New Year, New Focus, New Goal

Welcome to 2013! Practice makes permanent...

Beginning a daily blog today, Wednesday, January 16th. Want to record what I'm reading, memorizing, and reacting to each day.
The following thought from Sunday's devotional has been drawing me back...
"Our Father-King sees and knows before we become aware, and he is already in the process of healing: 'I will answer them before they even call to me. While they are still talking about their needs, I will go ahead and answer their prayers!(Isaiah 65:24)'" [from January 13,  Praying the Promises of God by Fuller and Dean] My friend, Jeanann, and her family are dynamic witnesses to this truth. Her life radiates joy regardless of the circumstances.

Discovered that publishers will send you books to read and review on your blog. My second goal is to broaden the genre of what I read, and respond to it. One book that is still in my read/reread pile is, Not a Fan, Becoming A Completely Committed Follower of Jesus, by Kyle Idleman.
From the Zondervan site is this synopsis:
Are you a follower of Jesus?
Don’t answer too quickly.
In fact, you may want to read this book before you answer at all. Consider it a “Define the Relationship” conversation to determine exactly where you stand. You may indeed be a passionate, fully devoted follower of Jesus. Or, you may be just a fan who admires Jesus but isn’t ready to let him cramp your style. Then again, maybe you’re not into Jesus, period.
In any case, don’t take the question---Are you a follower of Jesus?---lightly.
Some people don’t know what they’ve said yes to and other people don’t realize what they’ve said no to, says Pastor Kyle Idleman. But Jesus is ready to clearly define the relationship he wants with his followers.
Not a Fan calls you to consider the demands and rewards of being a true disciple. With frankness sprinkled with humor, Idleman invites you to live the way Jesus lived, love the way he loved, pray the way he prayed, and never give up living for the One who gave his all for you.

I don't want to be a "fan" of Jesus. I want to be his sold-out follower but that means He will invade my life with his words, his actions, his desire for others. How about you?