Monday, April 28, 2008

Goals, Dreams, and Guidance

I'm struggling again with goals, dreams, and guidance.

I found a great deal of help and comfort today in reading When I Don't Desire God by John Piper. It had some very practical suggestions for Bible reading and prayer and how the world and its beauties can point us to God.

A phrase that particularly captured me was "In daily life, to live wisely is to achieve the God centered goals for which we were created, including the glory of God in the gladness of our worship." (p. 145).

"To achieve the God centered goals for which I was created" - that, to me, is a perfect mission statement. It helps me to clarify my own:

To Write for Impact,
To Preserve for the Future,
To Lead for Change,
To Glorify God

- In that the focus of all of these is that that they are God centered.

So with that in mind, looking at all my wants and dreams, what are God centered goals?
- To glorify God in all that I do.
- To find joy in Christ more than anything is this world and glorify His worth through the His Word, Prayer, and His creation.
- To be a godly example and leader to my wife and children.
- To bear the Fruit of the Spirit (this would make a long list indeed!)
- To write in such a way that God is glorified.
- To preserve The Ranch (and all that I would have) in such a way that God's creation points others to God.
- To manage my physical body in such a way that it is useful to God yet is not glorified for the sake of itself.
- To use my mind in God glorifying ways through teaching and learning such that I glorify God more, not that I become more prideful or enamoured of my learning.
- To manage my finances in such a way that God is glorified in my money, not that my covetousness and greed are indulged.

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