3 Things You Need to Do Before Making a Bold New Move
When you are making a bold new move, sometimes life will get harry. Things will go wrong. As a matter of fact, Murphy’s Law seems to kick in at the most inopportune times.
Welcome to the 78th issue of The Aim and Soar Life, a weekly newsletter about faith, personal growth, and lifestyle that provides actionable, relatable, and biblically rooted content to help you live abundantly and GROW YOU. GOD’S WAY.
Greetings!
What if I told you that you could have a brand-new life in moments? You’d probably want to know how. You don’t have to wait for the new year to get a fresh start or make a bold new move like relocating or seeking a new job.
If you are embarking on any new journey, whether it’s getting fit, building wealth, starting a business, or just becoming a better person, there are 3 things you need to do before you make your move.
Start with a Question
How are you handling the desires in your heart? Are you pursuing your dreams and goals without any input from God? I sure hope not.
Even if you “feel” certain about your bold new move, seeking God’s guidance is a necessity.
There are two questions you need to ask before you embark on any new journey. The first is “Lord, is this your will for me? The next one is “How can I honor you on this journey?”
Often we believe that some things are so obvious that we don’t need to pray about them. For example, if you need to get your finances in order so that you can prepare for retirement, that may seem like a no-brainer. You may feel like you don’t need to pray about that situation.
However, you do need God’s guidance in that situation. How you embark on your journey is crucial to your success. The financial coach or advisor you choose is important, as well as the best method for tackling your plan. It all matters to God, so start with Him.
Whatever your desire is, I urge you to share it with God. Yes, God already knows. But you aren’t sharing your desires with Him to inform Him, you are sharing to honor Him. You are letting God know that He has first place in your life and that you are willing to give everything to Him.
My pastor always says we are never supposed to start something and then “ask God to bless our mess.” We are supposed to go to Him first. Seek God’s guidance through prayer and even fasting.
Every step of the way you need God to reveal His will for you.
Write Your Vision
I love a good ol’ vision board. It helps me to clarify my thoughts and gives me something to look at each day that reminds me of my goals.
Vision boards are the latest craze (really, they never went out of style for some of us) at business and leadership mastermind retreats, and rightfully so. They can be powerful motivational tools to help you stay focused.
God was the first to tell us to write the vision and make it plain.
I will stand at my guard post
and station myself on the lookout tower.
I will watch to see what He will say to me
and what I should[a] reply about my complaint.2 The Lord answered me:
Write down this vision;
clearly inscribe it on tablets
so one may easily read it.[b]
3 For the vision is yet for the appointed time;
it testifies about the end and will not lie.
Though it delays, wait for it,
since it will certainly come and not be late.Habakkuk 2:1-3, HCSB
We can learn from Habakkuk. First, he waited on God—to hear from Him. Then he wrote down the revelation God had given him.
I was well into my adult years when I realized how important vision is. God often places His desires in our hearts, and they become our desires if we are walking in step with Him.
You need to be clear on what bold dreams God has given you. This is why vision boards are so effective. They help you to get clarity. Writing down your bold new move helps you to map it out and give it “feet.”
A vision board I created almost 20 years ago helped me to create my own publishing business and write and publish 4 books. When I became frustrated with how things were going, my vision board helped me to keep my eyes on the prize! There are some things on my board that I haven’t achieved yet, but they are there as a reminder to keep working!
And it’s not about me and what I want because I have given my gifts and talent to the Lord. I am His and I give myself completely to Him, so that He can use me as He wishes to reach His people and spread the word.
Lastly, when it comes to vision, don’t be afraid to dream. It doesn’t matter if your dreams sound ridiculous to your family and friends. It’s not their dream. It’s not their vision. It’s yours!
Take seriously what God has placed in your heart. If He placed it there, He will help you bring it to fruition. He is working with you and through you to accomplish His will for your life.
Discipline Yourself
Discipline. Discipline. Discipline. No one likes to hear this word. But oh, is it necessary!
When you are making a bold new move, sometimes life will get harry. Things will go wrong. As a matter of fact, Murphy’s Law seems to kick in at the most inopportune times.
Distractions pop up out of nowhere.
You must have the discipline to be tunnel-focused on what lies ahead. You can’t get pulled in a direction that is taking you away from the vision or goal.
If you have prayed, and God has given you the green light, you must stay the course. You can’t jump ship.
It seems like whenever I set out to write and publish a new book, all sorts of problems occur out of nowhere. Family problems. Money problems. Health problems.
I know in my heart of hearts that God has called me to reach His people through my writing, so I keep going.
Sometimes you will have to cry and keep it moving at the same time.
Whatever big move God has placed in your heart, give it your time and attention consistently.
If God has called you to write a book, get to writing! Be intentional about writing by creating a writing schedule.
If God has called you to start a ministry or business, get busy doing what needs to be done to establish and grow the ministry or business.
You must discipline yourself to do the things God has called you to do.
If you find yourself veering off track, quickly get back on.
In Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, he compared the Christian life to athletic competitions of the time. In order to receive the crown, an athlete had to run the race by the rules and discipline his body in order to be successful. Likewise, when we are called by God to do a task, we must discipline ourselves as well.
24 Don’t you know that the runners in a stadium all race, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way to win the prize.25 Now everyone who competes exercises self-control in everything. However, they do it to receive a crown that will fade away, but we a crown that will never fade away. 26 Therefore I do not run like one who runs aimlessly or box like one beating the air. 27 Instead, I discipline my body and bring it under strict control, so that after preaching to others, I myself will not be disqualified.
1 Corinthians 9:24-27, HCSB
Peace and Love
Until Next Time,
GROW YOU. GOD’S WAY.
Sherrhonda😍
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