Focus in Uncertainty

Are we done yet with New Year’s myriad of invitations to vision and map out a course for 2024: do this, buy that, time is running out on limited offers?

With a new F.O.C.U.S** (wait for it) for 2024, I bit the bullet and got an “At-A-Glance” daytimer.

I wanted something hourly to make sure I’m not wasting any of the precious time I’ve been given – no fancy schmanzy stickers, artsy jackets, lots of empty pages for notes.

Just the basic black facts, Jack (or should I say Amazon.)

Right on the first page, “DayMinder” thanked me with these words:
“When you open your planner, you feel the assurance of knowing you can be present for every moment of your busy life. Although your days may be full, our tools empower you to experience a life filled with meaning, achievement, connection and joy. Because in your planner, everything is documented, intentional, and organized so you can focus on the day ahead with clarity and confidence.
Don’t just plan your life, live it.”

Wow – Thank you, DayMinder – my times are in your hands. Maybe AI is hidden in there somewhere.
But seriously…

I committed to planning more specifically because I have somewhat of an aversion to worksheets and writing plans down although the Lord knows, I write so much other stuff. Apparently doing new and hard things makes your brain better and creates better… FOCUS.

Hot tip:  If any of you are like me, you have multiple journals, notebooks and even scraps of paper, stuff dictated into your phone. Gather and take some time to reflect on the last year and harvest to seed into 2024.

Man plans his days but the Lord directs His paths. (Proverbs 16:9)

DayMinder only got part of it right.

And all the days of my life were written in Your book before any of them came to be. (Ps 139:16 NLV).

Hey DayMinder, fyi the word of God with divine promises gives me “the tools to empower a life filled with meaning, achievement, connection and joy.”

Perhaps consider laying out your plan before the God who has ordered your days from before the beginning of time.

Here’s another thing. If you feel like a Jack or Jill of all trades and master of none,
maybe consider that God has given you a diversity of gifts, some for a season, to reach more people. You are to be a master of diversity.

Which requires** F.O.C.U.S.

Faith- It’s not the amount of faith but the object of our faith that matters. That the God who has your days fashioned from the beginning of time, has the best plan for your life and will give you all you need to fulfil His kingdom purposes.

Occupy your territory with your giftings. Spread the tent pegs when called.

Consistency- cultivating consistency mitigates the shiny object syndrome of distraction.  (DayMinder says: “documented, intentional, organized”)

Unfolding our dreams in ways beyond what we could ever anticipate.

Super-Vision of the Holy Spirit for stewardship and direction

I don’t want to be out of His plan. There is so much more that God wants for us and longs to take us deeper through a relationship with His Son, guiding by His Holy Spirit to where we’ve never been before (John 3:16).

So that you don’t just plan your life, but live it…abundantly.