Happy New Year, my friend! 

I’m praying you’re experiencing the power & confidence of God as we begin a new year. 

Whether you find yourself in a new season, new career, or doing the same ol’ thing, the new year brings a fresh start and opportunity to think about what needs to change in our lives. 

I love subscribing to Dan Rockwell’s daily emails as a way of being challenged in my leadership. He had a post right before New Years Day about how to make goals for the new year. We all seem to have similar goals around RPMS (Relational, Physical, Mental, Spiritual). 

But what makes a goal really stick? 

How do we even identify what needs to change the most in life? 

In Dan’s article he quotes author Daniel Pink, 

”The pathway to new year’s resolutions is to think about our old year’s regrets.”

Kek, Bingo!  (Cousin Eddie)

Often when we start a new year we want to forget every regret from the past year and act like it didn’t happen. But I think Daniel is on to something with this statement. 

I want to invite you to do what Dan challenged me to do next by filling in this blank regarding your regrets in 2023 …

“If only I ____________.”   

Make a long list, then pick the one that bugs you the most and make it your resolution. 

I wrote out a number of things, narrowed it to my top five, and after some reflection it was amazing how clear my number one regret was in 2023. 

This exercise was beneficial not because it gave me a New Year’s Resolution but it gave me access to a part of my life that’s not always easy to talk about. 

“The PURPOSES of a person's heart are DEEP WATERS; but one who has insight draws them out.”  PROVERBS 20:5 

Where does change come from in our lives?  

Deep Waters. 

We are not surface level, shallow, or insignificant individuals. You are made with the brilliance of God, gifted by the Holy Spirit, and loved by Jesus to bring His hope to this broken world. 

Experiencing this change requires us to access our regret, shame, desires, insecurities, failures, fears, longings, joys, and promptings of the Holy Spirit. 

Change awaits us, but we must have the courage to acknowledge God’s pathway. 

It’s been amazing to watch God bring to life the desires in my ‘deep waters’ as I’ve made my regrets and desires available to Him. He is a God who redeems our regrets and gives vision for the future.  

I started Moments to Movements to help leaders do this very thing. Get access to their deep waters. It’s what’s been done for me by so many, especially by my leadership coach Dave Rider who I now get to work with. 

There is nothing more thrilling & fulfilling for me than helping leaders navigate personal & organizational change. I got to have four impromptu conversations over Christmas break with different pastors, elders, and leaders about the change they’re hungry for in their role & responsibilities. 

There’s that word again … CHANGE. 

You don’t have to pretend like you’re ‘deep.’  Because of God, YOU ARE deep waters! 

God changes us in our ‘deep waters’ and His life flows like a river. 

So here’s to a New Year and our God who redeems our regrets and fills our hearts with joy. 

Nate 

P.S. 

If you, your team or a leader you know needs help navigating change in life, I’d love to set up a free conversation with you. Everything I do is a customized experience, so it’s specifically tailored to what you need. Feel free to drop me an email and I look forward to talking with you.