"I was overcommitted," my girlfriend said to me as we sat with our coffee. "This past year I stepped down from some of my extra responsibilities and church activities so I could be more helpful to my friends. A lot of them are in need right now."

    Her decision made an impression on me. I knew for a fact that at least three of her close companions were facing some major challenges. It was important for her to offer support while it was needed.

    Stepping away from some of her responsibilities was a risk. Church leaders and fellow believers might not understand. But she prayed, trusted God's leading, and decided to make a change—at least temporarily—to be more available for her friends.

    A few years ago, I met a couple who had just moved to the area. As we got to know each other, they shared with me the frustrations of finding a home to purchase. Every time they thought a house was the right one, they encountered a roadblock involving finances or failed inspections. Part of what made their search so challenging was their decision to buy a home that would fit their family as well as provide them an opportunity to minister to pastors. They had decided to create a haven in their new home where preachers and their wives could retreat from the demands of their work and be refreshed. They were willing to endure the house search in order to accomplish their goal.

    Another couple—my college professor and his wife—made an important decision about finances. They noticed that each time their income increased, they easily adjusted their lifestyle so that there never seemed to be extra money. Together, they decided to create their own "salary cap." They created a budget based on that income and lived on it. As their income increased, they gave the additional money to support the church and mission work. Instead of consuming every bit of income, they turned their finances into an opportunity for ministry, and no doubt learned a lesson on self-discipline in the process.

     Christianity involves choices. These people all chose to serve the Lord through "unconventional" means. They evaluated everyday experiences, like buying a house, getting a raise, or being a friend, and what they found were occasions to give back to God.

    Every morning, we start anew going through the routine of life. We wake up, take a shower, get dressed, and head out the door for another day. We work for eight hours, then turn around and head back home. We might get to stay home and relax, but often we jump right back in the car and drive our children to their activities or head to aerobics or a book discussion club.

    Sometimes, it doesn't feel as if we have much of a choice about anything. We do what we have to do in order to provide for ourselves and our families. If we have any energy left, we try to do something enjoyable, and sometimes we fit in a good deed to ease our consciences.

    Satan would like nothing better than for us to go blindly forward, allowing our lives to take their own course. But God asks us to make choices.

     "Choose for yourselves today whom you will serve...as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD" Joshua 24:15

    How are you choosing to serve God? Are you intentional about living for Him? Last year I wrote down the things I wanted to accomplish. My list included smaller goals like "learn bar chords on my guitar" and "memorize Scripture verses," as well as items larger in scope, such as "move across the country to live near family."

    You wouldn't believe the difference a list made in my life. I didn't learn bar chords, but I did move across the country and reached a number of personal and professional goals along the way. While the list helped me organize my hopes and desires, what actually made the difference was my decision to accomplish the tasks before me. I began to live more intentionally.

    This year my goal is to do the same thing for Christ. Imagine what we could accomplish if we each chose to live intentionally for Him. It might help to make a list of your current activities. Consider how you use your time and energy. What simple changes would make a difference for Christ? Even if you choose one thing, such as starting each day with 10 minutes of prayer, you will have begun a habit of living intentionally for Jesus. Next year, you can choose one more thing.

    It's exciting to think of the possibilities. We don't have to let life just happen to us, and we don't have to live like superheroes. But we can honor God day by day, one decision at a time.