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It’s New Year’s Eve day while I write this. Tonight we enjoy one more holiday gathering, and then it’s time to settle down and get some work done!<\/p>\n
So\u00a0I’m sitting in Starbucks with my computer and Bible and my basic template for goal writing. It’s time to plan for this next year. I’ve enjoyed several hours of thinking and re-evaluating and typing (and nibbling).<\/p>\n
Do you have a plan for the next twelve months?<\/strong> Our plans are obviously subject to God’s higher plans (as any mother who makes a to-do list at the beginning of the day can tell you). He may steer circumstances in a way we cannot possibly anticipate as we make our plans, but we can’t use that as an excuse to not plan. We will most likely not accomplish everything we set out to do in a year, but prayerfully written goals will help us focus and better know what to say yes and no to throughout the year.<\/p>\n Take time to set at least one<\/em> goal for this next year.<\/strong> Sit down after the kids are all in bed, or find someone to watch the children while you find a few quiet moments in a coffee shop. Ask God to guide you. What is He<\/em> calling you to do? Who is He<\/em> calling you to love more fully? Where does He<\/em> want you to grow?<\/p>\n Pray about the different areas of your life:<\/strong><\/p>\n Write down one goal<\/strong>, or if you’re really<\/em> ambitious, write one goal for each<\/em> area. Then answer the following three questions about that goal:<\/strong><\/p>\n 1. Why am I going to pursue this goal?<\/strong> When you start losing enthusiasm or get distracted from pursuing your goal, it will be helpful to come back to your answers to this question. It will help you remember why <\/em>you are doing this. It\u00a0will help re-motivate you.<\/p>\n One of my goals this year is to more effectively memorize Scripture<\/em>. I listed these reasons for pursuing this goal:<\/p>\n 2. What is keeping me from doing this?<\/strong> This step really helps me. What has kept me from doing this in the past? What obstacles do I need to deal with? Knowing what the obstacles are will help me face and combat them. \u00a0Things that have kept me from memorizing as well as I could are:<\/p>\n 3. What steps am I going to take to accomplish this goal? <\/strong>This is where we get specific. How do we actually accomplish what we’re seeking to accomplish? Specific steps will help us actually do something. Vague goals usually stay vague — and undone.<\/p>\n For memorizing Scripture I have listed the following specific steps:<\/p>\n So — that’s my<\/em> approach to goal-setting. By God’s grace, I think this will help me be more successful in my efforts to memorize Scripture over this next year. I’ll let you know how it goes. \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n There are lots of ways to approach goal-setting. This is what works for me. Maybe it will be a help to you! Thursday we’ll talk about helping our children set goals.<\/p>\n Gotta pack up and head off to celebrate the coming of this new year of our Lord! My prayer is that He will give me the strength and humility to faithfully serve Him with all the days He grants me!<\/p>\n Happy New Year!<\/p>\n “A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his\u00a0steps<\/strong>” <\/em>(Proverbs 16:9).<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n\n
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