Making Quality Decisions and Choices

Wow, I can't believe it has three months since I posted a blog! I have had a lot of things happening in my life and making adjustments to a new season in my life called retirement. My friends and family ask me how I like it and I tell them I feel like I am on an extended vacation. For a Type A personality who loves to fill her schedule this is so different. I tell people I will always be an "active, productive, and highly effective retiree." 

This year I want to blog on some good decisions and choices I have made in life in the areas of my spiritual life, marriage, parenting, finances, and relationships.  Of course, not all my decisions in life have been good ones but we won't talk about those right now.

 This is an article I wrote for our church newsletter a few years ago on this subject.

When we start a new year we often reflect on the previous year and the decisions and choices that we made. Sometimes we would like to be able to undo some of them. It is important to know God wants to be involved in your decision-making process.

A decision is a deliberate act of your will, a determination arrived at after consideration. The best quality decision that was made in my husband and my life began on Christmas Eve 1969 when my husband,  "Mr. Calm, Cool, and Collected" made a decision to receive Jesus into his heart to be his Lord and Savior. That Christmas Eve was a defining moment that changed the course of our lives. I received Christ shortly after. We were the first ones saved in our families so we had to stand strong in our decision to follow Christ.

To choose is to select freely after consideration. Deuteronomy 30:19 - "I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life." If you don't use this powerful decision-making ability according to the Word of God; you'll end up bound to and dominated by the circumstances of life.

 Joshua is talking to the Israelites toward the end of his life and challenged them to choose whom they would serve either the Lord their God or other gods. Joshua 24:15 - "choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve...but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."

From that one quality decision we made over four decades ago our lives changed but also the lives of our family. Our daughters, their husbands, and now their children are all in the kingdom of God. We were able to pray with our parents for assurance of their eternal life before they went to be with the Lord. We have also seen many of our siblings, nieces, nephews, and their children born again. John 10:10 Message Bible - "I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of." Since 1969 our life has truly been more than we ever dreamed of because of making the quality decision to open our hearts and let Christ in.

Today that question is still being asked and you need to answer the question as to whom will you serve. It is time to make a quality decision to accept the Lord into your life. It is time to make a quality decision to serve the Lord, walk by faith, live by the Word of God, and walk-in love.