Goals for 2018

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

1. Read the Bible in one year
   1. Do daily devotions using the D.A. Carson’s reading plan (Volume 1).
2. Journal/Blog every week this year
   1. Write SOMETHING/ANYTHING in my blog every week.  This is part of my Bible study.
3. Pray everyday
   1. Start and end my day with prayer.
   2. Pray for each member of my immediate family by name.
   3. Pray for my friends by name.
   4. Pray with my wife and kids everyday outside of meal times.
4. Go to church every Sunday, or if I cannot, teach my family from the Scripture.
5. Constantly seek to walk in the Spirit everyday and stay away from temporary fixes.
6. Seek God in prayer every time I have a decision to make for my family.
7. Memorize the book of Philippians by June 1.
8. Memorize a second book of the bible.
9. Exhort without apology.
10. Identify and lead a group of individuals in becoming more Christlike together.
11. Preach a sermon every quarter, wherever the Lord guides.
12. Encourage others constantly.
    1. Never talk about anyone behind their back and say something I would not say to their face.

Physical

1. Weigh 185 lbs. by March 6.
2. Maintain a balanced diet the whole week, with one cheat meal or desert on the weekend.
   1. Do not eat more than 2500 calories in any given day, except cheat day.
      1. On cheat day, no more than 3500 calories.
3. Run 3-4 times per week
4. Do weight training or body weight exercises 3 times per week.
5. Achieve a 300 APFT by the end of 2018.
   1. Never complete weight training day without doing my required reps for push ups and sit ups.
   2. Do 3 sets of max pull ups every weight training day.
   3. Do a timed 2 mile run every month.
6. Do a half marathon in the summer
7. Run 100 miles in February

Mental

1. Reduce anxiety
   1. Live each day fully and in the moment.
   2. Do not worry about anything outside of my control.
   3. Spend 5 minutes per day in silence appreciating my environment.
2. Pursue truth
   1. Be aware of what I “want to hear”
   2. Apply to myself what I would apply to others.
3. Do not put others down
   1. Always remember I am part of a team
   2. Seek to find the best in people and call that out
4. Honor my commitments
   1. Never change my plans unless an emergency.
   2. Say “No” if I am not certain I can accomplish it.
   3. Commit to less and allow free time in my life

Professional

1. Be the best Therapist I can be
   1. Read one book on therapy every month
   2. Finish my case notes every week.
   3. Journal every week on my counseling strengths and weaknesses
   4. Start a new counseling related program/group on campus
   5. Talk less, listen more
   6. Arrive to work 5 minutes early every day
2. Be the best Chaplain I can be
   1. Be mindful during every drill
      1. Do not worry about what is going on back home
   2. Remain faithful to my spiritual disciplines
   3. Prepare a sermon for every drill
   4. Be physical prepared to pass an APFT during every drill.
   5. Read one military publication every quarter.
   6. Read a Chaplaincy related book every quarter.
   7. Read one Christian book every quarter.
   8. Meet new soldiers during every drill.

Personal

1. Watch less T.V.
   1. Only one movie per week and only one 30 minute program per day.
2. Listen intently when others talk–ALWAYS.
3. Love and Respect my wife at ALL times.
4. Give my wife a compliment everyday on 3 levels–physical, spiritual, and practical.
5. A date night with my wife every week.
6. Alternate date night with each of my daughers every week.
   1. Sophia one week, Ella the next week, then Ava the following week.
7. Teach my daughters something from the Word every day.
   1. Read something from the Bible to my kids every night before bed.
8. Put my kids to bed every night that I am home.
9. Give my kids baths every night that I am home.
10. Stop and listen to my kids when they talk to me.
11. Never give up on my wife.  Always love her.
12. Do a minimum of 30 minutes housework every day–the most necessary duties.
13. Finish house by March 6.
    1. Work on house a minimum of 30 minutes, until finished, every day except for Sunday.
14. Call mother and father every week.
15. Call grandparents every month.

Finances

1. Balance budget every month.
2. Do not spend more than we take in every month.
3. Reduce debt every month.
   1. Eliminate credit cards by lowest number first.
4. Give presentation to my wife every month on our financial standing in all areas.

Creative

1. Create a marriage group that seeks to rejuvinate and empower marriages–especially men in their leadership role.
2. 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.