Action, Action, Action...

So I did well yesterday apart from a new favourite cracker that is slowly creeping up on me...but I've nipped it in the butt and am no longer munching away mindlessly at it!  Mira and I carry our bottles around, eat before we head out to the mall, and take our snacks with us to avoid any spending and unhealthy eating.  I love the fact that my family are supporting me with this, but see it as a benefit for them too.  I tried out my protein meal supplement last night instead of dinner, and it was great.

I tried out our UFC Personal Trainer Kinect game and that was pretty hard.  It's such a smack in the face when I can see my figure on the t.v.  But I'm saying goodbye to that image with each bit of sweat that drips from this "temporary" shell.  I'm heading up to Auckland for a couple of weeks and looking forward to having some one on one time with my brother helping me out.  That will be my opportunity to kick it up a notch.  Posting up the image of my dress made me realise that I don't have long to go, to fit into it.  I'm hoping to wear this beauty in December.  So that's 12 weeks away!!!....time to kick it up a notch NOW I THINK!

Now that I've got the meals sorted, I need to organise my time properly to exercise.  Though I would love to workout late at night unfortunately my sleeping patterns are really bad that I won't be asleep until after midnight.   I think I need to I am going to set out a schedule and try and stick to it week by week.

I headed this post Action, Action, Action because I know that's what I need to keep doing.  Keep moving.  Keeping bringing my words to life.  In every aspect of my life, not just the physical.  I need to be true in my relationships with my family.  Since things have improved in my relationships with my girls especially my eldest, I had to deal with her tanties yesterday, but I am glad I dealt with it better.  I tried to reason with her and not shout at her.  I was careful of the words that I used.  I kept my composure.  I am happy that I am making a change!  I am refining my spirit!

I love that.."Refining" my spirit.  I imagined polishing an old silver teapot.  You keep rubbing away the dirt (the unnecessary things in life) until you can see your reflection again...see His reflection in you.

My little one visited the dentist yesterday and had her first filling put in.  Luckily it was only a minor filling and that Mira was so well behaved.  She is such a strong little girl.  She just told me that her dad gave her a lolly (no surprise there) when she wasn't supposed to.  I told my little 4 turning 5 year old that she has the responsibility to take care of her self too.  She cannot rely on other people knowing what she can or can't have because of her tooth and her skin condition.  I also told her that she needed to say something to take care of herself.  When I say these things to my girls, I know I am saying this to myself also.  I am glad that my spirit is in my place where I can hear my own advice.  But like my post is headed..Action, Action, Action.  I need to act on having the responsibility, the authority (as yesterday's post said) to take care of myself.  To love myself enough to give it a try.

I have the RESPONSIBILITY, I have the AUTHORITY.....to give myself another CHANCE! xxxxx

Feeling Inspired...

It's such a beautiful morning, following an awesome day yesterday.  What made my day was hearing my four year old say to me while at the park, that she was having fun and that she wanted to help her mummy do some exercise because she knew that mummy is trying to be healthy.

My family life at the moment is going really good.  The only area with no real effort is my school work, but I'm not fussed right now. I was talking with my husband as we did the dishes together (something we enjoy doing because it gives us a chance to talk :)), and he asked me about my school work.  Normally I would get annoyed with him asking me, fully aware that my feelings are really targeted towards me, kicking myself for procrastinating but instead I answered differently.  I know my inner spirit is changing.  I'm mindful of how I react to things.  I still have a long journey ahead, but I'm taking each day as it comes.

So I'm sitting here thinking about what my new focus for today will be.  I've been watching a lot of Crossfit exercises and doing some research on the fitness craze.  It's intense but again it's something different, like I hadn't tried everything else under the sun (she says with a hula hoop under her bed and remembers the hula hoop dvd in her drawer).  I like the name Crossfit....it reminds me to be fit in Christ (Cross)....being fit spiritually and taking care of my temple.  Love myself enough to try....

To help keep me motivated I've updated my fitness list/rewards in the previous post in red.  I've also hung my "goal" dress on my wall so that I can see it every day.  I visualise myself wearing it...and that it's LOOSE :)...Without Vision we cannot achieve our goals, we have no purpose....

Awesome encouragement today from "The Word for Today" about having the authority to overcome the enemy.  My enemy thus far in my journey, is my lack of exercise, battling my eating habits, tantrums, stresses that come into my house.....carrying on with the encouragement I received on the weekend...the BATTLE IS NOT MINE BUT HIS!...He has given me the Authority to make changes in my life...positive changes...changes that will send ripples of GREATNESS through my children, my husband, my family, my friends...to anyone I meet....

