Ever dread the word "goals"???

There is something about a new year that makes everyone set a goal list.  I'm one of those people that used to run away from the word "goal" - and it's not because I feared it, but more because I didn't understand it.

Then finally, one day, I was mentored by a wiser person with much youthful perspective, and he showed me how to set goals with a purpose.  He "made" me pitch out the electronic PDA with my calendar and notes and all that jazz that made me think everything was in order... at first I was very hesitant about that and really didn't like the idea of making a notebook.  But hey! Why not?! I like change and embraced the challenge.  So, I bought myself a notebook that I wouldn't mind staring at everyday... it's so cute with kittens on it and it's pink because well, I'm just girly like that! :)

Then this wonderful mentor of mine gave me a plan, made me really think about all the things that I hoard as "valuable" in my palm pilot and I wrote them down... it looked something like this:

• Calendar
• Schedules
• Homeschool
• Calendar
• Overview
• Lesson Plans
• Ideas
• Resources
• Blog Stuff
• Post Tracker List
• Ideas
• Resources
• Children's Ministry Stuff
• Nursery
• Calendar
• Volunteer Stuff
• Parent Ministry
• Events
• Preschool
• Calendar
• Volunteer Stuff
• Parent Ministry
• Lesson Overview
• Lesson Plans
• Events
• Forms
• Elementary
• Calendar
• Volunteer Stuff
• Parent Ministry
• Lesson Overview
• Lesson Plans
• Events
• Forms
• Recipes
• Prayer Requests
• Home Projects
• Missions
• Party Guides
• Scrapbook
• Resources

Then my list kept growing and growing that sooner or later I almost had a book! So, my mentor challenged me to pray about all the things I listed down and have God tell me what is really important and what is OK to weed out.  Needless to say, I sat down, I sought out God and asking Him about priorities and what should stay and what should go.


Well, nothing really went "bye bye" - I just started shrinking things into categories, and turned out with a list like this:

• Calendar/Scheduling
• Personal
• Goals
• Fitness
• Blog
• Homeschool
• Calendar
• Overview
• Lesson Plans
• Resources
• Children's Ministry Stuff
• Calendar
• Volunteer Stuff
• Parent Ministry
• Events
• Lesson Overview by Department
• Forms
• Spiritual Growth
• Prayer Requests
• Bible Study
• Notes

I met with my mentor showed him the list and I actually felt relieved... it was like I took an entire book and shrunk it into a short list that actually felt doable.  The stress of everything just came into 5 categories and that felt good!

That was accomplished last year, this year my mentor challenge me AGAIN!!! I love this man and so thankful he has taken time to mentor me with wisdom and guidance.  Anyways, that was off subject...


The challenge this year was to set 3 goals for 30 days.  This got me thinking - how do I shrink my goal list down each month?! So, I had to pray... and sure enough God revealed the way (He is so faithful to answer!).


Can you imagine completing 3 goals in 30 days? Then do that every month! By the end of the year, you will have accomplished 36 GOALS!!! It is so doable!


And I'm going to help you with this... I created a 1 sheet printable for you to set your own goals for each month.  You can download it HERE.


How to set your goals:
1. Make a list of everything you would like to accomplish.
2. Pray and ask God which is most important - highlight those.
3. Pray and ask God which needs to be done first - write that under the first  
    month in the first space.
4. Pray and ask God which needs to be done second, third.
5. Repeat for next month!




Be a Blessing!
~Bekah