God-Centered Goal Setting: Love is the Motivator

January 25, 2025 Cathleen Zahradnik

“O my son, give me your heart. May your eyes take delight in following my ways.” Proverbs 23:26 NLT

It’s still early in the year. Have you set some goals yet? If so, did you include God in your goal-setting process? Loving God is about making Him the center of all we do. You and I know that. But do we let our love for Him dictate how we approach setting goals?

Essentially, there are two ways to approach including God in the process. The first is to set goals based on what you want and what you think is best. You may pray and believe these goals are the ones God is speaking to you, which is good. The final step in that process is to ask God to bless your efforts and help you achieve those goals.

There is nothing inherently wrong with that approach. Your desire is to honor God and that is wonderful! However, let me propose a better way.

In the second approach, you put God at the center from the beginning. You ask God what He is doing and how He wants you to participate. You ask Him to guide you in setting goals that achieve His purpose. I grow in my love for God when I focus my goal-setting process on hearing His heart and bringing Him glory. Here’s some perspective.

God-centered goals focus on what He is doing around me. Loving Him and listening to His heart means my eyes are more open to what is happening around me. I recognize when He is at work in a situation. I notice when He wants to move at a slower pace than I prefer. I hear another person’s words through the filter of what He wants to accomplish in and for them.

When I am more aware of what God is doing and wanting to do than my own desires, I can set goals that align with His. There is nothing more satisfying!

God-centered goals reveal what He wants me to do to achieve His goals. When I see and hear what He is doing around me my question becomes, “God, how do you want me to fit into Your plan and purpose here and now?”

Go Further With Friends

October 7, 2023 Cathleen Zahradnik

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. This is my command: Love each other. John 15:16-17 NIV

Who are your closest friends? Have you ever thought about how those friends influence you? Well, they do! I have some friends who motivate me and keep me on track just by being their wonderful selves. Their forward progress inspires me to keep going and keep reaching for the goals that I believe God wants me to achieve. My friends help me go further.

Whether you recognize it or not, your friends help you go further, too. How do friendships help you achieve your goals?

Friends keep you accountable. We all veer off course from time to time. It’s a fact. We need people who can see what we don’t see to help us get back on track. Friends help us do that. Sometimes they help us do that by calling us out when they see us drifting. But most often, our friends help us stay on track by reminding us of what is important. Just their presence in our lives and the time we spend together reminds us of what we want and what is important to us. That helps us stay on track. Want to accomplish those goals? Schedule regular times with your friends!

Setting Sail for the Next Leg of My Journey: Honoring My YES Adventure

August 27, 2022 Cathleen Zahradnik

'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” Mark 12:30-31 NIV

The YES Adventure. That’s the name of this website and blog. Following God becomes an adventure the moment we say YES to Him. When you say YES to God, He will take you places you never expected to go and enable you to do things you never expected to do. He will do more in you than you have ever expected and more through you than you ever imagined. My challenge to you: Discover YOUR more when you give God your YES. That has been my experience and it’s what I want for you.

This week my adventure included a milestone birthday. Milestones always inspire reflection for me. They are an opportunity to look back and celebrate how far I have come. But they are also an opportunity to dream about where I am going next. Do you do that?

As I have considered this milestone, I have wanted to honor the adventure God has taken me on. From my first YES, He has led me from a scared, self-centered girl to a confident, caring woman who spends her life serving others. My girlhood dream was to be a famous actress. My grown-up dream is to fulfill God's purposes for my life, which included becoming a minister and serving His people. That’s a journey I never expected to take! My life is so much more fulfilling and satisfying than I ever dreamed it could be. And at this juncture many people would be looking toward retirement, winding down. Tom and I are in the process of preparing to gear up for a new season of service and are training for new adventures. I shake my head. How did we get here? One YES at a time. YES by YES. And more to go!

My Shepherd, And Yours

August 13, 2022 Cathleen Zahradnik

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.