Love it!!! xxxxxx


USE YOUR AUTHORITY
'I have given you authority...to overcome...the enemy...' Luke 10:19 NIV

Has Satan singled you out for attack? Are you wondering, 'Why would he even bother with someone like me?' The answer is - influence. Job's influence was a constant irritant to Satan. One day God said to Satan, 'Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him' (Job 1:8 NKJV)? Shortly after that conversation Satan attacked Job's health, his children, his marriage and his business.

You can't get God's attention without getting Satan's too! Whatever glorifies God, enrages our enemy. But you have the power to overcome him. Jesus said, 'I saw Satan fall like lightning from Heaven. I have given you authority...to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you' (Luke 10:18-19 NIV). Notice, you haven't been called to defeat Satan; Jesus already did that 2000 years ago. You have been called to enforce His defeat each day. Jesus already disarmed and made a public spectacle of him at the cross (Colossians 2:15). When General MacArthur met the Supreme Commander of the Japanese forces at the end of World War II, he took the sword out of his hand, declared victory and enforced the terms of unconditional surrender.

And that's what Jesus did for you at the cross. When He died and rose again He stripped the devil of his power and declared, '...All [power] in Heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Therefore go...' (Matthew 28:18-19 NIV). Go in His power. Go in His strength. Go in His name. He has given you authority over the enemy - use it.

New Week...New Perspective...

So a new week starts this week.  First week down and I have lost 1.7kgs! :) Yesterday went well.  Exercised with Mira playing Dance Central and Kinect Sports :).  So that took us about an hour, but definitely alot of leg and arm action :).  I stayed active and that's the main thing.  Though I am going to do more this week.  Meals have gone well and am drinking plenty of water.  I love preparing every meal now.  Dan is really appreciating a home cooked meal and really looks happy to be home to try something new.  Something for me to learn here is to accept his compliments with a cheerful heart rather than a.."yeah okay lets eat now" :P

I talked about in previous posts about my relationship with my girls.  I can say that there is improvement there.  I am dealing with their little tanties a lot better and feel more at ease.  Because the yelling and screaming and angry looks are slowly moving out of this household my girls are getting along better too :)  I feel that I'm giving them more of my time now.  My eldest seems really cheerful now :)  So all in all things are going well in the home front.

I'm feeling more at peace now.  There are still the little stresses e.g. my school work but I feel I'm in a better place mentally to deal with it all.  Before making a decision about food, activities etc I tell myself "Love yourself enough to try..." over and over in my head.  And it works.  I no longer reach for junk.  I no longer sit down on the computer for hours on end.  Learning to love yourself is exhausting.  But then again, wouldn't you do anything to help someone you truly love?  I'm trying to loosen up a little also.  Not putting so much pressure on myself.  Taking things a little easier and trying to enjoy life.  I am truly beginning to see that now.

I've decided to create a new "bucket list" for the Healthier Me to keep me motivated :)


Fitness list

1. Walking up my street (very very steep hill)
2. Walking up the Stokes Valley stairs non-stop
3. After losing 15kg - walk up Wainuiomata Hill
4. After losing 30kg - walk up mount in Porirua
5. Rock climbing
6. Join a touch team in the summer
7. Join a basketball team

Feel good list

1. 5kg loss reward - Go to a Hot Spa :)
2. 10kg loss reward - Go to a Hot Spa again :)
3. 15kg loss reward - New shoes
4. 20kg loss reward - Full body massage
5. 25kg loss reward - New clothes ;)
6. 30kg loss reward - 
7. 35kg loss reward - Weekend away with my family
8. 40kg loss reward - Girls night...Time to cleanse the spirit :)
9. 45kg loss reward - Fit into my new size 16 summer dress
10. 50kg loss reward - New Graduation outfit
11. 55kg loss reward -  Fit into my size 14 summer top I bought years ago when I did Weight Watchers but gave up just before I could fit into it.
12. 60kg loss reward - Make over and "first date" with my handsome husband....who will surprise me with a trip to the Greek Islands (I hope he reads this lol)

If you have any ideas of what I can do to reward myself on my Feel good list or even suggestions for my Fitness list then leave me a comment :)

Love today's encouragement from "The Word for Today".  This is fitting given that yesterday's post was about this journey is not my battle to fight but His!!!! xxx

LET THE REFINER DO HIS WORK


'He will sit as a refiner...of silver...' Malachi 3:3 NIVIt's hard watching someone you love going through the refiner's fire, but it's the only way to get pure silver. It's hard watching the refiner turn up the heat until all the scum on the bottom rises, every impurity is removed, and He finally sees His face reflected on the surface. But only then is the work complete. And that's God's goal for each of us.


