Jay and I just had a wonderful one-year anniversary down in Texas last week, which explains why I took a break from blogging here at No Boys Allowed.  We got to visit some close friends, go to the beach, read John Grisham novels, eat at delicious Mexican restaurants, drive through a town that got smoked by a hurricane, check out a cool church in Houston, and attend a comedy show.  It was a fantastic trip!

Getting away from everyday routine is a priority for us, as it provides us with rest and perspective so we can be even more effective at home.  One thing we did was make a list of goals for the next year.  Jay pointed out that in a year, we have 4 dates which can act as ‘new beginnings,’ or opportunities to make a new start: New Year’s, birthdays, the start of a school year, and now our anniversary.

My list is entitled: “By this time next year…” I focused on making spiritual, physical, emotional, relational, intellectual, and financial goals.  For example: by this time next year, I will have memorized 24 passages of scripture, run the Hamilton 5km race, and completed an awareness package for sex trafficking.  My list has a total of 13 goals on it, and I am in the process of writing an action plan for each.

Why is this so important?

• Because I don’t want to get to the end of my life and wish I had lived life to the fullest
• Because I need a reminder of what I am passionate about and what my priorities are
• Because I do not want to waste the spirit, body, mind, talents, resources, and relationships God has blessed me with
• Because it will force me to rely on God

So my question to you is this: by this time next year, what will you want to have accomplished?  What type of person do you want to be? What steps must you take to get there?

I’d encourage you to think hard about this, write down your goals, and stick them on your wall.  And if you’re anything like me, checking them off will be very satisfying!  Please feel free to share some of your thoughts below.

Michelle