One year in seminary I set a new year’s resolution to eat not one single French fry for a whole year. Now, it’s funny to think about all of my friends thinking I was accomplishing an unbelievable feat. I made it a whole year but all it did was “resolve” that I could survive without a fry. All a resolution is is a decision to or not to do something. It’s really not that inspiring. But Dictionary.com defines a goal as “the result or achievement toward which effort is directed”! Wow that’s inspirational! It’s so inspirational that the Apostle Paul uses this term to describe a life purpose: “I press on toward the goal to win the prize of God’s heavenly calling in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:14).” Goals give you purpose. In fact, in 2025, let’s not just make a goal, let’s make a S.M.A.R.T. goal! Here are five S.M.A.R.T contributors to complete your goals:
- Specific – General goals are not tangible such as I’m going to work out more. But the more details you put to the goal, it’ll come alive: I’m going to do a dumbbell work out before I go to my first ministry meeting and during my weekdays I’m going to meet one new person to converse the Good News of Jesus with.
- Measurable – You can’t measure loving your neighbor more in 2019, but you can make a goal of ringing their doorbell once a week and asking them how you may pray for them. This also allows you to evaluate whether or not your goal is on track during the year.
- Attainable – I’m most likely not going to make it on the Dallas Cowboys team in the Fall even though as far as the team goes this would be a good time to roll my wheelchair on the firld to try. Each year for the last five years, i’m made it a goal to read through the Bible in a year. It’s been a life changing discipline and God has used it to minister to me through some unexpected trauma.
- Readjust – Let’s not be static and legalistic. God might open doors or reveal new insights that may lead you to readjust the goal set. Be open to this and the newness that comes into your life: “Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it (Isaiah 43:19)?” Be perceptive.
- Timeline – In 2023, i started my followup book to Weak Is The New Strong with a goal of finishing the end of 2024. The first draft of Weak Is The New Strong is now complete. and now my goal is to get it published in 2025. Launch your 2025 being a monthly giver to this ministry now to mobilize missional lives. All monthly givers receives an autographed copy of my first book and of my second book upon release.
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