This Year is Going to Be YOUR Year!

As we begin the New Year, I know many of us will have made resolutions. I don't make them myself, but I think I create mental lists of things I want to accomplish in the new year in general. Things like writing and publishing more books, missions trips and speaking at more conferences top my list. 
But if you're like me, there are a lot of things you want to do! So how do you narrow your list to a more practical, workable one? 
Try this challenge:

Write down your Top Ten Goals for 2015 right now.
Tomorrow, don't look back at your list, and write the list again. Do this every day for 30 days and you will see your top goals. They are the ones you easily remember.

This weekend my husband and I went on a sort of retreat to listen to the Lord and what He has for us to accomplish and do for the Kingdom. We were listening to Terri Savelle Foy's "Five Years From Now" series. In it, Terri says, "Take five minutes and just stop and think." How simple a task that seemed. Stop and think about what you want to do. Those thoughts you're having of doing things in ministry, in writing, in adventure...God gave you those thoughts for a reason!

Even if what you're writing seems silly, if you're thinking it, there's probably a reason and a purpose! I want to be clear that I'm not talking about things like buying a pair of new shoes every month or things that are sinful. I'm talking about things like writing three books this year, especially if you're feeling like it's something you want to do and you've never written anything before now!

You can go back later and fine tune some of these things. Here's a list of things to keep in mind once you've created a list to help keep you on track and ensure success:

1. Your goals must be in writing. Habakkuk 2:2-Write the vision. Proverbs 29:18-Without vision, the people perish.
2. Your goals must be measurable. Writing 3 books is measurable. Simply saying you want to write books is not.
3. Your goals must be specific. If you want to pay off debt, find out exactly how much your debt is. If your goal is a family vacation, find out the specific amount of money needed.
4. Your goals must be realistic. If you want to If your goal is to write and publish a book a month, I can tell you from experience, it just won't happen. The process of writing and publishing a book is more than just a 30 day process.
5. However, your goals should stretch you. That is not to meant to confuse you. You must stretch out in faith to see this goal accomplished; it's not something you can do in your own power.
6. Your goals must have a deadline. You want to write books, lose weight, travel to a specific place? Set a date that you want to accomplish that by.
7. Finally, your goals must be in sight! You must keep them in front of you, on you (print out a copy and keep it in your purse, wallet or as your phone's wallpaper!), so you see if everyday!

I can't wait to hear your goals and see what God is going to do in each of your lives. This is going to be YOUR year!!

Blessings!


Lyn~