Strain Towards What is Ahead

"Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 3:13, 14 NIV)

Dear Lord,

Good morning! First Sunday of the year. Dear Lord, I pray for that one word, that one theme I need to focus on this year. I've been trying to make a plan in my little journal. But I don't think it can be sustained. Everything is still a bit of a jumble in my mind. Maybe I'll make a journal app. But what I wanted to do was a journal that would also serve as a Life Group material for people. First, it would talk about taking our thoughts captive. So, it's about setting what to think of. And creating a spoken declaration to ward off the darkness. Next, it's talking about what makes us happy. In my walk with You, I have learned that joy, like love, is an action word. It is not an outcome or state. It is a verb, something to actively do. So, for happiness, we first define what makes us happy. What awes us. And we actively pursue it. Then there's budgeting. It's good to know how much we have and how much we alot to things so we do not overspend or feel deprived. Here, we set what we want to achieve for the year and start saving up for it early on. And here's where we set sidelines and how we can earn extra income. Then there's the relationships. We spend so much time waiting for people to appear in our life. That we tend to forget that we have so many people in our lives we never really pay much attention to. We ask for friends. We ask for people we can hang out with. And we wait, when we have like a thousand friends on Facebook. Here, we set coffees. Every week, we have coffee with a person. Here's when we also set a mentor or be a mentor to someone. And maybe plan throwing parties. Next is exercise. We set exercise regimens and find buddies. Maybe decide to join a class. Next, we set learning. What do we learn this year? Do we learn blogging? Do we learn to cook that one mean dish? Then there's the makeover and grooming. Lord, I have so many ideas. But what to do with them? Do I make a book? I'd like to try this with my friends. Oh, yes, and there's the heart thing where we try to see the month in rose-colored glasses and be kind and freak everybody out. Ah, Lord. Teach me. Let me be useful to You and my fellow man.

Let the morning bring me word of Your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in You. This I pray in Jesus' Name. Amen.