What do you want from me?
Knowing God’s Will for all the parts of your life
Today: Spend time reflecting on the ways you have sensed God’s direction pursuing your goal. Your project for today is to write down all the ways that God has confirmed you working on this particular goal. 
Whether it’s cleaning out a closet or walking a 10K for clean water in Africa, you have been nudged to put this goal “out there”. For me, the exercising 5x a week is easy – I want to finally figure out how to honor this body God gave me.
Maybe yours is simply wanting to bring order to your life. There was no big flash from the clouds, you are just longing for peace. Whatever it is, get a notebook and write it down.
Here are just some of the ways that God may be confirming this goal for you:
- Other people you respect have told you to pursue it
- You feel peace as you give up other activities in order to work on this goal.
- Other people recognize this talent in you and want you to use it.
- You everyday you have the same sense of wanting a change in this area.
- You start to see “divine appointments” show up in your life. Meeting a friend of a friend who is looking for an apprentice in the field you are exploring. Just when you need a certain piece of equipment, your friend posts on your homeschooling loop that they are getting rid of said piece of equipment.
- As you do your regular bible study, God keeps whacking you over the head with verses that support what you have been praying about.
Here is where I want you to spend just a few minutes writing down all the ways that God has used your past, your present, your friends, your family, your prayers and His word in order to confirm this goal: If you don’t believe you have received confirmation stop working and start praying.
Keep your notebook in your purse or on your cell phone and when confirmation comes along write it down.
What does confirmation look like for you? I asked my friend, Katie what that confirmation, that leading, looked like for her as decided to do a year-long mission to a war-torn country in 2004. Here are some of the steps that led her from a safe day-to-day job as a nurse practitioner in San Jose, CA, to traveling a world away working in a Muslim country doing relief work and church planting:
1. The seed of a thought is planted – Katie attended Urbana 2000, a mission’s conference in Urbana Illinois. At that conference she heard a missionary speak about evangelizing to the Muslim community. Until that point, Katie had always considered Muslim society closed to the thought of Christianity.
2. Paying Attention – Katie had always been interested in missions, but didn’t know what her next move should be. I love the advice that one of her friends gave her about sensing God’s direction: “Pay attention to the things you’re noticing because that is often how God speaks.”
Katie started to notice that more and more, the Muslim world stated to collide with Katie’s world. Between missionary’s letter home to the evening news, Katie couldn’t turn around without noticing her heart growing more tender toward the Muslim people.
3. Holy Curiosity – Katie said, “It was at that point I developed a holy curiosity,” I love that. She knew it was more than a coincidence – she knew that God was steering her in a certain direction and that she better pay attention.
4. Making the First Step – Katie attended a conference in Indiana in 2003 that was focused on evangelizing to Muslims.
5. Making the Decision – When Katie received a forward e-mail from a friend about the opportunity to serve overseas for a year, she was prepared. She had followed God’s leading all along the way and she was ready to take on that adventure with Him.
Most of you are not making such a long distance decision. But even those little decisions can lead to HUGE life change. Committing to family dinners three times a week can change the course of your family. Organizing your paperwork can lead to financial freedom. Don’t take lightly the “small” things that God is asking you to tend to. Those small things are the stepping stones to the bi
g things He is preparing us for.
Oh – and for just a little more motivation, I love a good, printable calendar to dream on, and these from TomKat Studios are just gorgeous!!!
Tell us in the comments below one way that you have felt confirmed or recognized that God’s opened a door about this goal. You could win Ten Prayers God Always Says Yes To
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I’m a little late on the start-up, but this email was in my in-box waiting for the right time. I’ve been dealing with all kinds of challenges between being a SAHM, running a business with my husband, school, etc. And I’ve lost my self and my mind along the way. My goal for this year is to start taking care of myself so I can better serve God, my family and others. So when I saw “The Me Project” I knew that was God nudging me out of my guilt-pool and telling me “Yes, take some time to figure you out.” Thanks Kathy! I’m looking forward to hearing you speak at MOPS again!
Most of the time I feel as though I can only hear what God is telling me not to do. And on some level I know that in itself is guidance. My goal to start my business has been on my heart for years. I have such a huge desire/pull to help others. Beyond that I have no idea where to start and am (im)patiently, waiting for guidance from the Lord.
