Goals 2011

I talked some yesterday about how my thought process has changed over the last several years regarding goals. I’m reading and working through the book, 48 Days to the Work You Love (Dan Miller). He makes several good points about goals.

• - “…expectations of your future do, in fact, tend to create your future.”
• - “People often end up where they expect to end up.”
• - “…specific, worthwhile expectations…make your life more meaningful.”
• - “Start doing something that you’ve put off because of the risk of failure.”
• - “It is critical to define your own priorities. If you simply respond to circumstances, any obstacle will send you in a new direction.”

Miller also talks about making deposits in all areas of life – spiritual, personal development, physical, family, social, financial, and career. So here are some of the goals I have set for this year.

• - Have one full Sabbath day a month.
• - Read 25 books, at least 5 of them being biographies.
• - Finish writing a Bible study I started last year.
• - Participate in an athletic competition – I’m thinking the Mud Run, but we’ll see. (It won’t be another half marathon. Hasn’t been long enough since the last one to forget the pain and horror.)
• - Take at least 2 trips to VA to visit family.
• - Make time for coffee/dinner/something with one friend a week.
• - Save a certain amount of money and get more involved in my investments. (At least get my long-term emergency fund complete.)
• - Explore career opportunities that incorporate my skills/abilities, personality traits, and dreams/aspirations.

So there you go. I have a few more that I am still developing, but that’s what I’ve got for now. What about you? What are your goals for 2011?

New Year, New Goals

I don’t know if I have really set goals for my life in about 4 years. For those of you who know me, you may find that hard to believe or even think I’m lying.

When I was younger, I was an extremely driven, goal-oriented child. My mom has some pretty funny stories about my goals and determination. I think one of her favorites is from when I was in 3^rd grade. We had a project that we were given several weeks to do. My teacher told us that if we would just work 15 minutes or so everyday, we’d have no problem finishing it. Of course I wanted to do well on this project, so starting that day I would come home from school everyday and set our kitchen timer for 15 minutes and that’s how long I would work. I finished the project with no problems.

My determination to meet my goals has also been difficult at times, though. My goal in school was always to make straight A’s. I got a B once in 4^th grade and almost had a nervous breakdown. I felt the same crushing blow when I did not get into my first choice college.

These goals, whether met or not, typically provided good learning experiences for me. And looking back, the goals I was not able to meet probably taught me more than the ones I did.

So why has it been so long since I set goals?

In college, God did a huge work in my life and changed my life and priorities quite a bit. A large part of that was asking me to give up my selfish goals to Him. Over those four years, I made some of the most difficult decisions of my life, giving God many different areas of my life and sacrificing the goals I had in those areas.

That same journey that God led me on over those four years also led me overseas after college. While working overseas, I did set goals on my team, but they were directed by our leader and focused on the work there, not necessarily about my life in general.

As I returned to the US, my only real goal was to get a job and “figure out what was next.” I can’t tell you how many times I repeated that statement, “I’m just trying to figure out what’s next.” While this statement was true, and I really was trying to hear from God what He would have me to do, what I didn’t realize was that “next” was what was happening while I tried to figure out which direction to move. “Next” was happening to me; I wasn’t determining what it would be.

I would read the verse, “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men…” (Colossians 3.23), and believe that God was ok with me floating along in life as long as I worked “heartily.” Now, I can tell you that I have absolutely not done all of my work “heartily, as for the Lord” but regardless of that fact, floating along is not God’s plan for my life. Deep down, I knew there was more, but I was scared to act, fearing that I would once again make goals that would just be taken away.

I have been essentially paralyzed, waiting to hear what was “next.” As a result, here I am, 2 years later, having not met any goals because I never really set any. Looking back, I see a key reason why I never set any goals: I viewed the goals as bad.

I saw God asking me to give up some pretty big goals in order to follow Him, and I began to see goals in general as bad. So I just stopped making goals. I completed my term overseas, came back to the US, and started floating along. Now I realize that coming back to the States required some adjustment time, but two years is a bit much. I have been afraid to set any goals because I viewed the goals as bad.

The reality, though, was that my goals were selfish and sinful idols in my life and that is why God asked me to give them up. They were interfering with my relationship with Him. I got so caught up in meeting the goals I had established, that I was unable to properly worship God. I was worshiping the goals and myself instead of Him, so the goals had to go.

The thing is, goals aren’t bad. We need direction and focus in our lives so that we continue to move forward. We just need to 1.) Pursue God in our goals and seek His goals for our lives and 2.) Keep our ultimate focus on God and not let our goals or ourselves eclipse Him.

God likes goals and purpose. God has purpose in what He does and for our lives. He will give us purpose and goals if we ask.

Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established. – Proverbs 16.3

We just need to be sure that we are seeking God’s goals and God’s fame, not our own goals, agenda, and fame.

Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand. – Proverbs 19.21

So for the first time, in a long time, I’m setting some goals. Some, I’ll meet this month. Some, I’ll meet this year. Some, I’ll meet later. Some, God will take away from me because they are not from Him.

My prayer is that these goals serve to bring God glory, and that when 2012 comes around, I can look back and see that I am closer to God than I am today because of these goals.

