Living with our Purpose in Mind

I mentioned last week that sometimes it feels like I’m juggling my roles of wife, homeschooling mother, homemaker, cross-cultural worker and friend.  How to keep the right balls in motion at the right time?

I’m intrigued by the thought of life-planning.  I want my life to be more than just a series of reactions to the people and events around me. I want to invest my time in what is truly important.

Several years ago when I read Rick Warren’s Purpose Driven Life, I was challenged to think about my passions. I wrote a life vision statement for the first time.  Since then every year or so I review and revise my vision and goals statement.  I’ve kept it simple, spending a few hours writing a few pages.

When I turned 47 a few weeks ago, I spent some time updating my life plan.   This year I’ve been encouraged by Michael Hyatt's writing on life planning.. He makes the point that many people spend more time planning their yearly vacation than they do planning for their lives! He presents a simple system for life planning.

Here is my life vision statement followed by 7 general goals.  For each goal I have a supporting verse and specific commitments.  (For the sake of brevity I’m omitting the supporting verses and specific commitments for goals 3-7.)

Vision Statement: I want to live for Jesus, to know Him and to make Him known through my character, actions and words. I want to remain in Him and bear fruit!

Verse: “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5)

1. I want to know God and grow to be more like Jesus.

• Cultivate intimacy with God  
• Work on developing Christ-like character. 
• Live a life of love, joy and peace.

1. Daily Quiet time
2. Maintain and use a prayer List           
3. Read Christian books
4. Weekly time for reflection

2. I want to love and encourage my husband.

• Cultivate my relationship with Jose.
• Encourage and support Jose in his roles.
• Become a better listener

1. Weekly date time with Jose
2. Daily prayer together.

3. I want to model God’s love for my children and help them develop into the people God is calling them to be.

• Model and teach loving God
• Encourage a healthy self concept
• Help them discover their gifts and interests

4. I want to encourage and empower others to know God, be like Jesus and serve Him.

• Cultivate friendships
• Pray for my friends
• Share with them what God is doing in my life.

5. I want to be an ambassador and witness for Christ, a fisher of men.

• Share His love with lost people
• Daily Intercession for non-Christian friends
• Cultivate friendships
• Pray for and seek out divine appointments 

6. I want to grow and develop skills of writing and teaching to encourage others.

7. I want to care for myself and invest in my own growth.

This year I hope to grow in living purposefully by glancing at my vision statement when I do weekly planning, 

so I can make sure I’m planning goals in all of the areas that are important to me.

Have you ever written a vision and goals statement for your life? What kind of life planning do you do?