So after all of the previous posts, here are the goals I'll be working on in the coming year.
Work through Dave Ramsey's Baby Steps for Financial Peace to cultivate good stewardship, gratitude, and contentment
Philippians 4:11-13 Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.
Matthew 6: 19-21 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal; but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Starting Steps: Cut out unnecessary spending and place that money in the emergency fund; set up debt snowball; use every dollar app to create and manage budget.
How I will feel at the end of the year having made progress on this goal: Empowered! Proud of myself.
How I will celebrate progress/completing this goal: Doing my own debt-free scream.
How I will know I accomplished or made progress on this goal, or what progress looks like on this goal: Emergency fund, being debt free!
Find an agent for my manuscript
Romans 15:13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him.
Proverbs 3: 5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and do not rely on your own insight.
In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths.
2 Peter 3: 9 The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some think of slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance.
Romans 8:28 We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.
The positive effect taking action on this goal may have: Fulfilling my dream; bring glory to God; encouragement to others!
How I will feel at the end of the year having made progress on this goal: OVER THE MOON!!!!
How will I know I accomplished or made progress on this goal: I'll have an agent
How will I celebrate making progress on this goal? I'm not sure!
Starting Steps: Draft new proposal; blog course; re-read the manuscript (? Not sure about this).
To deepen and strengthen my relationship with God, because He is the center and the well-spring.
I Thessalonians 5:15-24 See that none of you repays evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to all. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise the words of prophets, but test everything; hold fast to what is good; abstain from every form of evil.
May the God of peace himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do this.
John 4: 13-14 Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, 14 but those who drink of the water that I will give them will never be thirsty. The water that I will give will become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life.”
John 6: 35-40 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe. Everything that the Father gives me will come to me, and anyone who comes to me I will never drive away; for I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. This is indeed the will of my Father, that all who see the Son and believe in him may have eternal life; and I will raise them up on the last day.”
How I will feel at the end of the year having made progress on this goal: Peaceful, stronger, more rooted in Christ.
How I will know I accomplished or made progress on this goal: Good prayer routine; constant trust in God; weekday Mass every week.
Starting Steps: Daily Vespers; holy hour monthly; Bible reading daily.
Continue to lose weight and treat my body well so I can do everything else I want to do, and honor my body which God made.
1 Corinthians 6: 19-20 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you were bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body.
1 Corinthians 9: 24-27 Do you not know that in a race the runners all compete, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win it. Athletes exercise self-control in all things; they do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable one. So I do not run aimlessly, nor do I box as though beating the air; but I punish my body and enslave it, so that after proclaiming to others I myself should not be disqualified.
Positive effect taking action on this goal may have: A better, healthier life!
How I will feel at the end of the year having made progress on this goal: Physically better--stronger, for one thing. I'm already seeing progress here but I want to continue it.
How I will celebrate making progress on, or completing, this goal: New clothes, because I'll need them!
How I will know I accomplished or made progress on this goal: Smaller clothes, smaller measurements, scale number (but that's not the only thing I'm using!)
Starting steps: Create daily exercise plan, like Lara's #runliftpraise, continue to incorporate new recipes and new foods into my eating plan.
Grow Barton Cottage Crafts, to help with baby steps (goal 1), but also to have a creative outlet and for enjoyment.
1 Peter 4: 10-11 Like good stewards of the manifold grace of God, serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received. Whoever speaks must do so as one speaking the very words of God; whoever serves must do so with the strength that God supplies, so that God may be glorified in all things through Jesus Christ. To him belong the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen.
How I will feel at the end of the year having made progress on this goal: Happy--that I was able to provide products people wanted, and made progress on this goal AND goal number 1!
How I will know I accomplished or made progress on this goal: Money for Goal #1, more/repeat customers.
Starting steps: current commissions; knit items for Etsy shop listings.
Have a beautiful, peaceful, welcoming home so I can appreciate what I have, encourage hospitalist, and cultivate peace.
Hebrews 13:2 Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it.
How I will feel at the end of the year having made progress on this goal: Clearer, peaceful, satisfied.
How I will know I accomplished or made progress on this goal: A clutter-free, peaceful house; fewer "things" around.
Resources: The Nesting Place; A Simplified Life.
WHEW! That's a lot!
I am so excited to kick of 2018. This year was a great year--I made a lot of progress, which you can see in the earlier parts of this series--but I'm thrilled to make 2018 my most cultivated, intentional year year!