Tag Archives: goals

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Nearly 9 months are down…Are you meeting your goals for 2010?!

Hello World!!! 

Can you feel September in the air? I can…It’s crisper outside…my eczema is starting to act up again…college football is on television (Go Dawgs!)…

Guess what y’all? That means we have just over three months to accomplish our goals and dreams for 2010! As I scan over my list, I’m feeling pretty good I must say…not every one has been checked off, but I’m getting there…

I will share a few of them with you…I paid off my credit card, and I am faithfully building up my emergency fund with God’s help! And I have other financial goals that God is helping me to accomplish as well…Yay God! Yay me!

Let me share a few verses with you that I was reminded of last week that inspire me to continue to chase after my goals and dreams for this year…

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.  Hebrews 11:1

This verse tells me that just because I don’t see the evidence of what I hope for in my life does not mean that my blessing is not on the way…God is a rewarder of those who diligently seek him, and He is working miracles all of the time…

Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. 1 Peter 4:12

People (especially me) don’t like to hear this, but Christians are guaranteed trouble, hardship and setbacks…Why? Because trouble, hardship and setbacks build up our faith!  And without faith, it is impossible to please God…And I find that I trust in God most when I am forced to do so..and you know what they say…”You cannot have a testimony without a test!”

But a time is coming, and has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home. You will leave me all alone. Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me. I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.  John 16:32-33

But guess what y’all? Although we are guaranteed trouble, hardship and setbacks, we are also  guaranteed that we are never alone because the Father is with us…AND we are guaranteed that we have the victory because God has the victory!

I hope these verses inspire you to keep striving for your goals for 2010! It ain’t ova till it’s ova!!! I was also reminded of a time-tested saying last week…”If the Lord brought you to it, He will bring you through it!”

Any thoughts?

Pastor Shirley Caesear’s song “You’re Next in Line for a Miracle” comes to mind this morning…Enjoy!

 

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Check In: 2009 will be a memory in nearly three months…

Hello World!!!

Can you believe it? September is nearly over, and after that, all we have left to 2010 is October, November and December.  So since the year is more than half over at this point, I thought it would be a good time to reflect on our goals for this year. 

One of my goals was to continue to work on making this blog the best it can be by planning topics in advance, booking guest bloggers, writing book reviews, etc. I haven’t done all that I had planned to, but I am satisfied with my progress. And I will continue to work on this goal as this year comes to a close. Another one of goals was to help plan this event for this organization that I am involved in. I’m happy to say that event went very well, and I’m really proud of myself.

But in reflecting on my involvement in that organization, I realized that I am often more committed to the goals of organizations and other people than I am to my own goals. That means that when somebody has asked me to do something, I get it done. But when I ask myself to do something, I may or may not get it done. That’s not good.  I need to commit to myself that I will be as dedicated to my own goals as I am to other people’s goals.

I am most proud of myself for working on my financial status.  I have saved more than I ever have before, and God has blessed my efforts by rewarding me with a few windfalls. I give thanks to God and my financial counselor. Another one of my goals was to commit “random acts of kindness” anonymously and otherwise for friends, associates, etc. Hmmm…I’ve got more work to do in this area…I had planned to write for four new publications this year. I have written several articles for one publication – not quite what I aspired to, but I am thankful and will keep pushing.  And I have decided to investigate a new form of writing. This was not on my original list of goals, but in this economy, we all know it’s important to diversify your skills.

One of my goals for developing this blog was to create a market for my book After the Altar Call: A Young Black Woman’s Journey of Faith, but I still hadn’t developed any specific goals  this year toward getting my book published. I had become so discouraged last year that I hadn’t approached any agents in a while, but I have decided to begin approaching agents again. To date, I have only submitted a letter to a single agent, so I have got to get busy. And if you know me, feel free to ask if I have submitted a letter to an agent lately. I need the encouragement.

And finally, I had some goals for my romantic life…awww, what can I say, what can I say…I have done my best…I haven’t gotten quite the results I had hoped for, but nevertheless I’m pressing on. In spite of my magic magnifying mind, I guess I will just have to take things one day at a time and see what unfolds…

To encourage me and you, I have decided to share two nuggets of wisdom that I love. If you are a Jamaican or were raised by a Jamaican, I’m sure that you know this Jamaican proverb or famous quote…(maybe this is why Jamaicans always have so many jobs, haha)

The heights of great men reached and kept were not attained by sudden flight.  But they, while their companions slept, were toiling upwards in the night.

