Reflection, on both the past and what’s ahead in the future, is something we should do more often—not just at the beginning of a year, but at the start of a month or quarter.
In this episode, we talk about five things you can do this week which will lay the groundwork for a better year (or a better month or quarter).
Listen to and Download the Episode
Episode 50 Overview
In this episode …
- you will learn five things you can do now to help you create a better year
- you will discover 12 questions you can ask to help you reflect and review the previous year
Show Notes / Additional Resources
5 Things You Should Do This Week To Create a Better Year
- Reflect (remember) – Build “piles of stones” to remember what has taken place and how God has proven His faithfulness.
- Review – take the reflection (#1) and review it.
- John Maxwell once said that experience is not the best teacher, evaluated experience is
- Relearn the Basics – commit to reminding yourself the basics of Christianity (the Gospel, being IN Christ, how to study, etc)
- Recalibrate (plan this next year) – what is one key area that you want God to transform, deepen, or start in your life ? What is your “one word” for the year?
- Renew your focus on Jesus
12 Great Questions to Help you Reflect and Review the Past Year
- Highlights from this past year
- Low points and difficulties from this past year
- Greatest things God has done in you or taught you this past year
- How have you seen God’s faithfulness this past year? (Müller’s year in reflection)
- What have you studied in Scripture and what have you learned
- What surprised you this past year?
- What habits, trends, routines have you noticed?
- How would you summarize this past year in one word?
- What books did you read this past year?
- What have you learned and/or what skills did you acquire/develop this past year?
- How would you describe your different relationships: spouse, family, friends, co-workers, people at church, people you are witnessing to? What needs to change?
- What needs to change or be developed in your life? What areas of growth does God need to work in you?
Additional Resources
- Listen to Episode 14: Seven Bible Reading Plans to Help You Read God’s Word
- Listen to Episode 49: 5 Ideas to Keep Your Bible Reading Fresh and Exciting
- Listen to Episode 7: Lifelong Transformation: 5 Ways to Grow in Your Spiritual Life (Part 5)
- Listen to Episode 27: An Excuse For Intentional Living
Join the Conversation
Question: Share some of your highlights from your reflection and review.
Leave a response or ask a question and we will try to address it in a future episode.
The difficulty with podcasts is that they are one-sided—so each week I ask one question for you to participate in the conversation. Head over to the deeperChristian Facebook page to leave a comment and join in the conversation.
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About NRJohnson & the Deeper Christian Podcast
NRJohnson (Nathan Johnson) is a Christian who has an overwhelming passion for Jesus, the Gospel, and Studying God’s Word. He is a writer, teacher, and communicator who helps other believers understand and apply the Bible as they grow and mature in their faith—desiring that they gain greater intimacy with Christ, experience the victorious Christian life, and transform the world through the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit. Read more about him here.
The Deeper Christian Podcast is the podcast to help you study God’s Word, know Jesus intimately, and discover how you can build your life around Jesus Christ. This weekly audio program, hosted by NRJohnson, dives into Scripture and encourages Christians to keep their focus upon Jesus Christ—equipping believers in how to study the Bible and know God’s Word, grow in their spiritual lives, and change the world. Main discussion topics center around practical advice on Christian living, Bible study, prayer, the Gospel, freedom from sin, evangelism and how to share your faith, the Christian disciplines, and the lives and messages from the Christian heroes from yesteryear such as A.W. Tozer, Charles Spurgeon, Major Ian Thomas, Oswald Chambers, Hudson Taylor, Amy Carmichael, Corrie Ten Boom, C.T. Studd, George Müller, Andrew Murray, Leonard Ravenhill, E.M. Bounds, and others. Learn more about the deeper Christian life.
Leave a response or ask a question and we will try to address it in a future episode.
The difficulty with podcasts is that they are one-sided—so each week I ask one question for you to participate in the conversation. Head over to the deeperChristian Facebook page to leave a comment and join in the conversation.
Subscribe to the Podcast
If you have enjoyed this podcast, please subscribe on your favorite app.
Like what you hear? … Leave a rating & review
If you enjoyed the podcast, please take 30 seconds and rate it on your favorite app (and write a brief review if you can). This would be a tremendous blessing to help us get the word out to others who might be encouraged and blessed by it—apps use the rating and reviews in their searches to help other people find the podcast.
About NRJohnson
NRJohnson (Nathan Johnson) is the host of the Deeper Christian Podcast and has an overwhelming passion for Jesus, the Gospel, and Studying God’s Word. He is a writer, teacher, and communicator who helps other believers understand and apply the Bible as they grow and mature in their faith—desiring that they gain greater intimacy with Christ, experience the victorious Christian life, and transform the world through the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit. Read more about him here.
About the Deeper Christian Podcast
Many Christians feel frustrated because they don’t grow spiritually. The Deeper Christian Podcast helps equip Christians to understand the Word of God and cultivate a passionate love for Jesus that turns the world upside down.
Whether you want to learn how to study God’s Word, grow in your faith, cultivate a powerful and effective prayer life, share the Gospel boldly, deepen your intimacy with Jesus, live victoriously, or transform the world through the indwelling life of the Holy Spirit, the Deeper Christian Podcast with NRJohnson (Nathan Johnson) will encourage and equip you to grow spiritually and live a Christ-centered life.
