9 Motivating Christian New Year’s Resolutions for Moms

The New Year is here, and it’s the perfect time for a fresh start and a new beginning. As children of God, we can make the New Year a time to grow our faith and become stronger moms and gain a deeper understanding. These Christian New Year’s resolutions are a great place to start making a change in 2023.

Most of us make powerful resolutions for the New Year. But how many of them actually last? A study completed in 2016 says that 41% of us make resolutions, but only 9% say they actually complete their goals!

Even though I rarely reach all of my goals, I find that making them still helps me grow and change. In fact, sometimes I reach the end of a year, and the resolutions I made at the beginning of the year are no longer relevant. (For instance, vowing to lose 25 lbs, then getting pregnant!)

But not following through on all of your New Year’s goals is really okay, as long as you use them as a jumping-off point for growth. 

Sure, resolutions to lose weight, exercise, read more, and spend time with family are great. Maybe this year is the time to try something new and put God first in our plans for the New Year.

What does the Bible say about New Year Resolutions?

While the Bible doesn’t specifically mention the New Year, we know that God wants us to consistently examine our lives, see where we may be lacking, and grow in His grace. 

We should never think we have “arrived” at the place we need to be. Instead, we should constantly strive to do more for the Lord, and serve Him better.

Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 3:13-14

As we say goodbye to the old year, and welcome in the new, we have a perfect opportunity to reflect on where we are in our Christian walk. It’s also the perfect time to consider areas where we need to grow. 

How to Actually Keep Your Biblical New Year Resolutions

The key to successful Christian New Year Resolutions is knowing that when we purpose in our hearts to do God’s will, He will give us the strength to follow through.

Here’s how to choose Christian New Year goals that align with God’s plan for your life–so you can actually end the year successfully.

1. Set resolutions that are both meaningful to you, and important to God. When your New Year’s resolutions revolve around things that matter to Him, He will help you accomplish them. 

2. Ask an accountability partner to help you stick with your goals. Find a friend who is traveling on a path similar to yours who will help you stay faithful to your Christian resolutions. 

3. Apply Scripture to your situation. I’ve included several Bible verses in this post that apply to the resolutions. Write them down and keep them nearby if you need encouragement. 

4. Give yourself regular “checkups.” Take some time about once a month to review your goals and see how you’re progressing. You can make adjustments along the way. 

When we purpose in our hearts to do something for His glory, He will give us the strength to do His will. 

9 New Year’s Resolutions for Christians That You CAN Actually Keep

Start with these Christian goals for the new year to become the woman of God He wants you to be. 

Spend time in prayer every day. 

Prayer is one of the most important things we do as Christian women. Spending time in prayer daily is vital for moms who are raising their kids in an evil world. 

It can be overwhelming to know where to start. You don’t need fancy words, long phrases, or even hours of time–which is great since most of us don’t have much of that!

God wants us to come to Him in the small moments and pockets of time we have during a busy day. One of the shortest verses in the Bible puts it this way, “Pray without ceasing.” (1 Thessalonians 5:17 KJV)

While we can’t literally pray every second of the day, we can always be ready to pray at any given moment. 

If you aren’t sure where to start, this prayer list template is a great resource for beginners. Commit to spending just a few minutes in daily prayer this year. Even a short prayer time can make a huge difference in your life. 

Read your Bible faithfully. 

Someone once asked Christian author and musician Russ Scalzo, “What is more important: Bible reading, or prayer?” And he answered, “What is more important: breathing in, or breathing out?”

This is a beautiful quote that reminds us that praying and reading the Bible are both vitally important in our Christian lives. We talk to God through prayer, and He speaks to us through His Word.  If we omit either one, we’re missing something!

You don’t have to read your Bible for hours for it to make a change in your life. You can start small with a chapter a day in Proverbs, or you may go all-in and decide to read the entire Bible in a year. 

The number of chapters you read isn’t as important, as making sure you take the time to read every day. Start your new Bible-reading habit this year. 

Strengthen your marriage.

Have you ever seen those social media influencers who tell you, “Make sure you don’t skip date night?”

Sure, a weekly date night sounds great, but when you have younger or special-needs children, don’t live near family, or can’t squeeze a babysitter into the budget, date nights can be few and far between. Can you still have a successful and happy marriage if you can’t spend hours alone together?

The world has given us a skewed view of what marriage should be. It’s not two people who are always mushy-gushy and in love. But it’s two people who are committed to loving one another even through hard times.  It’s choosing love, even when you’d rather walk away. 

As a Christian wife, making the choice to honor your husband is one way you can strengthen your marriage–even without date nights, fancy flowers, or expensive gifts. Decide this year to do your best to obey God by respecting your husband. 