When we pray, 'Make me more like Jesus,' we're asking the Holy Spirit to do a work in us. Usually we don't change until the pain of staying the same becomes unbearable. For most of us, knowledge is not the bridge to growth - pain is. No matter how much you love someone, don't try to rescue them from God's dealings. The worst thing you could have done for the Prodigal Son was go down to the pigsty, clean it up and make it comfortable for him. That's called 'enabling'. Let the refiner do His work! For much of his life Jacob didn't think he needed God. He'd probably have told you, 'I'm doing just fine, thank you!' But the time came when he had to go home, stand before his father and face the wrath of his brother Esau whom he'd wronged. And that's when he became willing to wrestle with God and say, '...I will not let you go unless you bless me' (Genesis 32:26 NIV).


Change usually comes when it hurts so much that you have to change, when you learn so much that you want to change, and when you receive so much that you welcome change.

Love it!!! xxx

Not MY Battle!....

I've just returned from a weekend quickie trip in Auckland to support the good 'ol Blue and Red of Samoa!  What an awesome weekend I've had.  Just feel really blessed.

We arrived 6am Saturday morning after a ten hour bus trip up the north island.  It wasn't the greatest trip but I won't complain too much for it was so cheap!

Had breakfast while waiting for my brother to arrive.  Quiche and Green tea :) hmmmm...filling.  Good start to the weekend.  Stopped into the olds to give them a Hi 5 that we had arrived safely :).  Spent the morning picking up Trade me items, our tickets to the Samoa Vs Fiji game on Sunday and lunch with family.  It's so great to be around family.  I did well not to indulge during lunch as I am a huge sucker for corned beef and spaghetti.  And I did well! I packed my own tea and crackers for the trip :).

Saturday night we hung out with the olds, but Sunday morning...Wow! Now that was a real blessing.  We checked out the new City Impact Church opposite Sylvia Park in Mt Wellington.  They have a really nice set up.  The service was simple.  I really enjoyed the word that day and really spoke to my situation.  So awesome.  Firstly it was mentioned during an encouragement about the battle not being ours.  The Battle is for God to conquer.  We go through life fighting these battles, these demons and we get so exhausted mentally, physically and spiritually.  But all the while, the battle was never really ours to fight in the first place.  There is a reason why we bring our problems to the cross.  Jesus was sent to this earth so that our sins are forgiven.  As He died on the cross He said "It is finished".  In any situation we go through "It (the situation/our battle) is finished"...but we allow society, negative influences, people in our lives to tell us otherwise.  I thought about this encouragement and could not refrain from nodding in agreement that my battle of obesity, of low self esteem, my struggles in my relationships is not a battle for me to fight...but for God to fight, for Jesus to fight on my behalf.  I felt an instant release, a burden lifted from my shoulders as I imagined passing/handing my burdens to God and watching the torments, the taunting move from me to Him.  I was and am so thankful!!!

The Word spoke to me and reminded me of how great and powerful our God is and that greatness lives within me.  It is my sin that separates me from ever really appreciating or understanding that greatness and I shield it from people because of my battles/situations.  People around me, whether they are family, friends or strangers will never really come to know the greatness within me when I allow myself to feel that I am not worthy, that I become self conscious about my "temple".  I feel that I know what God's plan is for me, but each moment that I begin to doubt myself, the light of my God within me flickers and dims.  There is a power, a light within the depths of my soul that drives me to do what my heart desires and that is to serve God.  Serving God is not only the tangible things that I do for people and for church.  It is the intangible things that are just as important.  It is in the unconditional love for my family and friends.  The forgiveness and peace in my heart to love once again where bridges are burnt.  I am glad that I had decided to have alternate days to exercise physically and spiritually.  This is going to be a great journey.

So I'm heading back to Auckland with my family for two weeks and I look forward to heading back to City Impact Church.  I am now enjoying my journey to really changing ME!  I had a great catchup with my youngest brother Ben who also gave me some encouragement so his support is appreciated as is the support I get from everyone!

So I hope that with this post you are reminded that within you (whether you believe it or not) there is a Greatness.  Where there is no comparison!  Your battle is no longer yours but His.  Once you let go of that battle and allow God to take care of it for you...believe me....Greatness will beam from you like no other light can ever compare!!!

xxxxxx

Little things really make a difference....

