“If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” James 1:5 NIV

How do you set goals? When I start the goal-setting process by asking God, I am more likely to complete the task and feel better about what I accomplish. God-centered goals start with asking God. We need His perspective. He’s the One who created us for His purposes. He chose you and appointed you to bear fruit that will last. (John 15:16)

When you begin by seeking God, you will set goals that are satisfying and fulfilling. Asking God for wisdom leads you to choices that help you become all that He designed you to be.

Seeking God first keeps you on track. Your time in His presence reminds you of what is truly important. God-centered goals grow a God-centered life. A God-centered life is the abundant life overflowing with joy even when circumstances are less than perfect.

In the seeking, you will also get to know Him better. God-centered goals keep God at the center. Simple, right? What happens when God is at the center? You do what pleases Him. You experience the delight of pleasing your Heavenly Father and feeling His pleasure. It’s indescribable, but also unmistakable. When you please God, you know it. You may question it, but you can tell the feeling is different. If we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if He hears us, we know that we have what we have asked for. (1 John 5:16)

Asking God to help you set your goals keeps you aligned with His redemptive mission for humanity. Even simple goals can align with the Big Mission. When you set God-centered goals you get to be a part of God’s mission on earth. You get to help people know Him. That’s worth the effort of seeking Him first!

Dear friend, through this process of asking God to guide you in setting goals that honor Him you will deepen your relationship with Him. You may get off track from time to time, but as you return to Him and seek Him you will get back on track. When you keep God at the center, you will join in His mission, set and achieve goals that line up with His will, become who He designed you to be and deepen your relationship with Him. Why wouldn’t you ask?

“So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.” 1 Corinthians 15:58 NLT

Key Question: What’s the benefit of God-centered goals?

A Scripture to Consider: “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” James 1:5 NIV

A YES Challenge: How are you doing on reaching the goals you set? Plan a time of prayer to check in with God and ensure you are on the path He has chosen for you. Be prepared to make the adjustments or receive any encouragement He gives you.

Prayer: Father God, thank You for guiding me every step of my journey. I want to honor You in every venture. Keep my eyes focused on the way You have chosen for me. Help me continue to seek You and Your strength, to seek Your presence continually and complete the good works You have prepared in advance for me to do. I can’t do that without continually seeking You. My life is Yours. Have Your way. Amen.

August 8, 2026

A - C = P: Anxiety - Control = Peace (Repost)

'Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life. ‘Philippians 4:6-7 MSG

I was listening to a podcast when I heard a quote that brought so much clarity, I couldn’t get it out of my head. Here it is: “Anxiety results from wanting to control something God has not given us to control.” I didn’t remember the name of the person or why she was on the podcast, but what she said made so much practical sense. (I looked it up later. So, if you are interested, it was Joanna Weaver’s podcast, The Living Room, and the guest was Sharon Hodde Miller, author of The Cost of Control: Why We Crave It, the Anxiety It Gives Us, and the Real Power God Promises Us.) As I pondered her statement, a formula took shape in my brain, “A – C = P,” Anxiety – Control = Peace. Easy to remember and a goal worth aiming for.

Anxiety is something we all experience. Anxiety steals peace and commands focus. Whether it’s something personal about your family, or a job, or something broader like politics and the world situation, anxiety creeps up behind us, leaps upon us and gets us in a stranglehold. Ever feel that way?

Your brain goes in circles, trying to resolve something you are powerless to resolve. You can’t sleep and every waking moment is consumed with mental and practical fruitless attempts to solve the problem. Suddenly, it seems like nothing else is happening in your life. What started as a thought becomes a huge shadow. What do you do?