A few years ago I read Anne Ortlund’s Disciplines of the Beautiful Woman. In it she has a chapter on planning goals and living intentionally that really spurred me on to write my own goals on how I want to grow and what I want to be in life.
I’ve found sitting down and writing out my goals has really helped me to be intentional about what I want to learn and grow in as well be able to articulate to myself and others what’s important to me.
Ortlund defines two different categories for priorities and goals: life purposes and life goals.
A life purpose is what I hope to be.
A life goal is what I hope to do.
The life purpose is a personal mission statement for your life, while life goals are smaller steps that will help you in fulfilling and achieving your life purposes.
Under life purposes and goals are your priorities, which Ortlund outlines for the Christian woman as,
- Relationship with God (spiritual growth)
- Family (relational and serving)
- Community and the world
Over the years I’ve added a few more questions to help me review the last year and move on in the next:
Reviewing Life Purposes & Goals
- What do I see myself doing in 5 years? What types of things can I be doing now to get me there?
- Review the previous list and evaluate your growth in these goals and purposes.
- What am I truly passionate about?
- Why am I passionate about these things?
- How does what I’m passionate about make me feel? What do I value in it?
- What type of things bring me joy?
- Can I think of anything I could have more of that would bring me more joy?
- When do I feel the happiest or most joyful?
- What are the biggest obstacles to happiness and joy in my life?
- How do I want to see Jesus in my life?
Yearly Reflection Questions
- In what ways have I grown in the last year?
- What was my biggest challenge?
- How has God revealed himself to me?
- How have I come to know God deeper?
- What am I thankful for?
- How have I been blessed?
- Have I grown in encouraging and edifying others?
- How have I grown in sharing the gospel?
- How have I grown in ministering to those outside the faith?
- Have I been hospitable those I’ve come in contact with? Both in and outside of the faith?
Casting Vision for the New Year
Reflect on the last year. Consider your growth, experiences, and lessons learned. Ask the Lord what areas he’d like you to grow in or step out in faith. (An example would be to pursue personal growth, nurture meaningful relationships, and reach out to your community.)
Once God has revealed these focuses, come up with two or three questions to answer each month so that you can consistently evaluate your growth (or lack of) and identify any areas that you’re not pursuing.
It looks like a lot of questions to go through, but–for me–I feel its worth it. I hate looking back on a year, or even a few months, and not being able to see what God has taught me or how I have grown. How am I supposed to be ready to give a testimony if I can’t recall (quickly) to myself God’s provision, blessing, and correction?
I find that these not only help to give me vision for the coming year, help me to understand and know myself better, but also encourage me to walk deeper and fuller with the Lord.
This week I’m joining in at Extravagant Grace to focus on living intentionally together in 2010. My goal is to take some time over the next week to evaluate my life purposes, goals, and priorities, how I’ve grown in them, and what the Lord has for me in the next year.
Pray for me that I’ll have the discipline to sit down and review these…distractions come so easily. I want to live for what is eternal, not distracting.
When there’s time, I’ll share as I go.
Tagged as:
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goals,
life,
Living Intentionally