God’s timing is the key…not my timing. One of the things that God has been “working on” in my life is letting go of activities and commitments. Over the past year, God has been helping me step away from activities (such as leading our women’s retreat) and to free up pockets of time not only on my schedule but even more important…free up time in my life. I’m spending time with God, discovering what my passions are, what my spiritul gifts are and then where does God want me to invest my time, talents, and treasures. I’m letting God guide me to ministries and projects that He wants me to do…where He wants me to invest my time and spiritual gifts. I don’t know what God has in store for me…but I’m learning to follow God and trust in what He has planned for me. So this is my season of letting go…taking God’s hand and letting me lead me into greater adventures.
Can I just quote Susan Powter and leave it at that? “Stop the insanity!” No? ok. I need peace in my home, so I can be at peace. I’m talking about all the stuff than needs to get done daily, weekly, monthly and “other”. I don’t do well in clutter (including clutter of the mind/to-do) so I need to start & implement a realistic plan that I can follow, so I can actually maintain the things I need to, as well as do things I enjoy. And the &$*!)(^%@()#&^%@ technology in my home that is supposed to be helping is NOT
I feel like God has been nudging me for a long time to seek healing through Celebrate Recovery (being a daughter of an Alcoholic, and also dealing with my own addictive patterns). I am making a commitment to go regularly!
One of my goals was to craft/blog more often. I have been confirmed in my blogging in a few ways. I have felt a tugging to share my story. This has been confirmed by people asking me to write; someone blessing me with re-design of my blog, and more. While I know it will be a long, and possibly painful process, I am excited for this goal to come to fruition.
I have decided to read the bible through in a year, loose a great big number of weight and have NO EXCUSES. I am determined to make 2012 a different year in terms of my spiritual connection to Jesus and what he is doing in my life.
I am striving to be more deliberate & intentional is every aspect of my life: interacting with my children, loving my husband and striving for my goals. My first ME Project of the year is to begin writing down my thoughts and scriptures for a daily devotional book for women struggling to get pregnant. The idea came to me a couple of years ago when I was struggling with conception. I felt as if I had no spiritual support system except for prayers each day and every night. The Lord often speaks to me while I am driving aboutnhow I need to do this for other women who are having similar struggles. He encourages me through billboards, marquees, magazine covers, through people I meet in the grocery line…I know I need to do this and He has given me courage to write aboutnit here.
Writing and speaking as a ministry is my focus for 2012! God constantly reminds me of His will for me through my friends, family, and acquaintances. Unbelievably some well known speakers and authors have encouraged me to pursue these goals, too. No more procrastinating, excuses, or distractions. This is the year! I have a plan in place with accountability. My personality sabotages dreams so I totally need to rely on God to lead, guide, and motivate me! I want to join with all of you inspiring women in accomplishing our goals with Kathi in the days, weeks and months ahead!
First and foremost I am committed to reading the entire bible in a year. This will be a challenge for me but I am excited. Our whole church is making the commitment together, so I know it will be a truly amazing experience. Secondly, I am committed to have meals planned in advance and dinner (made by me) on the table every night. It has already been a blessing. Third, I am committed to taking care of myself better by going to the gym and eating better. Lastly, (is that a word??) I am committed to not watching TV until after dinner. As a stay at home mom it is so easy to get sucked in by it. It is such a time waster and my home is already beginning to sparkle with all of the extra time I’ve found.
My word for this year is “transforming.” I am working on transforming myself–get my writing done–walking on the treadmill every day–I would love to become healed from this back injury that I have been suffering from for almost 2 years now–if not I need to find a way to deal with it so that it is no longer crippling me. I am signed up for college classes in two weeks and I will be joining the YMCA to do more water therapy (finding it the best form of exercise for this injury.) I need to help my husband with our finances, since working is difficult now so I am looking into ways that I can do that from home. This is going to be a “transforming” kind of year 🙂
When I started thinking about what I wanted to focus on this year, the word Patience kept coming up. Patience isn’t a new concept for me, but I guess I didn’t learn the lessons I needed to learn during the 17 years of waiting for a child! Over the past few years, I’ve really come to recognize a problem with anger (that has been there all along, I just didn’t acknowledge it). I’m learning that my impatience is generally the root of my anger or frustration.
A confirmation…. after I set my one word (myoneword.org) as patience, I started (for about the 5th time) The Love Dare. The first day talks a lot about patience. (Ouch! My toes are still hurting).
Patience also applies to my constant struggle for a healthy lifestyle/weight. I tend to do well for about 5 or 6 weeks and then I get impatient. I know that it will take time to take off more than 100 pounds. (they didn’t all come on overnight!)
