So I think I am finally ready to talk about some of my goals for 2011.  ALL of us should set goals!  Why? 

1. Goals help bring clarity to our lives.
2. Goals help us to prioritize.  Many of us spend way to much time doing nothing, not because we are lazy, but because we lack direction. 
3. Goals build confidence.  Even if we don’t achieve our goals, if we honestly work towards them we will find we have done far more than we thought we could and that will build-up our confidence. 
4. Goals written down are more likely achieved than just hoping we accomplish something!

What to know when you are setting goals:  They should be SMART!

• S-specific
• M-measurable
• A-attainable
• R-realistic
• T-time bound (trackable)

So here are some of my goals for 2011:

Spiritual:

• I will memorize the 100 scriptures every Adventist should know by June 1, 2011.  (I got these scriptures from my friends at the ARISE/Lightbearers.
• I will read through the book “Desire of Ages” as part of my morning worship.
• I will not miss Visalia Seventh-day Adventist Church’s House of Prayer two weeks in a row.
• I will meet with my prayer partner weekly.
• I will make one lost friend and lead them to Jesus in 2011.

Familial:

• I will eat supper with my family at least five nights a week.
• I will be home to put my boys to bed at least three nights out of the work week.
• I will pray daily with my sons and my wife.
• I will go on at least two dates a month with my wife.
• I will plan 1 family vacation.
• I will plan 1 romantic get away with my wife.
• I will preach a maximum of 40 Sabbaths in 2011.

Physical:

• I will drink 90 ounces of water per day.
• I will complete p90x (I’ve completed day 1 twice, I started over to have my rest day on the Sabbath) by April 22nd, 2011.
• I will run a minimum of 3 miles at least 3 times per week.
• I will run two half-marathons.
• I will eat vegetables and fruit every day.
• I will stop using cow’s milk on my cereal in 2011 (I love all my dairy people out there, but I’ve gotta do it, and don’t tell, but I’ll still be eating cheese:))  It is only bought for me now, since Dayton has switched to Almond Milk.

Professional:

• I will read at least one work related book a month.
• I will weekly write this blog!
• I will work to develop stronger communication skills with my staff and elders, I will have them evaluate me at the end of the year to see if I achieved this goal.
• I will seek the counsel of my mentors and advisors monthly.
• I will learn the ARISE curriculum for giving 1 on 1 Bible Studies.
• I will develop and preach my own evangelistic sermons by April, 2011.
• I will provide “text” hand-outs for my sermons weekly.
• I will seek to find a volunteer that I can work with on weekly powerpoint presentations for sermons.
• I will work with our team to develop a strategy for growth groups/small groups.
• I will start and teach our membership class at least once a quarter.
• I will find a small number of folk I can disciple.  Jesus discipled in small intimate relationships.
• I will train 50 members of our church to be Spiritual mentors of new believers that join our church.

Personal Growth and Development:

• I will complete levels 1 & 2 of the Spanish Immersion Language training tool.

Social:

• I will golf with my Dad monthly (and hopefully get good again:)).

I pray all of you will think about your year and set some goals, I believe that you will find that you can achieve more than you ever thought possible if you will just set goals, even if you write them down and never look at them again you are stil almost guaranteed to accomplish more than if you had written nothing down.

One final note on goals: Notice above everything starts with “I will” that is simply because that is the easiest way to state something in the positive.  The reality is that “Only God can” & “Only God will”.  You see “I can” on my own accomplish several of the tasks above on my own, but they will be far short of bringing God glory if “I do” instead of “Jesus doing things through me and in me…” And ultimately I don’t want to take away any more from the Glory of God in my life than I already have thus far.  So pray for me as I pray for you!