The Key To Contentment

December 18, 2021 Cathleen Zahradnik

“Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.” ‭Philippians‬ ‭4:11-13‬ ‭NLT‬‬

It's holiday time again! The familiar songs of the season have become the background music of daily life. Crazy traffic. Crowded stores. Kids constantly dreaming of piles of presents under the Christmas tree. There are centuries of expectations built up about what a beautiful family Christmas should be like. Whether it's the songs and poems or paintings and prints, you and I have been pounded with pressures to live up to the perfect Christmas. Whether it is to make a perfect Christmas for our families or to experience the perfect Christmas with our friends, we all have expectations. Those expectations can often lead to overwhelm and disappointment. You might be disappointed in a gift you received or how a gift from you was received. A relational disconnect made the holiday empty and dissatisfying. A meal that didn't turn out well. The weather kept you at home. The truth is that all that build up makes the holidays a disappointment waiting to happen. There is just no way for every aspect of the holiday to be perfect every minute every year.

So, how do you prepare for the letdown? Some aspect of your holiday this year will not meet your expectations. It's not too hard to set yourself up for success. In fact, the Apostle Paul left behind his secret of being content in every circumstance. Here are a few things I have learned from him.

I have everything I really need. Advertisements are assailing your senses every day. Even if you don't watch TV or read a magazine, there are ads on social media, billboards, the sides of trucks. They are everywhere. What is the goal of an advertiser? To convince you that you need their product. But the problem for you and me is that we don't really need any of it. Nada. When you think about the upcoming holiday, ask yourself what you and your family really need. Do you really need all the stuff?

What is the point of the Christmas holiday anyway? Quick religious answer: To celebrate the birth of the Savior. Yes, but what do you need in order to do that? What does your family need in order to remember Jesus? I'll bet that it will cost you nothing.

Beyond the spiritual emphasis, what is your goal for the holiday? I prayed over this question recently. All my grown-up kids and their significant others were going to be with us at Thanksgiving, but being together at Christmas was doubtful. So, we decided to celebrate Christmas while we were all together on the day after Thanksgiving. ( For those of you imagining us doing all that prep work, I don't cook for Thanksgiving. We go to my parents house!) My prayers focused on having reasonable expectations and clarifying the purpose of celebrating then. The conclusion I came to was that the goal was simply to celebrate together and enjoy being together. Knowing that helped me to narrow down what was really necessary to prepare or purchase. We didn't need everything, just enough.

We had a lovely time and built a beautiful family memory that included all our traditions, the basic things we would do as part of our Christmas celebration. Part of what made it so beautiful was the simplicity. The most important thing was being together and connecting with each other. The gifts and food were simply connecting points, not the star of the show. We had everything we really needed.

More is not always better. Lean times can often redirect us to what is most important. As a young mom learning how to do Christmas with my family, it was easy to feel the pressure of purchasing a bigger, better, budget-busting gift for my kids. Our financial situation was always tight, so I had to learn to readjust my expectations. But that process helped me to better focus on what was most important.

One year it seemed like we were going to have to be really sparing with the gifts and I began to pray and think about creative ways to make the holiday special. I am not a crafty person in the least! I have made things that look pretty okay, but it is definitely not an area where I thrive. Yet, that year God gave me an idea to make each of my family a personalized ornament with cardboard, gift wrap, glitter and glue. I made one for each of my kids and my husband with a single word on it to encourage them. Words like "GRACE" or "JOY". But the one thing I made that year that has become a part of our family tradition was a gift-wrapped shoe box, top and bottom wrapped separately. The gift tag reads "To Everyone." Inside is a rectangle of cardboard covered in gift wrap. Written on it in glued-on glitter are the words "For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son..." It is the first gift that goes under our tree every year and the first gift we open as a family. It was the first gift we opened on our Thanksgiving Christmas after we sang "O, Come All Ye Faithful" at our creche, another family tradition. Simple and special.

When I have Christ, I have everything. I have learned from experience that what I need most is His strength in me. If I have that, I can face anything. I can live through anything. I can face the difficult times with confidence. I have hope when the day is darkest. With Christ I am reminded that there is more to this life than this life. With Christ I have access to the infinite. Isn't that amazing?! With Christ I have a relationship with the Eternal, Everlasting Father. With Christ I remember that this time on earth is temporary. I'm just passing through. So whether I have a lot or a little. Whether I have joy or pain. Whether this future looks bright or dismal. None of that is as important as knowing that I am found in Him and that when this life is over I will begin a new glorious heavenly life. That's EVERYTHING!

