NGU Skyliner

Jamey Williams
Staff Writer

Making New Year’s resolutions is a long-standing tradition. Losing weight, becoming more financially disciplined, and abandoning bad habits are all classic examples of resolutions people make in hopes of having a more successful year than the one before. What about the students and staff of North Greenville University? Do they practice the ritual of promising themselves or God to change some part of their life that they are unhappy with?

When asked whether they made any New Year’s resolutions this year, an overwhelming number of students and staff answered “no.”

Anthony Dukes, junior early childhood education, said that he thought making resolutions was a good idea, but that around 85 percent of people do not fulfill them.

Sharon Roach, senior English education, said, “I don’t believe in making big goals once a year that you will never meet. It’s pointless and is only profitable for gyms and weight loss companies. Small goals should always be made and met throughout the year . . .”

Similarly, North Greenville University President Jimmy Epting said that he does not make resolutions for the New Year, but rather seeks to grow in his relationship with Jesus Christ and become a better follower of Him on a day-to-day basis.

The concept of making decisions on a daily basis that improve one’s life for a lasting purpose was repeatedly mentioned by those interviewed. Abandoning ritual for conviction seems to be important to success as well.

“I think that it is better to make a decision to work on something personally rather than because it is a tradition–then change and renewal truly happen,” said Taylor Thompson, senior early childhood education.

All the professors who gave their opinions regarding resolutions said that a conviction to obeying God’s will and staying anchored in His word are crucial for Christians who want to see positive change in their lives.

This truth was summarized well when Joshua Pruitt, freshman Christian studies, said, “My resolution this year is to become more Christ-like . . . to read, study, and live out God’s words. I find it easier to keep this resolution due to the fact that it changes my outlook on life and draws me closer to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”

Tags: Spring 2010, Vol. 110 - Issue 1

This entry was posted on Wednesday, January 27th, 2010 and is filed under Features. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.