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Do you set New Year’s resolutions each year? Or do you set goals? I find that goals seem to have a date attached to them and have more defined purpose.

The Pastor at church this weekend spoke about New Year’s resolutions and he referred to Philippians 3:12-16, the passage where Paul talks about ‘pressing towards the goal’. He said we should follow Paul’s example and gave us the following to think about:

1. Press on - to reach our goals. He also referred to Romans 5:3-5 about the need for perseverance as we press forward.
2. Forget what is behind. What is done is done. We were reminded of what Paul’s life was like when he was Saul - he had a lot of baggage he needed to get behind him. He couldn’t let his past define his future and neither should we. In other words let the new year be a new year - not a repeat of the past year.
3. Look forward to the future. What is God’s purpose and mission for your life? These are the things we should be straining towards, the things we should be setting goals for. Remember that we are not in this struggle alone and that God is with us and will be with us throughout the new year, no matter what.
4. Philippians 4:4-8 encourages us to Rejoice in the Lord always and that we should present our requests to God. That also includes presenting our goals (or resolutions) to Him and seeking His blessing on them.

Last January (2007) I set aside a whole day to think about what I wanted to do and to set goals that met both personal and business needs in my life. I wrote them out by hand and then set them up in PowerPoint. Each year the goals are printed in colour and large type, often with pictures that reflect the goals, then laminated and stuck on my office wall above my computer monitor so they are visible on a daily basis. Helps me keep on track and I usually meet at least 75% of the goals each year.

Whilst I was putting this plan together I spent the day in prayer also, and an email I received during that very time in prayer, made it even more special. You see, one of my goals was to increase my speaking engagements, i.e. I want to begin focusing on being a public speaker more. Another goal was to finish writing a book and get it published - I achieved both of these and many other things too. But going back to that email I received - it was a Google Alert that spoke of speakers ‘Lisa Bevere and Kathie Thomas….’

You probably already know who Lisa Bevere is and just the thought of sharing a stage with her is mind blowing - to be listed as a speaker with her at the same event… well! When I checked the Google Alert link it was a journal entry from a guy in the US who was writing about a conference coming up and the Kathie Thomas mentioned is a Pastor in the US.

At any rate, this seemed like a confirmation for me that I’m heading in the right direction and that my goals are ones that God will bless, and has blessed. My book was published and launched in September this year, the number of speaking engagements I’ve had this year has increased and I have bookings for 2008 already. I was also able to cut down on my working hours for 2007 and had every second Friday off in the first half of the year and every Friday off for most of the second half of the year - by ‘off’, I mean from client work. I still had plenty of my own work to get done but much of it included writing. There were a couple of other items I achieved as well. All in all, 5 out of 7 goals were achieved.

Ps Luke reminded us this morning in closing that we should turn our attention from our problems and focus on God. So, with the new year almost upon us, I hope that you will spend time in prayer and reflection re your goals for 2008 and that you will include our Father in your planning - you never know where He will lead you!