So the day went okay.  I ate well.  I didn't do any exercise today as I still had a lot of things weighing me down, on my mind.  But I suppose the triumph for the day was that I went to New World to buy some milk and resisted buying anything else :).  Normally I'd walk out with a couple of croissants, Up & Go...and well a little bit more than what I went in for.

Throughout the day, I had little battles with my girls (as the eldest ended up staying home because she manipulated what her dad had told her..."Dad can I watch T.V. (when she got up at 7am)?".."Yes Nia"....then I wake up at 8.30am "Nia why aren't you ready for school?" "Because Dad said I could stay home!"....family meeting is warranted here.

I had moved the laptop and my school books to my room to hopefully motivate me to actually doing it.
Instead I got distracted watching youtube clips, having a nosy at other people's facebook pages.  It's awesome that when I look through their photos they are always smiling.  Seem to always enjoy their time with their families.  When I realised what I was thinking, I looked back at my own family albums.  I'm not in many photos. :(  This is something that I really want to overcome in the near future.  To not think about how awful I will look like in pictures and just enjoy the moment with my family and my girls.  There was an ad some years ago.  I think the product was Johnson & Johnson baby products or some stretch mark cream ad and the mothers in the ad talked about not caring about their stretch marks because it was part of the process of bringing in their beautiful children into this world.  I need to take on that mentally if I am to feel better about myself, that what matters most is what my girls and husband perceive of me.

So today I had a healthy breakfast, and leftovers from dinner which was lemon and honey stirfry with mung beans, capsicum (red, yellow), green snowpeas and hokkien noodles.  It was yummy and filling.  I had a berry smoothie (home made - thanks to my new Magic Bullet!) for a snack and some fruit :).  So I am feeling good.

I think on my journey I'm going to start to have alternate days of exercising and doing things that make me feel good about myself.  I am very much an internal person so to feed my spirit I really need to spend some time on my own to do so as well as finding that time with my girls.  I think you can feed your spirit with others around you.  But alone time is just as important.

I came across an article in the Tots & Toddlers NZ magazine (I think it's called).  They're free at the supermarket.  I always grab one because they have really great ideas of what to do with your kids, as well as articles on education and development.  So the article I read was about Mummy's not feeling that they have to dress down just because they're no longer ..you know...working in the office etc.  You can still feel great about yourself and dress up a little just to take your kids to school.  Compliments from friends passing by is a real uplifter.  One of my cousins in Aussie commented on the way I dress saying that she liked my sense of style.  Now what came out of my mouth was...."oh thanks, because of my body shape now I try to dress in a way that hides the bits and pieces"...what I should've said was..."Thanks...that's really nice"....
So the article gave tips on dressing in a way that makes you feel good about yourself.  Appropriately of course. :)

I am making conscious decisions about what to cook for dinner also.  I am appreciating a home cooked meal again.  I like to be a little creative in the kitchen...hence my lemon and honey chicken which I've never made before.  And knowing that I made the scrumptious meals that would've normally seen our family spend $40 smackers at McDonald's...makes me appreciate my meals even more.  So it's also helping me to save a little dosh in the old piggys :)

So towards the afternoon when I was supposed to be working on my assignment, I got as far a downloading my assignment sheet, I felt like a mini-makeover.  Something to get me out of this rut...so I searched on youtube on how to cut my own bangs.  For those that know me personally, know that I would always google/youtube for 'How-to' videos :P....so I came across a video on cutting my bangs using the "twist and cut technique"...and there you go... :)

It was amazing that just a simple 10 minute cut actually made me feel pretty good.  I'm even noticing that my skin is a little better from the water that I'm drinking and actually taking care of myself.  I still have yet a long way to go, but I'm taking baby steps up a very steep hill..... :)xxx

Words, Words, Words....

So Day 1 started off well with a good healthy breakfast.  Drank a lot of water.  As soon as I made yesterday's post, I shut down my lappy, and went about my daily chores.  I grabbed my school books and put it on my dining table to remind me that I need to get onto my assignment.  Great deal that did because now it's put more pressure on me that my deadline to have my assignment in is on Monday, and I'm heading to Auckland this Friday night to catch my brother's RWC game!!!  I had two little ones with me this morning.  We had morning tea, then spent the morning in the garage.  I cleaned the interior of my car! As I was cleaning I reflected on my life (as I do so often now!), and with getting into the cracks of every corner of my car getting rid of all that grime, I realised that's what I need to do with my inner being.  I need to real clean out every bit of bad feelings/habits I have for my "temple" to really be clean.  Today I will get onto cleaning the exterior.

