A Plan for the New Year

The new year approaching has been on my mind. Some new things will take place in the new year - like for one, I start taking classes again and will be preparing for the nursing program. And there are a few things on my heart that I would like to accomplish or to be a part of. I really want to start visiting with the elderly and shut-ins again. I think I've needed to take an emotional hiatus from that ministry the past few months to heal from losing Mrs. Jessie. My heart is eager to begin again and receive the blessings that that ministry brings.

Now, I've always been one to over-schedule myself and fail to make proper time to nourish myself in the Lord while serving and doing for others. I love serving others, and increasing my own joy by seeing the joy of others increase, but it does not do me any good if I am not also spending time with God in His word and seeking to be filled with joy in Christ alone.

Ever so faithful, the Lord has provided me a resource to help guide me in the New Year. I came across A NEW YEAR'S PLEA: PLAN! by John Piper. In this article, Piper sets forth scripture and the importance of why we need to plan both in our prayer time, Bible study, ministry, and even in our work and personal/family life.

"Nothing but the simplest impulses gets accomplished without some forethought which we call a plan.

All of us know this and practice it in relation to the basic physical necessities of life. We take steps to see that we have enough to eat and clothes to keep us warm. But do we take our spiritual needs that seriously? Do we apply the same earnestness in planning to maximize our ministry as we do in planning to make a living?"

I'm so glad the Lord has chosen this time to teach me this - to admonish my heart to be more of a planner when it comes to my time, ministry, family, work, school and most importantly in my relationship with Him.

I'm eager to see what this New Year will bring and what the Lord will teach me. And even though, I rarely adjust well to change, I welcome it because I know that is how I grow and move to new places.

Proverbs 16:3, "Commit your work to the Lord and your plans will be established."