It’s Monday, but it’s not just any Monday. Though it seems like a day-off – with the official “observed” status of New Year’s Day happening today – it’s also a day with fresh endings and fresh beginnings lumped into your subconscious. Besides boxing-up the Christmas décor to be stashed until next Thanksgiving, how can you do some personal work to make your off-day a big-day?

Around The Master’s Program community, we’ve never been content to leave well enough alone. Each of us is in-charge of our own life: we are a multi-faceted existence that reflects God’s own identity, and capable of far more than we’ve yet realized in our journey from lost to saved to sanctified.

Allow me an assumption: as one of my Monday morning conversation partners, you’re currently in the continuum between saved (redeemed from sin, and able to outperform your formerly lost self) and sanctified (the ultimate objective to be like Jesus, whom we follow). How’s that going, for you?

You’re boxing-up the last of 2022 and getting ready to launch into 2023. My rude question: will the next year just be a do-over of 2022? Too often we become comfortable with our discomfort and settle for sameness when personal progress toward the Jesus model is possible.

Justina Chen is a Stanford grad, fiction author and communications guru. Her insight is savvy:

“Inertia is so easy: don’t fix what’s broken. Leave well enough alone. So, we end up accepting what is broken, mistaking complaining for action, procrastinating for deliberation.”

At TMP, we make a big deal out of LifeMastery. We know that God’s factory specs for redeemed people set a high bar of excellence in the critical parts of life. There are specific sectors that warrant our focus: You, Who and Do. Those three areas are under your jurisdiction: how are they going?

You: we’re not complicated, but we’re complex. Our full identity is supported by the four foundational corners of body, mind, soul and spirit. In all four, your current status could be marked as red – in critical condition, needing immediate attention – or yellow – transitional at best; not wise to accept a “stall” for the long game – or green – healthy and enviable, still with room to grow. Do a quick back-of-napkin assessment: color-code body, mind, soul and spirit. How are You really doing?

Who: the ultimate relationships in your life are within your family system. The two most critical connections – over your lifetime – are your spouse and your kids. All other relationships are transitory; the Enemy is fully mobilized to destroy marriages and families, since they are the creation of God for healthy human existence. Again, the light indicators apply: look at those two aspects of your lifetime Who dimension, and apply an honest rating to them. Coming off Thanksgiving/Christmas/New Year’s, are your marriage and family relationships more Hellish or Hallmark?

Do: that’s where too many start, but never finish well. Your Doing is principally reflected in your Career and your Calling. Our culture elevates Career, but longs for Calling. Career is what you’re paid for; Calling is what you’re made for. No one is looking at your napkin: you can be honest for a short moment. Honestly evaluate how you feel about those two massive commitments of time and talent: are you out to fulfill your professional goals only? Or, are you also constantly recognizing the eternal imperative to echo – on your death-bed – the insight offered by Jesus on his way to Gethsemane: “I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do.” (John 17:4). Do you know the work God has given you to do? Are you doing it? Your honest gradation on Career and Calling is an imperative: for each, are you in the red, yellow or green status?

I want you to ponder those three arenas this week – the You, Who and Do – and get your dashboard indicators clear. You have those gauges in front of you for the road ahead. Are they telling you to pull-over and raise the hood? Or, put the pedal down and fast-track into 2023?