No real New Year’s Resolutions this year besides what the Lord keeps laying on my heart, giving me desires for, and continuing to convict me to work towards – knowing Him and making Him known.

So, I’m reading the Word in a new light. Not with the mindset to read daily so I can say I “read the whole Word through this year”. . . but I’m reading it to be CHANGED. I want to KNOW HIM MORE.

The other conviction is to “make Him known.” If David and I have such a burden for the lost overseas in tribal/unreached areas. . . why not the lost surrounding us daily ALL THE MORE, now?! David Platt speaks a lot of biblical truth on this subject in his book “Radical.”

Something David and I were reading this past week keeps coming back to me. In Mark 10 Jesus tells the rich young man to sell all he has and follow Christ. This is obviously a tough command to follow that seems a bit extreme. . . especially to Christians in America. The beauty of this conversation is in Mark 10:21, “Jesus looked at him and loved him.” What a WONDERFUL phrase! Luke 12 echoes this theme of love where Jesus tells his disciples to sell what they have and give to the poor. BUT right before that He said, “do not be afraid, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.” !!! Christ isn’t condemning riches. They aren’t inherently bad, but it is nearly impossible to be COMPLETELY dependent and trusting in the Father when you have an abundance of wealth and riches. . . right? I can’t argue there.

When Platt preached a message on this at his chrch, a wealthy man approached him and said point-blank, “I think you’re crazy for saying some of the things you are saying. . . but I think you’re right. And so now I think I’m crazy for thinking some of things I’m thinking!” He described how he was selling his large house and had decided to give away many of his other possessions. He talked about the needs he wanted to invest his resources in for the glory of Christ. Then he said (AND THIS IS WHERE I CAN ECHO THIS MAN) “I wonder at some points if I’m being irresponsible or unwise. But then I realize there is never going to come a day when I stand before the Father and HE LOOKS AT ME AND SAYS, I WISH YOU WOULD HAVE KEPT MORE FOR YOURSELF.”

If I were to question for just a minute if I were being irresponsible or unwise, I just picture standing before the Lord. Would He really say, “Haley, you should have kept more for yourself.” (Just in case He couldn’t provide right?)

“Lay up treasures in heaven where moth and rust won’t corrupt, and where thieves won’t break in and steal. . . for where your treasure is there will your heart be also.”