Habakuk 2:2 “And the Lord answered me: “Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it.” (ESV)
A person without goals is like a ship without direction. Not having goals is like a military unit that has no mission. The individual without goals will live reactively and not intently. I need the structure of goal setting in my life because without it, I fall into a reactive state of mind and do what I “feel” like doing, rather than what I “intend” to do. I don’t know about you, but what I “feel” like doing is a lot of stuff that gratifies my selfish desires and gets me fat, lazy, sinful, isolated, and stagnant. I want to live 2018 with a sense of purpose and I pray that my goals demonstrate a purpose that Jesus Christ approves. These goals are subject to revision as the year progresses.
Spiritual
- Read the Bible in one year
- Do daily devotions using the D.A. Carson’s reading plan (Volume 1).
- Journal/Blog every week this year
- Write SOMETHING/ANYTHING in my blog every week. This is part of my Bible study.
- Pray everyday
- Start and end my day with prayer.
- Pray for each member of my immediate family by name.
- Pray for my friends by name.
- Pray with my wife and kids everyday outside of meal times.
- Go to church every Sunday, or if I cannot, teach my family from the Scripture.
- Constantly seek to walk in the Spirit everyday and stay away from temporary fixes.
- Seek God in prayer every time I have a decision to make for my family.
- Memorize the book of Philippians by June 1.
- Memorize a second book of the bible.
- Exhort without apology.
- Identify and lead a group of individuals in becoming more Christlike together.
- Preach a sermon every quarter, wherever the Lord guides.
- Encourage others constantly.
- Never talk about anyone behind their back and say something I would not say to their face.
Physical
- Weigh 185 lbs. by March 6.
- Maintain a balanced diet the whole week, with one cheat meal or desert on the weekend.
- Do not eat more than 2500 calories in any given day, except cheat day.
- On cheat day, no more than 3500 calories.
- Do not eat more than 2500 calories in any given day, except cheat day.
- Run 3-4 times per week
- Do weight training or body weight exercises 3 times per week.
- Achieve a 300 APFT by the end of 2018.
- Never complete weight training day without doing my required reps for push ups and sit ups.
- Do 3 sets of max pull ups every weight training day.
- Do a timed 2 mile run every month.
- Do a half marathon in the summer
- Run 100 miles in February
Mental
- Reduce anxiety
- Live each day fully and in the moment.
- Do not worry about anything outside of my control.
- Spend 5 minutes per day in silence appreciating my environment.
- Pursue truth
- Be aware of what I “want to hear”
- Apply to myself what I would apply to others.
- Do not put others down
- Always remember I am part of a team
- Seek to find the best in people and call that out
- Honor my commitments
- Never change my plans unless an emergency.
- Say “No” if I am not certain I can accomplish it.
- Commit to less and allow free time in my life
Professional
- Be the best Therapist I can be
- Read one book on therapy every month
- Finish my case notes every week.
- Journal every week on my counseling strengths and weaknesses
- Start a new counseling related program/group on campus
- Talk less, listen more
- Arrive to work 5 minutes early every day
- Be the best Chaplain I can be
- Be mindful during every drill
- Do not worry about what is going on back home
- Remain faithful to my spiritual disciplines
- Prepare a sermon for every drill
- Be physical prepared to pass an APFT during every drill.
- Read one military publication every quarter.
- Read a Chaplaincy related book every quarter.
- Read one Christian book every quarter.
- Meet new soldiers during every drill.
- Be mindful during every drill
Personal
- Watch less T.V.
- Only one movie per week and only one 30 minute program per day.
- Listen intently when others talk–ALWAYS.
- Love and Respect my wife at ALL times.
- Give my wife a compliment everyday on 3 levels–physical, spiritual, and practical.
- A date night with my wife every week.
- Alternate date night with each of my daughers every week.
- Sophia one week, Ella the next week, then Ava the following week.
- Teach my daughters something from the Word every day.
- Read something from the Bible to my kids every night before bed.
- Put my kids to bed every night that I am home.
- Give my kids baths every night that I am home.
- Stop and listen to my kids when they talk to me.
- Never give up on my wife. Always love her.
- Do a minimum of 30 minutes housework every day–the most necessary duties.
- Finish house by March 6.
- Work on house a minimum of 30 minutes, until finished, every day except for Sunday.
- Call mother and father every week.
- Call grandparents every month.
Finances
- Balance budget every month.
- Do not spend more than we take in every month.
- Reduce debt every month.
- Eliminate credit cards by lowest number first.
- Give presentation to my wife every month on our financial standing in all areas.
Creative
- Create a marriage group that seeks to rejuvinate and empower marriages–especially men in their leadership role.
- Create a men’s weekend where men identify with their God given role in their families and work through issues that are holding them back.