“I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.” Philippians 3:12-14 NLT

Goals are not set-and-forget. Part of the goal-setting and accomplishing process is review. It’s important to stop from time to time and recognize what you have done toward your goal. Even if you aren’t as far as you hoped you would be, it’s important to celebrate where you are.

Just as you set goals in the beginning of the year or season, schedule times to review and celebrate. It’s important to make this a regular rhythm. And here’s why.

Reviewing reveals progress. Throughout my book-writing process it’s been easy to get caught in the weeds. There are many, many details in any big project. Truthfully, I tend to get overwhelmed at the beginning of large undertakings. I see all the details at once and don’t know where to begin.

Then, as I find a place to focus and get started, I never lose the awareness that there is still so much left to do. Although, I am making headway, it’s hard to acknowledge because of what is yet undone.

When I stop to review, I am encouraged. Although I still feel the pressure of how much is ahead, I can see that I am on the right track. I remember every step counts.

Reviewing reveals needed improvements. The most important part of a big project is getting started. At least it is for me. Perfectionism can keep me from taking any steps at all. Once I start taking steps I am bound to make missteps.

That’s true for you as well, my friend. One of the most encouraging things I have heard is there is no failure, only learning. Reviewing my progress reveals what I still need to learn. Like Edison, who declared he had found many ways not to make a lightbulb, you and I will find many ways not to complete the goal. That is how we learn, and learning is how we grow. Growing is how we get the goal done. We make the necessary improvements and move on.

Celebration motivates you to keep moving. We might as well face the fact that discouragement is part of the process toward any big goal. Big goals take a lot of steps. Like climbing all the steps up to the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC on a ninety-five-degree day, it may seem like you will never reach the top and you might question if it’s worth the effort. It is, my friend! There is grandeur awaiting you at the top, but celebrating along the way can motivate you to take the next step.

Dear friend, you have come a long way. You really have! Be sure to take the time to review and celebrate. Focus on how far you have come. Recognize what needs to improve but be sure to celebrate and motivate yourself to keep going. You have already accomplished more than you think and will accomplish so much more than you ever dreamed. God has empowered you this far and He never quits! When you review and celebrate, you won’t either.

Key Question: How can taking time to review and celebrate motivate your progress?

A Scripture to Consider: “I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.” Philippians 3:12-14 NLT

A YES Challenge: Set an appointment with yourself to review your goals. As you evaluate your progress, plan how you will celebrate what you have achieved, even if it is not as much as you hoped.

Prayer: Father, I admit that sometimes it’s easy for me to get discouraged. I want to be further along in achieving my goals. Help me remember that stopping to review and celebrate what I have accomplished rather than stewing over what I haven’t will keep me motivated and moving forward. No matter what the goals are that I have set, my ultimate goal is to glorify You with my life. Help me keep that in mind as I stop and celebrate what You have done in me through this process. Amen.

September 12, 2026

This is Not Forever

“For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.” 2 Corinthians 4:17-18 NLT

As I tearfully opened the sodden boxes of our stored belongings, wondering what was ruined, a verse came to mind,

“Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.” Matthew 6:19-21 NLT

We were temporarily living with my parents, and our stuff was stored in Tom’s parents' garage. They had a plumbing issue in their bathroom above the garage, causing a leak that soaked several of our boxes and other items, including our mattress. We weren’t sure what was salvageable.

That period of time was already difficult. We were waiting for a job to open up and unsure how long that would take, how long we would be living with my parents, how long our stuff would be stored. Both sets of parents had been patient, loving, and gracious. There was no one to blame for the water damage. Sometimes things just happen.

But when that verse popped into my brain, it completely changed my perspective on going through the damage. The tears didn’t stop. There was some mourning and disappointment. But at the same time, there was hope. This was temporary. These things were just things. What really mattered was how I responded. I could choose an eternal perspective. I could choose to treasure Christ more than an earthly possession.

As it turned out, very few of our things were unsalvageable, and insurance more than covered anything that was lost. But the eternal perspective I gained is a treasure that I still carry. That simple shift helped me through the three and a half years of living in the in-between.