I can’t believe it’s the last day of 2008. Where did the year go?
I’m not good at keeping New Year’s Resolutions, but last year I made a resolution to read the entire Bible in 2008. And with one more entry to go, I’m going to complete my resolution.
And I learned something very important in my reading. Of all the things God talks about, the one thing He repeats over and over and over and over and over and over: above all, He wants us to act justly, show mercy, and walk humbly with our God. Justice, mercy, compassion, humility, righteousness. THESE are the things the Bible stresses, over sacrifice and songs and worship, because when we’re executing justice, feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, and showing mercy and compassion, we are worshipping God.
So in 2009, my goal is to live as much as possible executing justice, showing mercy, and walking humbly with God, loving Him with all of my heart, soul and mind, and loving my neighbor.
Did you make a New Years Resolution? Are any of you heading to Times Square for New Years? (Do tell us about it!)
What are some of your favorite Christian music artists resolving to do in 2009? Brian Mayes, at the Nashville Publicity Group, sent over a list from some of the artists they work with. I thought maybe you’d like to see their New Year’s Resolutions!

My New Year’s Resolution for 2009 is…
…to stop eating so much chocolate…it’s my weakness. – Josh Reedy (DecembeRadio)
…to be closer to God and family. – Eric Miker (DecembeRadio)
…to have more patience. – Brian Bunn (DecembeRadio)
…to reach further into the world and draw closer to Jesus…everything else works out after that. – Boone Daughdrill (DecembeRadio)
…to look for more opportunities to share the gospel with the people around me. – Stephen Hinkle
…to spend more time saying ‘thank you’ to my Lord, my family, my fans, my friends, my staff and my media friends. Love you all. – Joanne Cash
…to be content for an entire year. I love having dreams and goals, but sometimes those dreams make you ungrateful for what you have now. – Lyrycyst
…to find the last three Sesame Street magazines I’m missing from my collection (July-Sept 1984 if anyone can help). – Mitch Parks (After Edmund)
…to get whiter teeth… – Ben Hosey (After Edmund)
…to go the entire year without picking my nose. Tissue assisted blows only people! – Matt McFadden (After Edmund)
…to finally write a song that’s not in the key of Ab. – Yates (After Edmund)
…to take more time everyday to be in devotion with God. Sometimes I find that it can be a challenge to find that time alone with God. But this coming year I really want to be disciplined and set aside a specific time that is God’s alone. I also want to read more books written by a variety of Christian authors. – Pam Walker (Carried Away)
…to give more of my time and finances to those in need. – Christine Prankard (Carried Away)
…to be more like Christ. Each year I hope to be improving, and I can measure my progress by looking back and seeing changes in my life that have made me more like my Savior. I can’t do it on my own. No one can. I pray that God will continue to transform me from the inside out to do His will for 2009. – Tyler Seidenberg (Carried Away)
…to read more books and watch less TV…..I am hooked on Fox News Channel’s On the Record with Greta. – Denise Clark (Beloved)
…to cook and eat more organically….GO GREEN! – Kim Gravel (Beloved)
…learn to salsa dance……I want to be ready when Dancing With the Stars calls. – Amy Goins (Beloved)
…simple. I promise to Love more than I ever have before. I promise to give more than I ever have before. I promise to care more about people than I ever have before. This year it’s about serving and helping others as opposed to myself. It’s about going the extra mile, and feeling someone else’s pain. This year I BECOME a servant like never before. If I do this I know my life will be the best it’s ever been. 2009 here I come!!! – Kevin LeVar
…be more diligent with my homework and work harder in school. – Noah Hayden (Mission Six)
…to become an even better drummer! – David Horner (Mission Six)
…to work super hard at improving my craft of bass playing. – Michael Powers (Mission Six)
…to read my Bible more and spend more time with God. – Anthony Barthel (Mission Six)
…not to make New Years Resolutions. – Isaac Alling (Mission Six)
…pretty much the same every year: to be a better person, a better Christian, a better husband, a better father and a better friend. Specifically, it is to complete my solo Christian CD and tour churches and Christian based outlets to spread the word of God, to help bring people to Christ. I believe the ‘real’ future is eternity, not the next 10, 20 or 30 years because against the backdrop of eternity those are very, very minute numbers. As much as I am concerned with the environment, the economy and our political stance on issues like war, genocide and famine, I am more concerned with where each and every one of us will spend eternity. Whether we like it or not there is one thing we all have in common and that is that one day soon we will have to stand before God and give an account of everything we’ve said and done in this body on this earth. So my ultimate resolution is to do my part to get as many people as possible to accept Jesus Christ as their savior and spend their eternal ‘future’ in Heaven. – Eliot Sloan (Blessid Union of Souls)
Photo credit: Countdown Entertainment, LLC
Check out the Gospel Soundcheck’s “Christian Music Year In Review,” a look back at the stories you were talking about on the Gospel Soundcheck blog.