At
the time of publishing, the 2020 calendar year is officially over, and we can
all breathe a sigh of relief!
As
the year was ending, I considered what my “theme” for the new year would be, as
well as both ongoing and new personal goals (One of my new goals going forward
is to write more – both for practice and learning, as well as a creative outlet
for ideas).
My
overarching phrase for 2020 was adopted from a friend and based on James 1:22:
“Be DOERS of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourself”
(emphasis mine). I focused on putting the Lord’s commandments into action and
loving my neighbor. At times this entailed outreach with the youth group –
putting together bags of supplies for the homeless in our area or partnering
with local restaurants to feed hospital workers and teachers. Other times it
was as simple as having patience with overworked retail and grocery employees
or being slow to anger when someone cut me off in traffic.
After
praying for guidance concerning my 2021 word or phrase, my heart settled on a
word that came to me like a vapor: Refine. Its meaning is bifaceted and the
perfect word to describe my goals moving forward. From a practical perspective,
it is defined as “improving something by making small changes”; That is exactly
what I strive to do moving into a new year. Many of my goals are ongoing and
have remained the same, but I want to polish the process. Some of these
include:
·
Reading and writing more!
o My reading and writing
habits are both very haphazard. I might read a book per week for a month and
then go months without finishing another book. Similarly, aside from writing
for college assignments and projects, I stopped writing recreationally after
high school. I want to cultivate my writing skills and spend more time in a
book than I do viewing a screen.
·
Platelet donations!
o I’ve been donating with
Marsh Regional Blood Center since high school and really enjoy doing so. For
such a small amount of my time, I can help make a huge impact to someone else’s
life. Two years ago I switched from whole blood to platelet donations.
Platelets can be donated every 72 hours up to 24 times per year, and in 2021 I
want to max out my donations. Jesus told us “Greater love has no one than this:
to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” If we are called to lay down our
lives for others, surely we can donate a tiny fraction of our blood to help
them.
·
Python!
o Pretty simple. Last year
I bought an instructional book on the programming language Python and started learning
how to code. I made it several weeks before getting distracted and putting it
down, and I'm picking it back up now.
·
Physical Health!
o In the past year, I’ve
been more active, improved my diet, and lost 31 pounds! I still have a lot of
weight to lose, and need to exercise more and at higher intensities, but I’m so
happy with the progress I’ve made so far. The most important reason for this is
recognizing that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit and we must glorify
God in our bodies. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)
·
Academics and Career
o As the Lord blesses and
allows me to, I am starting a full-time internship with the American Red Cross
this month and will graduate with my Bachelor of Public Health degree (community
health concentration and health administration minor) in May. Beyond that, I
will either be seeking employment or pursuing a graduate degree. To be
determined.
The
other definition of refining refers to metallurgy. Put simply, the impurities
in a metal are oxidized and removed as a slag or gas, leaving a chemically
identical but purer metal. Smelting and refining are used in the scriptures as
metaphors for the Lord testing hearts through adversity. It is not easy to be
in God’s crucible (Proverbs 17:3). It can hurt. Through fiery trials,
painful as they may be, our heavenly Father purifies us like gold and silver
(Isaiah 48:10). In our most unexpected trials or in our deepest pain, the Lord
is our refiner, and He is right there with us in the burning fiery furnace
(Daniel 3:24-25).
I want the Lord to refine me in 2021. I want to be exposed to the heat so He can remove my impurities and forge me into a a better husband, friend, student, disciple, and worshipper. Into a clearer image of Christ.
Through his
mercy and grace, I want my tests to be refined into a testimony.
