Every year I set goals for myself and try to celebrate those goals when I achieve them. This year I have 11 and already have some kind of plan in place for achieving each goal. These are not goals for my ministry – they are personal. Last week when listening to our Executive Pastor, Joe Dobbins, gave a staff devotion, I decided to add 3 more spiritual goals to my list. Personal development has to be exactly that- personal. It is something you must do for yourself. We have mentors, teachers and leaders in our life, but at best they influence us so it is up to us to develop ourselves. Since my lists are personal, I choose not to publish them, but I will say that all of my spiritual goals are to help me keep a good attitude in life and all of my personal goals are to help me to have rich relationships. Most of them are about making sure that I get rid of emotional toxins so I can live life’s adventure with a pure heart. This is not a fail proof plan, but since I discipline myself to read these goals every single day, I can already see that they are developing my thoughts constructively and soon they will become healthy habits for me. Life is too short to waste away drowning in toxic emotions. If you want to finish well this year, start taking good steps in the right direction today. You will surprise yourself in how far you come just because you took the time to develop yourself.
