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What is a goal you were scared to set this past year?
Why were you scared?
Did you achieve it?
Proverbs tells us
" The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty."
And in Luke, Jesus encourages us to "PLAN FOR THE COSTS."
The whole bible gives us examples of accomplishing goals, especially God driven goals. They highlight the sacrifice that they will take, the discipline and demands that sometimes...feel impossible!
But as we have heard before ..."With God, all things are possible." That part, "WITH GOD" tends to be a little under-appreciated yet the verse itself gets overused and, well kind of abused... because how many of you set your goals for this next year or this previous year: WITH GOD?
Did you take time out to ask him for his guidance, or did you call your best friend first?
Did you write down the baby steps, the stepping stones, the smaller goals in order to reach the bigger goal? But furthermore, WHAT it was realistically going to take?
If you didn't accomplish the goal(s) that you wanted in 2023 (and I am NOT JUDGING OR SAYING I DID... I'm in this with you!) maybe this year I can encourage you to reflect back on 2023 and figure out where things went wrong. You can read more on this here !!!
Luke goes on further to tell us that Jesus not only encouraged us to "plan for the costs," but to set WISE goals before moving ahead.
So again, I will ask, are you more likely to stick with your goals and make progress with them or not?
According to research a STAGGERING 92% of people DO NOT reach their goals!
So what is going to change for you this year? How can you make your goals wiser? And how do we include God in those goals?
We can gain a lot from reading. Reading about Noah's Ark, Deborah's battle win (if you haven't dove into this part of the bible, I'd highly encourage you too!), and Paul's goals to plant churches in diverse communities.
Proverbs reminds us
"Commit to the Lord whatever you do"
In other words, the HACKS to accomplishing your goals, or making progress on them or even gaining motivation (which 43% of Americans lack motivation) all comes from making sure you are leaning into God! His word, and his guidance. Heck! Even if you aren't sure you want to fully commit, reading about Jesus and the works in the bible can only help you!
Luke especially highlights how each one of us has an opportunity to respond to God in faith...but keep in mind, it is also not up to us to respond for others!
This is where one does need to embrace the suck. Some goals or callings, are going to be HARD. Not just hard but downright brutal. But remember :
"With God all things are possible."
So maybe you've blown it... and maybe it's even been a few years or a lifetime of ignoring your purpose, or settling less than you are capable of or what you were meant to do.... but if you think about it for a second, as scary as those goals, or how hard following through maybe, if you are trying to live out your calling, and truly feel it is your calling, you will have momentum, motivation, and the help of God to get you through it!
Leaning on God is key.
Prioritize (make the time now, in your schedule to create your schedule, to create time in your schedule to review weekly what is working what is not)
Be consistent If you aren't showing up then why should HE?
And be committed Same thing as above.
So what goals did you or did you not reach this past year in 2023?
What do you think got in the way if you didn't?
What do you think worked for the ones that did?
What adjustments do you think you need to make to SET WISE GOALS moving ahead?
Now before you think I've got it all together or that I'm pointing fingers I'm not. I"m simply saying how hard it can be to "EMBRACE THE SUCK" (click to read that article) oh wait and the sequel click here at times and oh wait.. I could keep going with more sequels but most of you know that I'm battling several autoimmune diseases, have had several surgeries, and continue to FIGHT for my goals... but why? and where does this GRIT (my word of the year 2024) come from...the only place it can, FROM GOD. And although "Blessings look like BULLSHIT" sometimes (yup wrote about that too.. feel free to check out all of our blog posts) they are blessings. They do keep us going and YOU ARE STRONG ENOUGH, with GOD... to do anything!
I thought I would share with you some clips from over the year when I had days that I had to fight through. It's not always perfect, sunshine or rainbows... but you can't have a rainbow without a little rain and sun!
HOMEWORK!
Answer the above questions in this blog post.
Create your goals for the 2024 year but divide them into quarters.
Create a YEARLY vision board for 2024 with the 4 different quarters of the year.
And join us! For one or more of any of our adventures!
April 12th-14th Desert Rats Events Fruita CO (Friday 10k/Sat 50k-100k/ Sun 21k) "RUGGED RETREAT FRUITA" We have an opportunity to host a Rugged Retreat for this weekend in the area. Those interested would walk/hike/run the 10k Friday night, stay 2 nights with a Sunday departure and Saturday full of education and fun. Healthy meals, running drills/techniques forms/gait analysis, lodging, mobility would all be included. This would be a $540 investment not including race entry fee. LIMIT 5 (additional opportunities available for those with their own lodging). click
August 1st-4th RUGGED RUNNING CAMP is back?! But more RUGGED than ever to make it happen! Permit pending-->  click  LIMIT IS 4!
September 13-14th RRR 50 mile and 100 mile races. click (we are also interested in crew/pacing help for some)
November 2nd Salina KS 5k/Marathon/1/2 Marathon/Relay for ONLY $5 by March 31st!!!! Register at https://register.chronotrack.com/r/77705 by March 31st and the entry fee for any of the seven events is only $5.00 (purchasing a race shirt is optional this year and is an additional $20.00). This will depend on my kids xc schedule but there is already a group going.