I’ll spare you the achievable, realistic, and accountable goals of weight loss and thrifty spender resolutions for the New Year. While finances and health are important, there is a different set of standards that takes a much higher priority. These aren’t the resolutions you’ll hear in People magazine or the local paper; these are resolutions that will really shake things up.

Many people make New Year’s resolutions at the end of December in pursuit of a year better than the last; it’s the perfect time to start with a clean slate. Learning from poor decisions and wasted time, it’s great to have the purpose of honoring God with the next chapter of our lives. But how can we make 2009 more than just good intentions?

1. Start out your day with a healthy dose of reality.

Make a commitment to read the Bible daily. Living in a world stained with sin, it's important to renew your mind with truth every day. Psalm 119:11 says, “I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.” When faced with difficult decisions or temptations, reading the Bible can give you clarity and draw your focus back to the right place.

Schedule a consistent time to read the Bible into your daily calendar and make that time a priority. Find a reading plan that provides you with daily readings, such as the ESV One Year Bible Online or the NIV One Year Bible (available for $10 at the Veritas Bookstore).

2. Talk back.

Along with setting aside time for reading, be sure to schedule time for prayer. Psalm 5:3 says, "In the morning, O Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation." God promises to hear us when we pray to him, and we can expect him to answer us. Communication is an essential part of any relationship. God speaks to us though his word; we talk to him through prayer.

Make it a goal to make prayer a mindset constantly. In 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, Paul writes, “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” We don’t just ask God for what we want; we praise him even when life looks hard and realize that his goodness is not dependent on our circumstances.

If prayer isn't a regular habit in your life already, start small and increase the amount of time you spend in prayer throughout the year. Thank God while you shower in the morning. Try turning off your car radio on your way to work and talk to God instead. Make a list of people and situations you want to pray for and go through it daily.

3. Pursue sacrificial relationships.

It's easy to spend time with people we want to spend time with and pursue relationships that offer us something such as entertainment and status. But our goal as Christians is to act more like Christ, and Christ is the ultimate example of sacrificial love. "This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers." (1 John 3:16). We are encouraged to let our faith in Christ inspire a servant’s heart as we think of others throughout the year.

In Ephesians 2:8-10, Paul emphasizes that though works don’t save us, God created us to do them. “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

Before thinking about people you want to spend time with, think about the people who might want to spend time with you. Who do you know who might be lonely on a Friday evening? There are plenty of ways you can serve people, such as offering rides, taking out trash, and doing what someone else wants to do even if you don't want to.

So as you face 2009 with aspirations of a better life, consider your priorities and realize that keeping the focus on Christ is what will really make the difference. One year out of your life is a small sacrifice, but imagine the impact it will make on eternity.