What will you leave behind in 2022?

It’s New Years Eve AND it’s a Saturday which means MOST of us have time to ponder this question👇🏽

“What will I leave behind in 2022 so I can live a life of unhindered purpose in 2023?”

It’s a serious question to consider BEFORE setting goals.

Goals are super important, but I don’t think that we begin with goals…

Goals are not just about achieving something.

Sometimes, most times, they require us to leave something behind.😬

Living a life of intention takes work. I like to call it, “The Sifted Life”, & here’s why:

The word, “intent” literally means, “to sift”.

If we are going to lead a life of intention & purpose, we need to sift our lives, allowing harmful, hurtful & unproductive

👉🏽things

👉🏽relationships

👉🏽& habits

fall away SO THAT we can focus on what remains => that which is helpful, important & productive!

Living an intentional life of purpose takes work, so what will you leave behind in 2022 so that you can enter 2023 unhindered by the things that rob you of productivity & purpose?

P. S. I’m leaving behind over-thinking & over-planning!💯

#goals #2023goals #goalsetting #2023 #purpose #intention #intentionalliving #intentionality #visionboard #vision #sift #thesiftedlife

What’s My Goal?

I watched a show recently where the main character, Barry, can travel back in time. His mentor exhorts him not to do so because it may create an alternate timeline wrought with consequences.

Barry eventually gives into temptation & travels back to save his mom from a tragic death. He enjoys the gift of her presence, but suddenly begins to lose memories of his former life. He eventually tries to fix the mess he’s made only to discover that he‘s  created two more timelines & a whole lotta mess!

Kinda funny, but that quantum physics stuff popped in my thoughts when I read a letter from Paul to the Galatians. He’s talking about people pleasing & writes,

“Obviously I’m not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal I would not be Christ’s servant.”

It reminded me of a convo I had with one of my sons  about the timeline theory & Christ’s Lordship.

Our Creator God has THEE most perfect timeline planned for our lives, & we can stick with His storyline, or like Barry, please ourselves (or others) by writing our own.

God’s trajectory for our future holds His best laid plans, but sometimes, in a moment of temptation, we step out from under His Lordship & start writing our own.

✨When we make decisions outside of His will & His way, however, history He didn’t intend will happen.✨

There are many decisions I’ve made that I wish I could highlight, click & delete; decisions that carry consequences to today. Unlike Barry, however, I can’t travel back in time to change them.

What I can do, however, is step back under the power, protection & provision of my Savior. I can allow Him the supreme position of Lordship & trust Him to lead The Way forward.

I’ve written it before, but it bears repeating: we are always a slave to something-ultimately to self, sin or Savior; we just gotta choose which master we’ll serve!

Father, pleasing self or others not only leaves us wanting for more, it creates a timeline You didn’t intend. Holy Spirit, guard us from the goal of momentary good things that keep us from God things. We turn our hearts to You this morning & allow You the perfect position of Lordship over our lives! We aim to please You alone!

September 14th One Year Bible Readings

💡ISAIAH 15:1-18:7

💡GALATIANS 1:1-24

💡PSALM 58:1-11

💡PROVERBS 23:12

#oneyearbible #bible #truth #devotional #dailydevotional #encouragement #hope #peace #jesus #security #identity #belonging #purpose #family #faith #freedom #future #marriage #parenting #familygoals #light #beaconlife #goals

Part of a Bigger Part

We have family dinner every Sunday at my parent’s house. I love this consistent time of gathering together. This particular Sunday, however, I felt a melancholy settle over my heart. You see, this Sunday, was a marked Sunday. The next morning my oldest would begin a new career, my second would begin preparations to fly back to Los Angeles to continue his pursuit of acting, my third would leave for UGA and my youngest would begin his junior year in high school. As I looked around the table, my heart longed for the land of littles and yet rejoiced to see my mighty men about to launch into a new season.

After dinner the band of brothers went upstairs to record a vlog episode about this last day as a fam together. As I listened to the banter of, “ok, you do this, I will say this” or, “Zay, you crack me up”, I was reminded of the importance of family and that we are all part of the bigger Body of Christ. Each of my sons, each of your children, have been created with a facet of God’s almighty character in order to launch as mission-minded leaders who will impact culture for others good and God’s glory! It is so easy to see giftedness and even calling in my sons, but over the years, I can’t say that I’ve pondered my part much. Even though my nest has become quieter and quieter, the quietness has provided the space and place to also ponder my part.

1 Corinthians 12:27 says that we are ALL a part of the body of Christ and yet individually members of it! The years of littles were like a fast-moving train leaving little time to ponder purpose. To be honest, I had a hard enough time simply being present and completing the tasks of motherhood, so the idea of pondering my part in the body of Christ didn’t surface much in my thoughts. If I could go back and whisper to myself a word or two, it would be this: “This season seems impossible at times, but lean in and learn as it is not only a refining and preparation time for your children, but also for you! The gems that you see in each of your sons, the leadership potential, the compassion for others, the diligence to follow through, those are all facets of God’s divine character that He has created within them the moment He knit them together in your womb! Wield this time well and all the while, continue to spend time in the Presence of the Lord, allowing Him to BE Lord over your thoughts, words, actions and deeds. As you do, you will grow as a bold daughter of the Most High King, equipping and preparing yourself for ALL that the Lord has for you within His body of believers! Like Dr. Kathy Koch often says, we are ALL created ON purpose, WITH purpose and FOR a purpose. What’s yours?

1. We all have individual gifts and talents.Things we would do all day long even if we weren’t paid for it.Those gifts point to our part.What is something you L-O-V-E to do that does not require effort?

2. How can you use that passion to serve others and bring glory to God?

3. Pray and ask the Lord to reveal the giftedness of each of your children – that you would have eyes to see and ears to discern their beautiful God-granted giftedness.Ask Him to give you the same eyes for yourself – to remind you of who you are, but more importantly, Whose you are as a son or daughter of the Most High King.

Here is a song about seasons. Sometimes walking through, "the land of littles" can feel like a winter season, a hidden season that will prolong for ages...it won't. I promise :) The proclamation in the song is so encouraging and is a reminder that the Lord is working out his purpose for us in whatever season we may find ourselves:

I can see the promise I can see the future You're the God of seasons And I'm just in the winter If all I know of harvest Is that it's worth my patience Then if You're not done working God I'm not done waiting You can see my promise Even in the winter Cause You're the God of greatness

Seasons by Hillsong

Jigsaw Pic Credit

#identity #seasons #purpose