Goals and Regular Assessment...

I know in my season of life I have a lot of seasons happening at the same time… being a helpmeet to my husband and active in the business, children at many ages and in many phases (infant…teething, learning to walk, still nursing, etc. and young children…ACTIVE toddler and preschooler, a mother’s helper in training, a young man in training, one entering into young manhood, another going on into further education), ministering to my mom, serving the brethren, witnessing…and so forth.  It can be overwhelming at times. Taking time to write down goals (something that was mentioned during my husband’s continuing education class) can help us stay on track. What goals do I have for spiritual growth? For showing honoring and love to my husband? What goals do I have for child training? And how about expressing love toward my children? What goals do I have for keeping my home? For hospitality? Etc.

Making a list of goals, or in better terms, a list of what the Bible says about being a woman, wife, mother, sister in Christ is a great place to start. I tend to be a list maker, so having a place where this is listed serves as a great point of reference and as a reminder of what I am striving toward as a follower of Christ. Under each heading, list virtues and Scripture references to remind you what the Word says about each.

I find that regular assessment of the activities I am engaged in (or ideally, prior to engaging in them) helps me to discern whether these activities are profitable in meeting my goals.  Sometimes, upon assessment, things must be redirected...sometimes, upon assessment, things can be taken on.

 Asking questions like:

— How will this affect others in the family? (counting the costs)

— Is this something that is creating a hardship on my family? (hardship is to be endured however, if it is what God has called you to do – for example, caring for your children is not easy, however it is our duty as a mother to do so…caring for aging or sick parents may not be easy, but it is honoring and our Biblical responsibility to do so…we may need to adjust the other things in our life to allow us to do what is Biblically correct…so many lessons are being taught to our children and testifying to those around us, as we live out our hardship – whatever that may be. The hardship I am referring to in this question would be more relating to taking on extra-curricular activities, ministry opportunities, pursuit of interests, etc. There must be prioritizing, so as not to cause neglect in areas of responsibility for the sake of the interest.)

— Is this an opportunity for growth in the character of myself (my children) or will this cause me (them) to stumble or neglect other areas of responsibility? (once again, if it means neglecting duty/responsibility, it must be considered carefully…growth in character could mean though, ministering to those in need…just be careful not to neglect one area for the sake of another)

— Is this causing me (them) to draw closer to the Lord, therefore working toward my (their) goals of spiritual growth?

— Is this an opportunity to bear witness to His word (via hospitality, encouragement, honor, serving others before oneself, standing up for those that are perishing, poor and needy, etc.)?

— Is this an area I can use God’s given-gifts to minister to others (unless it would cause me to once again neglect my primary responsibilities)?

I’d love to know how you assess and keep track of your goals. Leave a comment with your practical tip or a resource you have found encouraging in helping you do so. We can benefit so much from others…my next post will be on list making with some links to free printables.  Be sure to check back soon.

Because of Him ~