It’s that time of year where we start to think about setting goals for next year. That’s an important thing to do, and I’ll be talking about it more soon, but before we can move forward, we need to pause and take a look back. Join me for Episode 39 of Just One Simple Thing. This episode is a little different. In these short few minutes, I’ll lead you through a powerful time of reflection and prayer. So if you can, grab a pen and piece of paper, your cozy beverage of choice, and spend some time looking back with me.
As the new year approaches, this is the time we start longing for a fresh start.
We need to close the door on the year and move forward. But if you’ve ever tried to put a child to bed, you know it’s hard to close the door on something that is still calling out to you. They’ll keep calling your name until you come back, tuck them in with a sweet kiss, say a prayer over them and gently pull the door to with an emphatic click. Closing the door on a year can be much the same. Without that emphatic click, the events of the prior year will keep calling to you, dragging you back into places you may not need to or want to go. So before you cozy up in front of the fireplace with your clean new planner and start mapping out the next year, spend time reviewing where you’ve been over the last 365 days.
Start with a look back at last year. Take a deep breath, put your emotions aside and take an honest look at what happened last year.
Don’t just look at the events themselves, but how they impacted you, your family, ministry or business. Dive in that deeper layer to uncover the truths that can transform the next year.
Tuck in what gets left behind. Now that we’ve identified what we can learn from the past year, it’s time to tuck in the parts we need to leave behind and give them a sweet good night kiss.
We need to separate the valuable lessons from the broken places and leave what’s broken behind.
Praying over the past. Leaving behind that baggage is much easier said than done. In fact, even for the most disciplined among us, we can’t do it based solely on the strength of our own will power. Only with God’s help can we truly walk away from those things don’t line up with His best plans for us.
Closing the door. Before we head out the door, we have one more task. We’ve focused on letting go of the hard things, but let’s not forget there was an awful lot of good along the way. Gather those things up and hold them tight.
Now, turn with excitement and anticipation towards the new year, take those first faith-filled steps and pull the door closed behind you. And keep walking. Keep moving forward.
ACTION STEP:
I’d love for you to join me for the Looking Back to Move Forward Challenge. In this free, 5-day challenge, we’ll dive in to each of these steps and prepare our hearts and minds to walk boldly into 2022. The challenge starts on December 13 and you can sign up for the challenge at Doanewthing.com.
Book Recommendation: If you struggle with knowing how God sees you, check out the book “More Than A Name: Discover Who You Are By Studying Who Jesus Is” by Liz Giertz.
Did last month get away from you with little progress on your plans?
If only someone could help you make sure you are working on the right things at the right time and create a plan that is actually doable.
Let me review your plan for the month and give you personal feedback, just like I give my one-on-one clients.
It’s the most cost-effective way to get personal coaching and feel confident in taking your next steps forward.
Click here to learn more about the Move Forward Review!
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