How are you preparing for 2014?
Looking back on 2013 I am very thankful for such an amazing year. A few highlights included purchasing my first home, hiring an intern, building relationships, and seeing students lives transformed by the gospel. This past year had its ups and downs, moments when I didn’t know what I was doing, and great moments trusting Jesus for everything. Looking back on a year can be terrifying, or exciting. I am already looking forward to making 2014 the best year.
Here are a few ways I am looking to make this year the best yet:
1. Have a plan. I can’t stress this enough! You need a plan. I dusted off my life plan a few months ago and realized how unintentionally I was living my life…yikes! I you don’t have a goal, you will never hit it. I want to live this year with intention. I love what Moses said in Psalm 90, “So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom. 13 Return, O Lord! How long? Have pity on your servants!
14 Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.
15 Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us, and for as many years as we have seen evil.
16 Let your work be shown to your servants, and your glorious power to their children.
17 Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us; yes, establish the work of our hands!” I want to live what that kind of intention this year. I want to be intentional with God, my wife, my kids, and my calling. I wrote about a how to build a life plan in a post called, “Why I Created A Life Plan (And Why You Should Too!) “.
2. Find a mentor. One way to grow is to find people you want to be like, and go and learn from them. I have a few mentor/friends that I go to, and they invest into me. I look back on my Christian life so far, and I am thankful for Godly men and women who have invested into my life.
Stop trying to be the lone ranger. That was a terrible movie, and you will die out there all alone. You and I need people pouring into us.
The best way to find a mentor is to find someone you really respect, and what to be like. Ask them out for coffee, and then ask if you could meet every two weeks for the rest of the year. It is simple. You don’t need to get a professional coach, you need someone who can help and push you this year. Someone who can ask difficult questions.
3. Stay on track. The first thing I do is buy an epic calendar. I love this calendar from neu year. It has been my yearly tradition to order it, and then fill the thing in for the whole year. Love it. There is nothing like having a nice looking calendar on your wall. I don’t know about you, but I need to have a hard copy calendar somewhere.
I would also have someone who isn’t your Lead Pastor or Senior Pastor to hold you accountable to ministry goals. I don’t want to be driven by numbers, but I do want student’s lives to be changed. I have firm numbers that I want to hit this year, and the best thing about those numbers is that I can’t do it on my own. I need God to show up and work in the youth ministry.
Those are a few ways to make 2014 the best year yet. What are you doing to make this year the best?