And here is my favorite verse in the whole Bible. If you are anything like me, you know you are prone to making mistakes and causing your own misfortune, but thanks be to God, that He is in everything…

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28

Finally, I’m glad God is my on my side, but I’m also thankful for friends who God has often used to encourage me this year. Even if I don’t accomplish all of my goals, my friends are always there…thank goodness…Pastor Marvin Winans wrote a touching song about not having people to turn to in his time of need…I had forgotten how much I loved the song until he sang it in Tyler Perry’s “I Can Do Bad All By Myself.” Check out the video below…how are you doing with your goals for 2009?

Any thoughts?

P.S. I don’t know what is on President Obama’s list of goals for the year, but what could possibly be wrong with providing affordable healthcare for everyone…

P.P.S.  I am still “hoping, wishing & praying…”

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Check-In: God Has Got Our Back

Hello World!!!

As of tomorrow, the month of June begins. Can you believe that 2009 is almost half over? I can’t! It seems like just yesterday that I was pondering my goals and dreams for the new year…So how are you doing on your goals and dreams for 2009? My spiritual community and I have a phrase that we use to determine how one another is doing. That phrase is “checking in.” You can “check in” with yourself and with other people.

For the purposes of this blog, I will share some of the “checking in” I have done with myself over the last week.  One of my goals for the new year was to start saving money consistently. Wonders of wonders, I have actually been saving! As I take out my tithe out of my paycheck, I also subtract my savings…My savings account isn’t huge, but it is growing. I also wanted to take a finances class or seminar to learn more about finances and become financially healthy. Well, I am proud to say that I now have a financial coach. So I am on track in that area! Another one of my goals is to make this blog the best it possibly can be. I’m working on that…My goal is to post twice a week…This month I haven’t done that…but I’m getting back on track…I also want to expand what I cover on this blog…I don’t have a “game plan” yet for that endeavor, but I will work on that during the  month of June. I have also wanted to find a career mentor, but I haven’t been able to find one yet…I hope to work on that in June…we’ll see…

Another one of my goals was to go to five journalism networking events this year…I have attended two so I feel pretty good about that…I need to attend three more and make sure that I utilize contacts that I make at each of these events. And networking for me is not only about working to advance my career…I have learned that it is important to network to help others as well…Another one of my goals was to stay on top of my daily mail and e-mail…Not looking good…I have over 900 new e-mail messages in my inbox and stacks of mail I need to go through…I know it’s important to look at each of these each day, but I get sooo overwhelmed sometimes…Anybody got any tips for making this task more manageable?

So that is a little bit of my “check in.” How are you doing? Have you remembered to dream and dream big? Have you written down your goals? Have you made your vision boards and posted them within easy view? Have you consulted others who may be able to help you achieve your goals? In my experience, it is only with the help of others that I can achieve my goals and dreams. My friend, Dr. Pam Thompson, has begun a series, “Blue Lights in the Basement,” in an effort to “take psychology and life coaching to the streets.” I attended the inaugural session on Friday and what I learned there I think will help me achieve my dreams and goals for this year and beyond…

But let’s face it…sometimes things happen in our lives that we aren’t prepared for that can derail our goals and dreams…Many people have lost their jobs this year…I have experienced that before…It’s not fun for sure…But when that has happened to me, I have learned that God has got my back, and I have always moved onward and upward…(Yes, it has happened to me more than once…) Let  me share a portion of the sermon that my father preached for the New Year’s Eve service. He preached on Hebrews 13:5-6. This passage is from The Message version of the Bible.

 5-6Don’t be obsessed with getting more material things. Be relaxed with what you have. Since God assured us, “I’ll never let you down, never walk off and leave you,” we can boldly quote,

   God is there, ready to help;
   I’m fearless no matter what.
   Who or what can get to me?

And here are some of the notes that I took from the sermon:

1. Don’t look to money as the source of your supply. If you have a lack of money, that is not the end of the story.

2. Our Heavenly Father is the source of your supply and is able to make a way out of no way.

3. Face the New Year with contentment.

4. Face the New Year with courage. We are not alone on our pilgrim journey…

 No matter what, God has got our back…

Any thoughts?