Draw Near

"Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need." - Hebrews 4.14-16

I think we all frequently find ourselves in places of "weakness" and "in time if need." I know I do, so when God brought me to this verse today, it brought me to tears...big ones. He then began to reveal my weaknesses and needs to me - weaknesses and needs He already knew about. Not only did He already know about them, but He already took those weaknesses on Himself. He continues to offer to bear our burdens for us if only we will let Him.

"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” - Matthew 11.28-30

Why would He do this for us? Why would He do this for me? I'm such a mess. To think that He would take my sin on Himself is a humbling and amazing thought.

"But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.

Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant." - Hebrews 9.11-15

"Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.

Thus it was necessary for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these rites, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters the holy places every year with blood not his own, for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself." - Hebrews 9.22-26

"But in these sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins...

then he (Christ) added, “Behold, I have come to do your will.” He does away with the first in order to establish the second. And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified." - Hebrews 10.3-4, 9-14

"Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water." - Hebrews 10.19-22

We can draw near because Christ drew near to the Father when He came to earth for us.

"And when he came to the place, he said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.” And he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed, saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground." - Luke 22.40-44

We can draw near because He prayed that we would.

“I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me." - John 17.20-23

We must draw near so that we can have confidence and endurance.

"Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised. For,

“Yet a little while,
and the coming one will come and will not delay;
but my righteous one shall live by faith,
and if he shrinks back,
my soul has no pleasure in him.”

But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls." - Hebrews 10.35-39

More Singles' Laughs from SCL

As if Surviving Church as a Single wasn't enough, Jon Acuff gave it a holiday twist. This post is hilarious and I thought I'd share my favorites.

4. With bated breath, they ask, “Should I put you down as +1 for the Christmas party this year?” = +2 points

I didn't get this one this year, but numerous times I've been asked if I was bringing anyone home with me.

20. A friend you only see once a year during the holidays, uses the S word when hearing you’re single. “Still?” = +1 point

I haven't gotten this exactly, but I've heard something close to this.

21. People spend an exorbitant amount of time telling you marriage success stories, e.g. “The instant my friend Jill stopped looking for a boyfriend this incredible guy came along and swept her off her feet.” = + 1 point

This one might be my favorite.

28. For Christmas, your friends bought you an annual pass to eharmony.com or another dating site. = + 5 points

Hasn't happened yet, but my sister did mention it...today.

29. They filled out your dating profile for you and made you sound 97% more awesome than you actually are. = +10 points

She may have already done this...

31. At a Christmas party, someone tells you the wildly inappropriate compliment, “Where were you when I was single?” = + 2 points

Haven't gotten this exact phrase, but trust me, there are plenty of inappropriate comments along these lines.

iBand

Merry Christmas from Northpoint's iBand! Hats off to these guys.

I haven't watched this longer version yet, but here it is if you want it:

Sports Rule Changes

I'd like to consider myself a sports purist (get rid of the DH), but my friend, Joey, isn't exactly the sports enthusiast I am. He thinks they are boring. He found these rule change suggestions on Tyler Stanton's website, and I couldn't help but share. They are too funny.

Oh, and...

GO GAMECOCKS!!!!

Fear

God has been dealing with my anxieties a lot lately. I’m not going to get into particulars, but I will say that it is not just one area of my life. In fact, it’s most, if not all areas of my life. It’s almost like a chain reaction. I worry about one thing and it sets off something in my head and heart that begins a cycle of worry.

At the center of my anxiety is pride and unbelief. However, as Paul reminds Timothy, “…if we are faithless, he remains faithful…” (2 Timothy 2.13). God continues to open my eyes to this sin, rebuke me, and offer grace and encouragement.

That grace and encouragement has come recently in some things I have been reading. The first is a chapter of a book that a friend sent me awhile back. The book is called Scripture Opens Blind Eyes, and though I’ve only read the “Don’t Worry” chapter, I’m sure the rest of the book is also helpful. Here are some quotes that stuck out to me:

- There’s always something to worry about.

- We worry about things that are inherently uncertain.

- You worry because of you, not because of things.

- We lose sight of God because what we want (and worry about) is the only thing we see.

- Central to worry is the illusion that we can control things…Worry assumes the possibility of control over the uncontrollable.

- A worrier is storing “treasure” in the wrong place. If what you most value can be taken away or destroyed, then you set yourself up for anxiety.

- Some things are certain (namely Christ and His love and provision).

- If your life isn’t made by having money, then your life can’t be unmade by the lack of it!

- He (God) will give you what you need to live on if you need him in order to live.

- Anxieties feel endless and infinite – but they’re finite and specific.

- Anxious people “eagerly seek” the gifts more than the Giver.

- Your Father cares about the things you worry about.

- In the darkest hole, when life is toughest, there’s always some way to give yourself away.

I also listened to the following clip from a message by Mark Driscoll. The blog post basically says what he says in the video clip.

http://blog.marshillchurch.org/2010/11/21/7-truths-about-fear/

I hope some of this is helpful or encouraging to you. Finally, I’ll leave you with this promise:

“Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you.” 1 Peter 5.17