I have decided to work on my weight and finances this year. I just got done watching a very inspiring documentary, called Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead, and it inspired me to drink more fruit and vegetable juice. My husband has been on board with me this year too, on all our goals, so I feel very encouraged bout that.
“You everyday you have the same sense of wanting a change in this area.” This is the one that suck out to me. I check my account balances everyday. I obsess about them and where they are and if I have spent too much or if I need to transfer money. God wants me to let this go and let Him take care of money for me. I can’t keep trying to control this myself, I have to let God help.
My problem is losing focus, I’m easily distracted and get off tract and having a rough year, I am so off tract and my word is “HEALTHIER” eat healthier, be more active, and healthier relationships in my life. Said it and now I start!!!
So excited for 2012 and the goals challenge you have issued to busy women everywhere!
I chose to set 4 specific goals in the categories of spiritual, health, writing and photography. I relaunched my 365 photography project too! I’m using Seth Godin’s Pick 4 goals workbook to track them daily.
Accountability is probably my biggest struggle and the reason I wouldn’t finish what I started. How do you keep yourself accountable?
Confirmation for me is easy- we have deadlines imposed upon us by the Air Force. We must move this summer and everything needs to be ready to go before Dan gets home from deployment. With the house done we can spend our time regrouping as a family instead of purging the basement before the move.
I think that the process of purge, organize, and contain will bring up other personal issues, so I’m preparing myself for that as well. I have other goals and dreams that have been put on the back burner because I feel I can’t pursue them without my household in order first. At the end of the year, I’ll be resettled in a new place with a fresh start and hopefully no excuses! I’m already looking ahead to 2013 possibilities!
I’ve known for a while that I need to take better care of my body and this past weekend while my husband and I were discussing our goals for the new year we came up with a plan and he is willing to sacfrice for me to be able to give me the encouragement/motivation I need to follow through with eating better and exercising. And just 2 days into it I already feel calmer and more at peace with my life. God is good and will give me the strength I need. And I thank Him for that!
I feel confirmed all the time about writing. God has placed a not one, but two, women in my life who are writers. One is published and one just got a publishing contract. I feel at peace when I put aside other things and just write. I read scripture and feel confirmed about the direction I’m heading. Pretty much every direction I turn, I hear something confirming me about writing. Three years ago, before I even became a Christian, I accepted a job as a grant “writer”, leaving behind my job in social services to go in the direction I love.
I have just kept putting the novel writing on the back burner because I’ve been so afraid to pursue it. I mean, it’s not exactly a career where you can be financially stable (at least that’s what everyone tells me). But, I haven’t felt at peace. So… it’s time to just let go and let God.
I have been married for almost 6 years and my biggest issue with being a homemaker is I can’t seem to keep up with the kitchen. This is one of the very few things that my husband and I can’t come to an agreement on or seem to help each other out with. Its always a mess and I need that peace of a clean kitchen and always having clean dishes. So thats why this year one of my goals is to have no dishes in the sink before I go to bed and have it cleaned everynight. I’m not going to worry about if he is going to help me because that will just bring on the the stress.
A second cousin recently just told me how much she enjoys hearing about my love for god on Facebook. In my world of my closest family not being believers that was very very good to hear I am reaching someone. In order to be more useful for god , I need to be in his word more. Certain verses are coming to mind but I don’t know what they are or even where to find them! It’s time for that to change! My son is a sponge now, and he’s getting interested in things, I need to have godly answers!
I still have a couple of extra pounds from having my children 5 years ago. Though I have wanted to lose them I’ve always felt like my husbands need for me to be thin was not for the right reasons, I was almost holding on to them for security. After a struggle to hold on to our marriage we came out on top and stronger than ever this year. I finally felt at peace with myself, my marriage, and my body. 2 months ago I started making an effort to get healthy and lose the pounds. I finally feel good about it, at peace with the idea of being healthy and not feeling like I’m just depriving myself. Everyday I tell my husband what I have lost or gained : ) from the day before and he has incuraging words everyday for me. It has been fantastic. I’ve lost 10 pounds but needless to say hit some what of a plateau over the holidays. I have felt a push from within telling me the next step is to start exercising again. Through the turmoil of life this year and the new task of a healthier me I feel God walking beside me reassuring me he will not put anything in front of me we can’t get through together.
I need to honor God by taking care of myself and being an example to my husband and kids.
Last week I withdrew from cosmetology school. After much turmoil and stress at home I felt like God was telling me that it wasn’t the right time to be away from my family. Being a SAHM is what he has called me to be. So my goal is to be a better, God fearing, God instilling momma.