Change With Intention

“And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” Romans 12:1-2 NLT

When you look back at the early part of this year, are you content with the progress you’ve made? If so, it is time to celebrate. Don’t forget to do that! Celebration is an important part of reaching your goals and motivates you to keep moving forward.

But if you are not pleased with your progress, it is not too late. You can take stock of where you are and start now to change your outcomes. You can make a fresh start right now.

So, what elements are part of making a fresh start now? How do you know you are on the right track?

A fresh start must happen intentionally. Change is always happening. It’s true that you can’t get away from change. Your cells are replenishing without your awareness. Your body is processing energy from your food without your awareness. Your car is deteriorating daily. Suddenly, the child in your life is taller than you. In the spring, all that snow finally melts, and the trees start to leaf out. If you don’t pay attention to the trees, all of a sudden, you see the leaves have returned! You get the picture. Change will happen with or without your intention. However, a fresh start requires intention. Purposeful change only happens when you decide to change.

You can intentionally change much about yourself. You can change your attitudes and behaviors. You can change on the outside. That kind of change is easier than the change you want on the inside. Internal change starts with introspection and decision.

New behavior begins with new thinking. You can’t develop new behaviors without recognizing your current behavior. And you can’t change the way you act without recognizing how you think. You live according to patterns, whether you acknowledge them or not. To develop new patterns, you must identify the old ones. The old ones are rooted in patterns of thought that become patterns of behavior. That kind of change is only possible as you slow down and consider. Take a hard look at yourself now, so you can become the person you desire to become in the future.

I have been wrestling with some thinking patterns recently. I haven’t gotten to the root yet, but I am wrestling through it with Jesus. He knows me inside and out. He understands what motivates the thinking that leads to anxiety and fear-based behaviors. I am not out of the woods on this yet. One thing I am doing to combat these thinking patterns is to counter them with scriptural truth. Even though I may not fully understand why I respond the way I do, I recognize that it’s not God’s best for me. I may fear failure, but the truth is God is with me to strengthen me and help me in difficult situations. (Isaiah 41:10) Things may not turn out as planned, but God works all things together for good because I love Him and am called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28) Over time, my thinking pattern will change, leading to a better behavior pattern.  

Here are some things to consider as you evaluate how you want to change.

What to examine when you want a fresh start:

• Attitudes – How are you thinking about your daily life? What is your self-talk?

• Habits – What are you doing regularly? Are those habits serving you well? What do you need to adjust?

• Relationships – How do you approach your closest relationships? Do you give them proper attention? Do you have healthy boundaries? Are there any relationships that draw you away from God and His purposes for you?

• Commitments – What are you committed to outside your home? Are those commitments leading you closer to God and deeper relationships with others?  

Dear friend, you can’t change what you do not recognize. You must know where you are to change your direction and head where you want to go. As you intentionally stop, evaluate your thinking, and change your behavior, you can begin to progress toward your desired destination. Ultimately, a fresh start is about developing your character. Thoughts lead to actions lead to patterns lead to character. Character is what other people see when they see you. You want to look more like Jesus. You want to become a better representative of His Kingdom. So, take the time to stop, review your thought patterns, and let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.(Romans 12:2) As you do, your behavior will change, and you will become the person you desire.

It takes time, my friend. It doesn’t just happen, but it will happen.

Key Question: How do I make a fresh start?

A Scripture to Consider: “And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” Romans 12:1-2 NLT

A YES Challenge: Open a digital document or a blank page in your journal. List areas you want to examine for current behavior patterns. Sit with each of those areas and prayerfully consider your current patterns. Write down what you want to change and why. Note what new behavior or attitude you want to develop and the actions you will take to change. Give yourself plenty of time for this process. Pray over one area you want God to change and let Him show you where to change your thinking so that you can change your behavior.

Prayer: Father, I see so much in me that needs to change so I can become the person I know You want me to be. At times, I am overwhelmed. I can’t change on my own. I need You. Guide me as I consider my current patterns. Show me what You want to change and lead me into the new behaviors that will better represent You. My life is Yours. Amen.