Determine to serve with a smile. 

Our human nature doesn’t really enjoy serving others. But, like most things, God’s way is different from ours. Mark 10:44 says, “And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all.” 

As moms, we get lots of chances to serve! We’re always cooking meals, washing clothes, cleaning the house…serving God by serving our families. 

But the work is sometimes tedious, and, honestly, not always appreciated. God’s desire for us is not only to serve others but also to do it without “murmurings and disputings.” (Philippians 2:14)

Start the New Year by determining to approach even mundane tasks like housework, cooking, or running errands with an attitude that you’re doing it for the Lord. (Colossians 3:23)

Attend church regularly.

If you really want to grow in the Lord in the New Year, you must make church attendance a priority. We all know that the last couple of years have been hard when it comes to meeting in groups. 

Many people completely got out of the habit of going to church during the pandemic, and getting back has been hard. But now is the time. 

If you’ve been missing your church family, or have never found a church to call home, a New Year is a great time to start. Sunday School, worship services, prayer meetings, and small group Bible study are all vital to Christian maturity. 

God made us to need others in our lives. The Bible tells us that gathering with other Christians becomes more important as we get closer to the Lord’s return. (Hebrews 10:25)

Making new friends, or reconnecting with old ones who are also striving to serve the Lord will grow your faith in ways going it alone just can’t. Determine this year to make regular church attendance a priority in your life. 

Spend less time on social media.

Social media itself isn’t bad. However, it becomes a negative influence when we start to believe the life we see there is real. It can start to affect us spiritually if we’re not careful. 

Recently, I found myself feeling down, and I stopped for a minute to take stock. I traced my sadness back to a post I had read on social media. Yes, a tiny square photo with a two-sentence description on Instagram had totally ruined my mood. 

Setting limits on your social media–and sticking to them–can make a real difference in your spirit and mood. You can easily set this up in your phone’s settings. If you’re like me, you might be surprised just how much time you waste on those apps every day. 

Be a more dedicated witness for Christ.

The last command Jesus gave before He ascended to Heaven was to “preach the gospel to every creature.” (Mark 16:15) If we fail to witness, we are not obeying this specific command.

I know, that’s harsh. I am guilty of not witnessing as I should. And it is one of my resolutions for this year. Being a witness can be as simple as inviting a neighbor to church, or passing out a gospel tract. 

We tend to make it complicated because it’s hard. Witnessing requires us to put aside our own pride. But the Bible tells us that the only way the lost can come to Christ is if someone tells them how. And that someone must be you and I. 

Witnessing is God’s will, and He has promised that He will give us strength when we’re trying our best to serve Him. 

Memorize Bible verses. 

We’ve already discussed the importance of reading the Bible. But you can go a step further and hide God’s Word in your heart by committing Bible verses to memory.

The Bible has the power to change our lives, but not if we don’t know what it says. Obviously, there are a lot of verses in the Bible. 31,102 verses to be exact. While all of the Bible is inspired by God, and “is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:” (2 Timothy 3:16) but they don’t all benefit us in the same way.

Some verses apply more in different parts of our lives. There are verses that are deep and more difficult to read or understand. While others are so easy a child can memorize them. Start with those to increase your knowledge and understanding of God’s Word in the New Year. 

Practice a new spiritual discipline.

While our salvation doesn’t depend on the things we do, practicing spiritual disciplines can help us deepen and strengthen our faith. 

Some spiritual disciplines include solitude, generosity, fellowship, and fasting. (Although there are a lot of varying lists out there!) Take some time to intentionally practice at least one new one this year. 

As for me, I know that I need more times of silence in my life. Times of silence are when God can speak to us, but I tend to always have noise in the background. 

Perhaps you’re a loner who could use some fellowship, or you find yourself needing to give more of yourself, time, or money to others. Take the opportunity this year to grow spiritually through one or more of these practices. 

Setting Spiritual Goals for Christian Women

It’s a New Year. The perfect time for a new beginning. This year, let’s go beyond health, financial, or weight loss goals. Instead, let’s make it a year for starting over spiritually. 

As moms, we need to be strong in our faith so that we can do the things God has called us to do. Choose New Year’s resolutions that will help you accomplish the things that really matter–serving God, encouraging others, and leading your family to Christ. 

Focus on the tasks and actions that will grow you spiritually. Read the Bible, pray, go to church, and work to strengthen your marriage and family. These are powerful intentions that can change your life. 

Remember, when your goals honor Him, He will give you the strength to accomplish all of your Christian New Year’s resolutions. 

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