 6:25-34 talks about how our lives are more than simply food and clothes (physical things). While we need these things to survive, we're meant and created for more than surviving. This text in Matthew goes on explain that there are essentially two things a Christian should focus on:

• Seeking the Kingdom of God.

• Seeking Righteousness.

But what exactly does seeking the Kingdom of God and seeking righteousness look like practically? There's a lot that could be said about this, but Scripture is very clear and concise with its answer to this question:

• Love God with all of your heart, soul, mind, and strength.

• Love your neighbor as yourself.

This is by no means everything that Scripture instructs us to do, but everything Scripture teaches fits into one or both of these two categories.

You may be asking "what does this mean for selecting what to focus on in 2020?" The answer is, everything! The big question we try to answer is how do we seek the kingdom and righteousness (loving God and loving people) in the various areas and categories of life?

From my experience, I cannot do this with any effectiveness without being intentional. Life too easily takes control and dictates the things you should focus on, if you don't set the proper boundaries and guidelines. This year, we've created a short statement to remind us of how we're hoping to live: "Make Every Moment Count." This is more than just a simple motivational statement, it’s packed with layers of meaning that inform the way we're hoping to live.

Our lives are made up of thoughts and actions and every last one of them is held accountable (Matthew 12:36-37). So, we have to be intentional with every thought and action - making sure they’re funneled through the filter of both seeking the Kingdom and righteousness. In other words, we hope to make every moment count, because every moment is valuable and we don't want to waste a single one.

Of course, we will not do this perfectly and we will fail in some areas. But in order to make some progress we have to take intentional action.

To help set the right goals and priorities in 2020, we’re assessing 9 different areas in our life and thinking through how to make every moment count.

1. Spiritual Health

2. Physical Health

3. Marriage

4. Parenting

5. Personal Development

6. Relationships

7. Vocation

8. Avocation

9. Finances

To do this, we’re:

• Outlining the purpose in each category.

• Evaluating the current state of each category.

• Setting goals to move the needle towards an envisioned future.

I’ve put together a resource that walks us through this process - evaluating all nine categories and setting goals in each area. You can access this resource HERE.

None of this is magic. But it’s helpful for keeping our plan written down and in a place we can easily review and revise. This resource will help you define the main areas of your life, create a plan to be faithful, and provide steps for executing it.

I want to be faithful with all God has entrusted me with. Time is a precious currency that is spent in little moments. Join me in 2020 and make every moment count.

Check out some of the prints available on my resource page listed below. These 11x16 prints are perfect for hanging in your home or office as reminder to make every moment count.

| Credits: Author - Jacintha Payne; Photography - Ali Henderson |