I managed to squeeze a little bit of exercise, well with the car-cleaning, but also with a Biggest Loser Kinect exercise routine.  That is, until my youngest came into the lounge after already having spent 45 mins mucking around instead of having a shower and my eldest calling out to me every 5 mins for something "Mum can I wear this for P.E.?", "Mum can I go to the car to get my bag"...argh!  Unfortunately Dan had just returned from an overnight work trip and is feeling really sick so he went straight to bed.

I am now even more determined to not sit still unless I'm working on something with my girls, family or school work.  With all this "excess baggage" I'm carrying, I hate feeling the extra kgs sitting at the top of my thighs when I sit at the table!....I'm afraid that with these posts, I am going to have to be really honest with myself, if I'm going to make any real changes.  And I say this remembering that I stared at my reflection in our kitchen window last night eating my daughter's leftovers right after I had made a fruit smoothie so as not to be tempted to dig into the pasta, kebabs I had made for dinner for my girls!!!  I was staring at myself in the window and was absolutely mindless as to what I was doing eating the kebab!!!

I have a huge headache, and I'm not sure what exactly that is due to.  I know that I am stressing a little with my school work, and so close to putting my studies on hold to take care of me, but I know that I will be regretting it come May next year.  I have family around me having babies and though that is very much in our plans to expand our family of four, but I'm afraid I need to be really selfish right now and get myself right.

I headed this post as "Words, Words, Words..." because it was written in the background of the Biggest Loser Kinect game I was exercising to.  It said "Words, words, words...Stop Talking and Do Something!"

Right now I feel like I have a real "dislike" of myself for having to even get to this point.  I started this journey being about learning to love myself again.  Key word...learning.  I think once I start really believing that I can do this, I will begin to love myself again.

So day 2...kicks off with DOING SOMETHING ABOUT IT!!!

I strive not for beauty....

I am so touched by the messages I have received of support for this journey in my life.  I am really looking inward for the transformation.  This morning my encouragement comes from Proverbs 31.  The passage in particular verses 10 to 31 describes the kind of woman that King Lemuel's mother advises he should marry.

This scripture focuses more on what a wife does and the qualities she possesses.  Verse 30 is a reminder to me of my purpose of finally taking the step to improving my health and my life.  It says "Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised" NIV.

My skin lately has been very dry, obviously the junk and the portions I've been eating have contributed to that. I see the cracks in my skin, and the slight sting I feel when I wash my face and as I think about taking steps forward it's a reminder that at the moment there are cracks in my health, my family life and my spiritual life.  Before any healing can truly take its course there is going to be a sting.  It was a huge sting yesterday finally revealing and being real and true to myself of where I am at and something needs to be done.  So now the healing process begins.

My measurements at the start of this journey are:

KG - 138
Chest (cm) - 121.2
Waist - 111
Hips - 138.1
Thigh - 83.7
Bicep - 45.5

Current size ranges from XL/20 upper body, and XL/24 - 26 lower body.....Wow that was really hard to type that...

So today my aim is to keep moving....KEEP MOVING!!! KEEP MOVING FORWARD.....

xxxx

Learning to Love Myself....

I am now into week 4 of my leave and feel only now I am winding down.  The past few days has been a real struggle for me.  As my post is headed, I am learning to love myself again.  Actually I don't think I ever really loved myself before.  I watched with my husband the other night an old episode of Extreme Weight Makeover or something like that, about a candidate who needed to lose 250 pounds.  I was shocked at how someone could allow themselves to get to such a size and then I remembered a status post from one of my friends on facebook.  She has committed herself to eating right and exercising regularly. No more sitting in front of the telly and watching everyone else do it on Biggest Loser etc.  I totally agree with her.  It's so easy for me to sit and watch other people go through all the sweat and tears.  It is such an effort for me to try and go at it myself.

I weighed myself the other morning and was shocked...well not completely because I knew that the results were going to be bad.  But I never thought I would ever allow myself to get to this weight.  I remember when my mum was over 130kgs and thinking she had to do something about it.  And now weighing more than what she was (she has since lost more than 20kgs gradually over 2 years), I'm feeling really down about myself.