His presence in me gives me the resources I need to do whatever I need to. I have found that to be true in some of my darkest moments. I have found it to be true personally, when we have faced unexpected and overwhelming struggles. But I have also found it to be true as a minister.

Sometimes this calling brings me into other people's overwhelming pain and loss. Sometimes pastors have to walk with people through the unthinkable. As I enter into a situation like that, I simply know that I am not enough. I do not have what this person needs. Yet, I know that Christ does, and that He is in me. I am not enough, but He is. I have found Christ in me bringing out what the other needs. I have found it to be true: I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Dear Friend, as your Christmas preparations head into these final days, let me encourage you to remember that you really do have everything you need because more is not always better and because when you have Christ, you have everything. To prepare for possible letdown, remember this: Contentment doesn't just happen, you have to choose it. Do you have Christ in you? Then, Friend, you have all you need to have a beautiful holiday as you choose contentment in Christ. May this be the simplest and most satisfying holiday you have ever experienced.

Key Thought: When I have Christ, I have everything I really need.

A Scripture to Consider:“Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.” ‭Philippians‬ ‭4:11-13‬ ‭NLT‬‬

A YES Challenge: As you consider your holiday preparations, prayerfully ask yourself what your goal is for the holiday. Once you have clarified your goal, prayerfully consider what you can adjust in your expectations for the holiday and let that guide you as you approach your tasks.

Prayer: Dear Father, forgive me for the ways that I sometimes get caught up in the Christmas frenzy that advertisers promote. I want to maintain family traditions that help me and my family to connect with You and with each other. Help me to eliminate the unnecessary aspects of my holiday preparations, even if what I most need to eliminate is the pressure I put on myself. Help me to enjoy this holiday with You and with those I am celebrating with. Amen.

How To Cut Through The Clutter

October 30, 2021 Cathleen Zahradnik

Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith. 'Philippians 3: 8-9

Almost every day when I go to my mailbox there is a new piece of mail for a girl named Abigail. I don’t know how my address got attached to her name, but I do know that Abigail is most likely a high school senior because the mail she gets is from colleges inviting her to attend their campus. Multiple invitations have arrived, and that is just at the wrong address! I can’t imagine how much mail she gets at her own address. So many options! Abigail has a huge choice to make. How will she decide?

Like Abigail, every day you and I are bombarded with a myriad of options. A multitude of choices clamor for our attention and energy. From the food we eat to the money we spend, to the tasks on our calendar, we have decisions to make. All those choices create clutter, don’t they? School responsibilities, keeping up the home, the job, family obligations. So much demanding your attention and mine. In the midst of all that clamors for my attention, how do I know what the most important thing is? As I complete the tasks that take up my brain space how do I know that I am doing what matters most? How do I cut through the clutter?

Cutting through the clutter begins with clarifying your goal. What is the thing you want most? If we aren’t intentional, our goal becomes obscured by the chaos of everyday choices. We chose the urgent over the important. We chose what is right in front of us rather than the thing we long to move toward. I know that has been my experience. What about you?

Is Your Dream Worthless Or Worth Everything?

October 16, 2021 Cathleen Zahradnik

'Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ ' Philippians 3:8

Remember those dreams you had when you were a kid? What did you dream of doing and being? Maybe you dreamed of a perfect marriage and saw yourself riding off on a white horse behind Prince Charming so that you could raise your perfect little princes and princesses. Maybe you saw yourself as CEO of a company leading others to success. Whatever your dreams were, I’ll be those things seem a little silly right now. Our young minds did not have enough experience to envision dreams grounded in reality, right?

When I was a high school student, drama was my dream. I loved the theater and everything about it. I bought books about acting and delighted in trips to Broadway. I couldn’t wait to watch the Tony Awards or Oscars on TV, and imagined what I might say if I had the opportunity to receive one of those coveted trophies. I followed my dream of drama as a theater major in college, but college is also where I made my commitment to Christ. By the time I graduated from college, the idea of moving to New York City to try to make it big on Broadway had lost it’s appeal. I thought about the compromises to my new faith that I might be tempted to make just to get ahead. The dream had lost it’s luster.

