We humans keep brainstorming
options and plans,
but God's purpose prevails.
Proverbs 19:21
{The Message}
Hey Friends!
We're up and running, more than half way through January! And when it comes to making grand resolutions, setting big goals, or choosing the perfect One Word, our collective enthusiasm is soaring higher than a kite.
{By the way, click here to find out why One Word doesn't work for me, but loosely held plans usually pan out well.}
Yet, all our good intentions can easily wane and soon get lost in the shuffle of daily schedules and unexpected challenges, our once golden dreams lying in a pile gathering dust in some corner somewhere.
Did we miss the boat on what we thought God wanted? Did we even consult Him to begin with? Or did fear of missing out push us into some kind of half-hearted action without our own enthusiastic personal buy-in?
I'm happy to present this little fill-in-the-blank worksheet with 6 prompts to help you clarify your hopes and dreams for 2020:
My resolution / goal / One Word is ...
I'm aiming for this because ...
My biggest challenge in follow-through will be ...
The motivation that will propel me is ...
Here's what I'm putting in place so I'll succeed ...
God is whispering these words to my willing heart ...
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More Worksheets:
please feel free to share this post
with your goal-setting social media friends
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'Yosh!' is just the only word
ReplyDeletefor the coming year,
in good nature pointing toward
the banishment of fear.
It means, 'Hang loose!' in Japanese,
"It's cool, dude, all's OK!'
and this leaning, if you please
is going to save my day,
for things are getting very bad
and it's hard to draw full breath,
but, 'Yosh!', and I'm not feeling sad,
but smiling to my death,
for I know behind the cheerful grin
is truth that as I die, I win.
Well, the last line says it all, friend. As believers in Christ, victory is ours as we reach heaven's gates.
DeleteYou continue to show us how to do it well.
Meanwhile? Maybe I'll join you in grabbing hold of 'yosh' as my 2020 anthem!
;-}
Linda, I loved all your insightful questions. I'm going to have to download all your worksheets.
ReplyDeleteMy goal-setting for 2020 is all about making more room for a personal Sabbath. Since I'm heavily involved with my local church, Sunday is just not that restful for me. So I'm learning to be intentional through the week to open up Saturdays as a day of rest for me. I've had two so far, and cannot wait for the next one!
Your worksheets will help with being intentional about my time. Thanks!
Oh I'm so glad that this is helpful, Jerralea! And I absolutely hear you about Sundays not serving well as Sabbath for those who are invested in ministry. I'd be fascinated to hear how Saturdays work for you.
DeleteYou're so right, this is an intentional calling, but so worth saying 'yes' to.
So glad you're here ...
What a great list of prompts, Linda! Thanks so much for helping us be more clear and purposeful in realizing our goals in 2020.
ReplyDeleteBlessings!
Oh thanks, Martha! Clarity's always a good thing and sometimes elusive in pinning down ...
Delete;-}
Thanks for sharing these prompts, Linda. Often we get excited about our one word or resolutions but don't sit down and really put into words how to carry it out or why we really want to do it. I'll go through these prompts myself with my word Linger for 2020.
ReplyDeleteLike I said over at your place, 'Everything about your choice speaks peace, calmness, grace, quiet.'
DeleteAnd you have laid out such a comprehensive plan to go there. I was so impressed ... and your readers were, too!
;-}
For me the word goal never sits well. My life was always ambushed by struggle, I didn’t know how to set goals. I equate goals with being successful and I never felt success. Even though I succeeded in things, I never felt successful.
ReplyDeleteNow in my mature years, I have 5 desires this year and I feel desires are different than goals. A desire in my mind can change or expand where a goal feels too big of an achievement. It is funny how we all perceive some words differently.
Oh I love the word 'desire' instead of 'goal,' Carol, yes! It seems like a compelling invitation rather than a must-do. There's a sense of grace, a calling, a gentleness.
DeleteAnd I love that flexibility factor, too. Because if anything is true, it's that we'll all morph and change in the months ahead.
Keep me posted, ok?
Great prompts! My husband has his word of the year, but it seems mine is slower coming to me this year. I can't seem to focus on it because of so much on my mind and heart with all that is going on with us. Our pastor calls for a Daniel fast each January, so I am deep into that and seeking the Lord so earnestly. Maybe my "word" will come out of this searching. God bless you!
ReplyDeleteBe gentle with yourself as you wait for the Lord's direction, dear friend. Sometimes the Spirit whispers oh so quietly!
DeleteI love the opportunity the new year affords for reflecting on what worked the previous year (and what didn't work...). May we find grace to stay faithful and energetic in our 2020 resolve.
ReplyDeleteMaybe the process of discovering that grace is more important than actually finding a specific Word ...
Deletemmm.
Ooooh! Good, insightful questions, Linda. I did select a word this year, for only a second time. Actually, it selected me. My word is "humility". I want to think about it honestly and your questions will help me. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteI love how you said it, Laurie, that the word 'selected' you.
DeleteHumility. What a beautiful description, so Christlike, so powerful.
Great questions to ponder, thank you Linda. I selected a word for the very first time, “delight” prompted from scripture.
ReplyDeleteDelight makes me smile, Pam! It's packed with joy and whimsy and sheer love. A perfect way to kick off a fresh new year ...
Delete'Delight thyself in the Lord and He will give thee the desires of thy heart.'
- Psalm 37:4.
Amen.
Thanks for sharing these prompts, Linda! They will be really helpful to reflect on. So often we can set goals but find that challenges arise, so it is helpful to anticipate some of those challenges and think in advance of how we can deal with them.
ReplyDeleteYou're so right, Lesley ... there's something about being proactively prepared that can help us ride through the challenges, whatever they are!
DeleteThank you for your probing questions and great resources. I admitted when I wrote about my one word for this year that initially I jumped on the bandwagon because everyone was doing it. God has since shown me the error of that thinking but at the same time provides a new word to grow me in relationship with Him.
ReplyDeleteI love that you've been able to make that leap from bandwagon to true zeal, Mary!
DeleteAnd I look forward to seeing you you embrace its invitation in the months ahead.
I sure do admire people who have that courageous stick-to-it-tive-ness when it comes to these new year challenges.
Alas, I am not one of them ...
* sigh *
This is so helpful in trying to define what the goal or resolution is. Thanks for sharing. Many blessings to you!
ReplyDeleteOh cool! I'm glad you've found this helpful, friend ...
Delete