Check out my book The YES Adventure: Transform Your Life with One Word for encouragement, inspiration, and more about God-centered goal-setting. Please leave a review on Amazon! That will help other people find the book and receive guidance and encouragement in their God-centered goal setting.

If you are stuck and would like a partner to help you process your next step, I’d love to help. Schedule a 30-minute complimentary coaching session here.

My Shepherd, And Yours

Psalm 23

 Because the Lord Himself is my Shepherd. I will always have all that is essential for my life.

He brings me to places of abundance and peace. He soothes my inner struggles and renews the hope of my heart.

He leads me to walk in the paths that please Him. He guides me to go in the way that honors Him because He calls me His.

When my path unavoidably passes through the evils of earthly life and the darkness of death dims the way ahead, my heart is at rest because I know You are present in the pain. You comfort me with your correction. You lead me within the loving limits of Your long-proven pathways.

You provide a banquet of blessings that confounds my evil enemy. You call me Your chosen and pour out your empowerment.

Certainly, Your faithful goodness will surround and seek me wherever I go for as long as I live. I will delight in Your dwelling and reside in Your residence for all time.

 Originally posted August 14, 2022

Why Rest Matters for Reaching Your Goals

“The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need.” Psalms 23:1 NLT

 Rest matters. If you are not carving out time to take care of yourself, it is time to start. And I mean NOW! If you are like me, you wear multiple hats. Whether you are a mom, dad, pastor, CEO, or grocery store clerk, or all of the above, you function in more than one way. You serve others in a variety of ways, whether you recognize it or not. Every task you have on your never-ending to-do list serves someone. It could be your family, your company, or your church, but other people are reaping the benefits of your actions.

If you don’t take care of yourself, you have nothing to give anyone else. You will run out of energy and concentration. What are you doing to rest and replenish?

God initiated the Sabbath for His people after 400 years of slavery, working every day with no rest. He told the prophet Elijah, the disciples, and others in the Bible to come apart and rest. Why would He expect anything else for you and me?

 So, why is rest important for fulfilling God’s purposes for you?

 Rest results from following His guidance. When you and I are so busy trying to come up with a plan, we expend a ton of energy and, whether we recognize it or not, we operate with a measure of anxiety. Consciously or unconsciously, being unsure of what is next prevents us from truly resting and relaxing.

If you are a responsible person, and I know you are, you don’t want to be unproductive. You want to feel like you are making a difference. So, your brain is almost always busy because you feel responsible for outcomes. You feel like you have to figure everything out. But you don’t.

Because the Lord is your shepherd, He is prepared to guide you. He wants to guide you. He wants to take care of you. He’s got the plan and you don’t need to figure it out. That is rest. Knowing that He’s got the plan leads you to internal rest.   

Rest leads to restoration. Restoration only happens in the place of rest. To be restored is to be brought back, returned to a place or condition. A woodworker cannot restore a table that is prepared for a family dinner. The dishes, food, and other items must be removed, and the family must dine somewhere else. Then the craftsman may begin his work.

While our house was being renovated, we lived with my sister for five months.  Was that a place of rest? Maybe not so much for us, but it was for the house! The house had not been cared for and could not be a place of rest for us until its restoration was complete.  Staying in the house would have prevented the contractor from doing the work. We had to remove ourselves so that restoration could happen.

We envisioned some simple, quick cleanups that would allow us to move in after a relatively short period of time. Our contractor envisioned a house that was completely new on the inside. It was inconvenient. It took longer than we wanted, but it was completely worth it. Because we “rested” from living in the house and the house “rested” from having people live in it, we have a beautiful home that provides us with a place of rest. 

Where do you need to be restored? If you are busy doing, there is no room for restoration.

Rest leads to replenishment. When you rest, you are refilled. You end up with more to give. And if you make this a regular practice, you will have more than enough.  Restoration leads to overflow. Overflow is what we give to others. When we have all we need and more, we have enough to share with the people we interact with.

