Ok...you've taken the first step and agreed you want to get healthier in spirit, mind, and body.  Now, the question is how to take the plunge.  If you wait until Jan. 1, 2006 to figure out the plan of action, you are planning to start the year off  with procrastination and ultimately defeat.

  So, here are some steps to help you get ready:

 1) Pray and seek the Lord's counsel for what areas to work on and how to go about it.

 2) Start gathering your needed supplies and put them in a spot that will be conducive to getting your goal accomplished.  For instance, if there's a certain Bible study you've been wanting to go through, gather your Bible, the study books, paper, pens, highlighters, etc. and put them into a pretty basket by the spot you'll be doing your study. 

   Let's say you want to work on being more hospitable, gather a few tried and true recipes (unless you're very comfortable trying new recipes on guests),  your shopping list,  the names of those you want to invite with their addresses and phone numbers, invitations/note paper, and calendar into one space.  Then you will be ready to plan the kind of get-together that you've been desiring to have.

   Maybe you're ready to change your eating habits, then now's the time to gather healthy recipes and start planning menus and shopping lists. It's also the time to clean out the cupboards of those not-so-healthy, but oh-so-tempting goodies. 

    Have you decided to start a new exercise regime?  Where will you do this?  Do you need special clothing/equipment? 

3) What's worked or not worked before (if you've tried to do this before but not been successful)?  What are you going to do differently to have a successful result rather than mindlessly falling back into habits that didn't work in the past?

Now's the time to get these things figured out and in place so you can be successful when the New Year arrives.

We can do this! We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us!

Do you have some good preparation ideas to share?  Please  post them in the comments section.