This has been a wild year.
I won’t go into all the details, but it has taken a toll on me physically and mentally. More importantly, I’ve felt something in my spirit telling me that I need a change.
At first, I considered doing the “75 Hard” challenge. But I realized I don’t simply need a physical and mental challenge. I need something deeper.
I discovered Pastor Rick Warren’s “The Daniel Plan,” which focuses on five areas of life. It seemed to offer the comprehensive mind, body, and spirit reset I was looking for.
But I’ve realized that reset isn’t quite the right word.
I don’t want to simply reset and eventually return to where I was.
I want a reversal.
And for me, reversal has to begin with repentance.
Repentance isn’t simply feeling bad about where I’ve fallen short. It means recognizing what needs to change, regretting the choices that brought me here, and intentionally turning in a different direction.
So, after prayer and honest introspection, these are the five areas of my life I am committing to recognize, regret, and reverse over the next 40 days.
Faith
I recognize that I have not been intentional about hiding God’s Word in my heart, as instructed in Deuteronomy 6:6-7.
I regret that I have not pursued a deeper knowledge of God and His Word with the intentionality they deserve.
I will reverse this by memorizing the 52 verses of The Joshua Code over the next 40 days.
Food
I recognize that I have not consistently been intentional about what I eat, forgetting that even eating and drinking should be done for the glory of God, as 1 Corinthians 10:31 teaches.
I regret that I have not always treated my body in a way that honors God.
I will reverse this over the next 40 days by:
- Eliminating alcohol.
- Getting most of my calories from nutritionally complete meal shakes or home-prepared meals made with high-quality beef, chicken, fish, and fresh vegetables.
- Avoiding sugar and processed foods.
- Drinking at least one gallon of water each day.
- Tracking my food and water intake in the Simple app.
Fitness
I recognize that I have not consistently treated my body as God’s temple, as described in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20.
I regret allowing my physical condition to reach a point where fatigue and weakness can interfere with the work God has called me to do.
I will reverse this over the next 40 days by walking and/or working out every day and tracking my progress.
Focus
I recognize that I have not always been a faithful steward of the gifts, talents, time, and opportunities God has given me. At times, my lack of focus has made me more like the “evil and lazy” servant of Matthew 25:14-30 than the faithful servant I desire to be.
I regret not making better use of what God has entrusted to me. I don’t want apathy or distraction to keep me from becoming who He has called me to be or doing what He has called me to do.
I will reverse this over the next 40 days by using the SMART goal framework for my professional and personal goals and tracking them in Microsoft To Do.
Friends
I recognize that I have not always been the kind of friend described in Proverbs 18:24, one who “sticks closer than a brother.” I’ve allowed too much time to pass without communicating with people who genuinely matter to me.
I regret allowing distance and silence to limit the ways God might use me to love, encourage, and support my friends. I cannot become the “brother born for difficult times” of Proverbs 17:17 while settling for being a friend who only “loves” from afar.
I will reverse this over the next 40 days by:
- Making a list of my friends. Not acquaintances. Friends.
- Creating an intentional communication plan for each person that includes texts and, yes, ugh, phone calls.
- Scheduling those connections on my calendar and in Microsoft To Do, with recurring reminders.