If I don’t rest, I get grumpy and emotional. What about you? When I do rest, I become filled with peace, and that is what overflows to the people around me. I know peace is not my natural state. I may seem pretty even on the outside, but inside my mind is always busy. Learning to slow down and let my mind and spirit rest is what leads to an overflow of peace. I am still working on this. Believe me!

 So, my friend, are you ready to stop trying to figure it all out and let Him lead you to rest? Do you long for the restoration that only happens in a time of rest? Do you need more? When you rest, you allow restoration to happen, and that leads to more progress on reaching your goals. You’ll also be able to better serve the people around you and knock out more of those to-do items. Isn’t that work planning some rest?

 Key Question: Why is rest an important part of fulfilling God’s purpose for you?

A Scripture to Consider: “The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need.” Psalms 23:1 NLT

A YES Challenge: Honestly evaluate your self-care practices. Decide when and how you will rest and replenish yourself. Make that evaluation a weekly practice as you review your schedule.  

Prayer: Father, I want to serve You, my family, and other people well. It’s easy for me to get focused on doing for others and forget that taking care of myself is not selfish. When I refresh and replenish myself, I can serve those around me from a full tank rather than an empty one. Show me how to do this intentionally. When I serve from a place of rest I honor You and that is my highest goal. Amen. 

What You Need to Help You Follow Through

 “We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps.” Proverbs 16:9 NLT“

“Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:5 NLT

We all have dreams. You may not have thought about yours for a long time. Perhaps life has swallowed up your initiative to follow through on them, but they are still there. What are they?

Perhaps you have crafted your dream into a goal. You may even have written it down and made a plan. But just maybe, life has swallowed your plan along with your drive to follow through, and you find it hard to move forward. You may feel stuck. Is that you?  

The truth is, we don’t have the power to follow through on our dreams and goals until we hear God speak. When He speaks, we receive the power to follow through. What has God spoken to you, and what will you do about it?

If you believe God has spoken to you, what is your next step? Let me offer a suggestion.

Confirm – Pray and be sure that you have heard correctly. Ask trusted people in your life for input. Important decisions require confirmation from more than one source. You are not in this alone. So, don’t isolate yourself. Reach out for support.

Craft a plan to fulfill what God has spoken. Writing it down helps you think through the details but also gives you a concrete reminder to review. Post that plan where you will see it regularly. It’s worth the effort.

Take the next step. That is all. You can only take one step at a time. So, do it! You can’t skip to the end as much as you may want to.

In recent years, I have realized skipping to the end is what I often want most. I want to leap over all the middle steps and just land at the deeply desired goal. Every important, God-inspired goal holds so many more middle steps than I expect. Reaching that goal takes so much more grit, determination, and perseverance than I want. But those middle steps are how God grows my character. I will miss that important aspect if I skip to the end, and so will you.

Here is the bottom line: The power to achieve comes from God. But you and I must choose to move.

What is God saying to you, my friend? How will you respond? What is your next step?

 Key Question: What has God spoken to you, and what will you do about it?

A Scripture to Consider: “We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps.” Proverbs 16:9 NLT“

“Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:5 NLT

A YES Challenge: Whether you have written them out or not, review the goals you have set for yourself. Ask God to highlight the goals He wants you to follow through on. Then, ask Him to empower you to take the next step toward it.

Prayer: Lord, Your word says that there are many plans in human hearts, but that You are the one who directs our steps. I want my plans to line up with Yours. On my own, I can never accomplish anything of value. I need You and Your power. Fill me. Guide me. Lead me in the right path for Your honor and glory. Amen.

 If you’d like to learn more, you can check out the book here. Please leave a review on Amazon! That will help other people find the book and receive guidance and encouragement in their God-centered goal setting.

If you are stuck and would like a partner to help you process your next step, I’d love to help. Schedule a 30-minute complimentary coaching session here.