Step One To Change Your Life, “Getting Started”
Ok this is the day we all talked about—you know the day we promised to start. We prayed and told God and everybody around us that we were going to change our life direction. This is the day the diets starts, the gym memberships begin, church attendance improves for a while, reading the Bible more takes off, and of course spending more time on the things that matter. The problem is we do the same things every year. What can we do that would make the difference this year? I say just start. John Acuff in his book called Start said, “The starting line is the only line you completely control.” That means right now you are in charge.
So let’s take the first step in starting toward your new goals for your life this year. Paul advised us to press forward toward our goals (Philippians 3:14). Let me give you a roadmap that can lead you to accomplishing these goals. Your first step should be to write a list of what you are planning to do and pray over it. List three things that are very important for you to accomplish this year. Secondly, write down your first three actions steps toward these goals. Below I have written my personal goals for this year.
Example: My Personal Goals
- Pastor more intensely locally and digitally (everybody I lead is not in the building anymore)
- Build stronger teams (teams who want to unite and make a difference in their world)
- Write more intentionally (build teams of writers, readers and researchers to impact the world)
Example: My Personal Action Steps
- Spend more time with my members and those who are benefited by my gifts
- Spend more time building teams of strategist who will help me impact the world
- Spend more time creating, writing, and researching road maps that will take me to my goals
My Prayer:
Lord you have called me to Pastor and influence others. Help me do a better job of serving and helping those I touch both locally and digitally. Help me avoid schedule traps, emotional traps, and mental distractions that hinder my ability to serve those I influence better. Father, guide me to better relationships. I pray these relationships would help me build teams of people that can become a force to improve the lives of people of all ages. Lord, help me to not become so consumed with my personal life, and local community that I forget the bigger world I live in. Finally, I pray that you would bless my ability to communicate in writing. It is your chosen method of long-term communication—the Bible proves this method can outlast all others.
Anoint my writing to help me be more specific about my goals and my priorities. Help me to use these writings to create roadmaps for people who need to find their way. I ask for the words that can change my life and those who read and work with me, Amen.
Next time I will show you step two, “Changing Your Life Priorities”
Action Step for you: Write me one of your three personal goals for this year and one of your personal actions steps. I will personally pray over each goal and action step. Be brief and send a copy of this to a friend who needs it. You don’t have to wait for January to start a changing. Let your new year begin today.