I have had my husband, and close friends and family encourage me, give me tips and routines over the years but it just never stuck.  I would do really well for a couple of weeks and then slack off again.  I've tried mainstream weight loss programmes and that went well and had lost up to 11kgs.  But then piled it back on again gradually over time.

I was really kicked in the stomach when I told my husband how much I weighed and when disappointed by his reaction or lack of, I got really angry when I told I felt that he didn't care.  His response was..."I've just given up trying to help you"....I know that I pushed him into responding that way but of all people to hear it from.  I was really sad.  I angrily began to throw every bit of junk (not that there was much anyway) out of our fridge.  My husband apologised later but by that time I knew that I wasn't angry at him.  I was angry at myself.  There was something that candidate said in that Extreme Weight Makeover programme.  He said that he realised the problem was that he didn't love himself enough.

I thought about what he said, and realised a number of things in my life.  I am a bit of a people pleaser in the sense that I will do anything if it means to please God and that has been through doing things for people of late.  I once told someone that I keep myself busy because I don't feel worthy to rest.  I seek attention from people for the things I do because growing up I thought that I wasn't getting that attention from people in my life.  I substituted gratification from people for love.  I don't think I pity myself but I am learning more about myself to be a better wife, mum, daughter, sister and friend.

I know that loving myself more will help rebuild my relationship with my girls.  I know that my grumpiness and stress levels is partially due to my lack of health.  So I know that my taking care of my "temple" everything else will fall into place.  My eldest has shared with her dad that she is afraid to be around me because I am so grumpy and expect so much of her. :(

I have always believed that by confessing with your mouth, puts it out there that something needs to be done.  I do not like making promises that I cannot keep.  But this promise I really need to work hard at.  I hope from this post, you will understand that where a problem persists and you thought you had the reasons for these problems arising, there is definitely something deeper.  At face value I thought my issues with my weight was to do with not having enough time to take care of myself, but I realise now that the deeper reason is that I have not loved myself enough to do something about it.

So with that said, I am about to make known to anyone that reads this that at 33 years of age....my weight is now 138kgs.  It breaks my heart that I am letting people know that I have allowed myself to get to this point, but I believe I really need to get myself right.  A good friend once told me that it is biblical to write down my goals and plans.

So my goal is that by the time my graduation comes around in May 2012, I will be in a healthy position which will mean that I will be a happier servant of God, happier wife and happier mum.

I will aim to log in and post anything to keep my mind focussed.  Whether it's one word or one sentence I will keep logging in my progress.

It's time to change!!!!! xxx

And so I start again...

Having just returned from what was a sad trip to farewell a dear relative but one that united relatives for the first time.

I testified at my uncles private family service that despite one life ending it meant a new beginning for many especially for his four children.  So for me returning home to my family feeling not-quite-right from the late nights and junk food of the last 7 days....I start again...

I came across this web post from another blogger which talks about goal setting.  I had written in a previous post about writing down your thoughts and goals because in doing so it was a step toward achieving what you have planned.  A good friend had told me that it is biblical to do so.  And so my advice comes from another blogger...

Stay blessed....GO SAMOA!!! RWC fever :)


"I’d always felt it was important to set goals and write them down. Something ‘magical’ happens when you take them from your mind and begin to visualise them in words and images.

This devotion from The Word For Today again emphasises the importance of goal setting and bringing them to fruition – with God involved in that process.

Eight principles to live by...

“Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity…” Proverbs 21:5 NLT

People who set goals accomplish much more than people of equal education and ability who don’t. With that in mind, build these eight principles into your life. (1) Decide what you want. But first consult God. “Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails” (Pr 19:21 NIV).  (2) Think on paper. Writing your goals down gives them a sense of permanency, plus it energises you. “Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity…” Wishy-washy objectives won’t get you where you want to go.  (3) Establish a deadline. Without a definite beginning and ending it’s easy to procrastinate and get nowhere.  (4) Make a list of what you need to do to. Keep it before you at all times; it’ll give you a track to run on.  (5) Convert your list to a plan. Decide what you need to do first and what you can do later. An organised plan is always better than trying to carry stuff around in your head.  (6) Act immediately. “Be very careful, then, how you live – not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity…” (Eph 5:15-16 NIV). Do something! A mediocre plan that’s implemented beats a brilliant one that’s not.  (7) Do something every day to move you forward. Build it into your schedule. For example, read systematically through your Bible, call a specific number of clients, engage in physical activity for a given time.  (8) Have a goal you’re willing to devote your life to. And keep your eye on that goal at all times. “Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom” (Ps 90:12 NIV)."