What happened? What had been worth all the time, effort and energy of my teenage years lost its value when compared with the treasure I had found in Christ. What about you, Dear Friend? What dreams have you left behind for the sake of Christ? Are there any you are still holding onto? Maybe it’s time to remember and to reevaluate.

To Mom and Dad - 60 Years And Going Strong!

September 4, 2021 Cathleen Zahradnik

“Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.” ‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭13:7‬ ‭NLT‬‬

If you are a regular reader of my posts, forgive me while i depart from my regular routine. Normally, I talk to you, but today I want to talk to someone else: My Mom and Dad. On September 2, 2021 my mom and dad celebrated 60 years of marriage! Unfortunately, like many people in the Northeast they spent the day cleaning up from the deluge deposited on us by the remnants of Hurricane Ida, but that doesn’t minimize the importance of the day. 60 years! Such an accomplishment deserves some extra attention, don’t you think? So, if you’ll indulge me for a few minutes, I want to talk to Mom and Dad, to thank them for their example and share a few things I’ve learned from them. Maybe you’ll learn a few things, too.

Mom and Dad, as I often have said, I have the unique privilege of having celebrated every single one of your anniversaries with you. Being born one week before your very first anniversary makes me an anniversary gift, right? Of course, I don’t remember much about the early years, but I know I was there! Now that Tom and I are getting ready to celebrate 35 years of marriage, there are some observations I can make about your achievement. One thing I know after 35 years of experience is that you don’t get to 60 years of marriage without some bumps in the road. You don’t make it to 60 years without some moments when quitting seems like the best solution. You don’t feel close every moment for 60 years. So what has made the difference? How did you make it to 60 years and what can other married couples learn from you? Actually, what can anyone learn from you about how to make a relationship last?

To Experience Joy, Transform Obligation To Offering

August 14, 2021 Cathleen Zahradnik

“But I will rejoice even if I lose my life, pouring it out like a liquid offering to God, just like your faithful service is an offering to God. And I want all of you to share that joy. Yes, you should rejoice, and I will share your joy.” ‭‭Philippians‬ ‭2:17-18‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Do you ever feel like you are just going through the motions of life, even a Christian life? You get up, do what you need to do, go to bed and then do it all over again? You go to church, you serve, but it all seems so empty? I have been through those seasons as well. There are times in our lives when we have been through a great loss - of a loved one or through trials - and just getting through each day is a miracle. That is not the kind of season we are talking about here. The question I want you to consider is this: Have you lost the joy of living for God?

Daily life can sometimes cloud the light of life in Christ. What I mean is, we get so focused on doing the tasks and checking the boxes that we miss why we do it. At least, I have.

At the heart of Christian life is not religion, what I define as “human attempts to reach God,” but a relationship. Not obligations to fulfill, but an offering to be presented. Are you following God from a place of obligation or are you making the choice to offer your life to Him on a daily basis? My dear friend, when you choose to make your life an offering, I can guarantee that you will be filled with joy. I want that for you!

Here are some things to remember that will help you transform your obligation to offering.

What Words Matter?

July 31, 2021 Cathleen Zahradnik

“Do everything without complaining and arguing, so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people. Hold firmly to the word of life; then, on the day of Christ’s return, I will be proud that I did not run the race in vain and that my work was not useless.” ‭‭Philippians‬ ‭2:14-16‬ ‭NLT‬‬

My mother has mentioned that she would hear me practicing words in my crib before she heard me use them in public. Imagine! Baby Me practicing speech! I guess that even as a baby I wanted to use words well! I suppose that God put a love of words in me from the very beginning. Even in my crib, I had a sense that words have power and a desire to use them carefully.

This world is overwhelmed with words and not every person using them is aware of their power. Words can hurt, help, comfort, criticize, correct, encourage, berate, alienate, bring closer. Words, spoken or written, have tremendous power in people’s lives. How careful are you with this potent tool? What words matter to you?

In the swirl of words that pour past us on a daily basis, from the mouths of people or through the screens of our phones, what words are you listening to and how are they affecting you? What words matter to you?