“Whoa, we’re half-way there. Whoa-oh living on a prayer.
Take my hand, we’ll make it, I swear.
Whoa-oh, living on a prayer.”
-Jon Bon Jovi
We’re half-way through the year, and this feels pretty accurate– no? 2023 rolled in with all of its possibilities and promise, and here we are, midway through, wondering how we’re going to get to the end. We want to finish strong, but if we’re honest…most of us are losing momentum.
For all the sweetness the long days of Summer usher in, it’s hard to ignore the upended routines and shifts in focus that often come with them. If we aren’t careful, this can be a time when we give up on our goals because things aren’t working out quite like we planned. But take heart, friend, it’s not quitting time! You’re still in the race.
In the Bible, Paul knew the wisdom of forgetting failures– and even successes– in order to persevere. In Philippians 3:13-14, he writes, “Brothers and sisters, I do not regard myself as having taken hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."
WAVE THE WHITE FLAG
While Paul reminds us to keep pressing on, there’s an even larger message that he wants us to grasp. We must persevere with confidence, but not in ourselves. He explains in Philippians 1:6: “I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.”
God is faithful to finish what he started…even when we aren’t. He knows you cannot do everything that you set out to do this year in your own strength. But, do you?
If you’re trying desperately to keep it all together and to be everything for everyone, then it’s time for a reminder– you can’t do it alone. God sees you and knows your struggle, and He will strengthen and sustain you. He will help you finish strong.
Planning and goal setting is wonderful, but don’t be disillusioned when things don’t go as you anticipated. Stop striving for control and simply surrender. God’s got this!
TIME FOR REFRESHMENT
In any race, it’s vital that you stop for refreshment. Rather you're hitting your stride or limping along unsure of how you’ll make the next lap, you need fuel to keep running.
When I designed the Dream Planner, I purposely created seasonal refresh pages to provide space (and a reminder) for a quarterly check-in. It’s meant to be a place for pause and reflection on how things are going and what might need to change. Creating this space for prayer and re-alignment is intentional as it helps me quiet the noise and tune my ear to hear God's voice and plans for me.
If you’re in need of encouragement and clarity, I want to invite you to join me for the Summer Seasonal Refresh. I’ve created a YouTube video where I walk you through exactly how to set your Summer goals and refresh your intentions using the pages of the 2023 Dream Planner.
Don’t have a Dream Planner? That’s okay! You can download the workbook pages for FREE right here!
In addition to prayer, I love to listen to praise and worship music to prepare my heart for this special time with the Lord. I often have it playing in the background as I work in my Dream Planner. I’ve even created a playlist to correspond with the Summer Seasonal Refresh that I’d like to share with you! It’s available here anytime.
Each of these songs remind me that God is the ultimate time-keeper, and He has good plans for me and also for you. If we get off track, He is faithful to guide us right back to where we should be!
“The Lord will guide you always, he will satisfy your needs in a sun scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.” -Isaiah 58:11
Yes, and Amen.
If you want to jump into planning with us, we also have a limited number of 2023 Dream Planners still available at Horacio Printing! And be on the lookout for our 2024 planners this Fall! The best is yet to come!