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Recently, I set a goal to write 100 devotionals for PresbyCan Daily before the end of 2018, and this is #100.
I wrote my first devotional in 2000.
Over the years, I have truly appreciated the feedback that I have received from readers, as well as the spoken words of encouragement from members of my home church.
I have developed some online friendships as well, and I even met one of the other writers a few years ago when she was speaking at a meeting of a Christian Women's group near my home.
For several years, I kept in touch with one of the Daily readers, who told me that, when he first replied to one of the devotionals that I had written, he had been contemplating suicide until he read the devotional. He even wrote a couple of devotionals himself!
It's good to set goals. Goals give us something to strive for. They help us to make the most of the life that God has blessed us with. But we should always keep ourselves focused on God and His will for us, for He is the reason for our being. As the answer to the first question of the Westminster Shorter Catechism says, "Man's chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy Him forever." Let us always strive to set goals that bring glory to God.
James 4:13-16 – Look here, you people who say, "Today or tomorrow we are going to such and such a town, stay there a year, and open up a profitable business." How do you know what is going to happen tomorrow? For the length of your lives is as uncertain as the morning fog — now you see it; soon it is gone. What you ought to say is, "If the Lord wants us to, we shall live and do this or that." Otherwise you will be bragging about your own plans, and such self-confidence never pleases God. (TLB)
Philippians 3:13-14 – Beloved, I do not consider that I have made it my own; but this one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus. (NRSV)
Here are some goals for us as Christians:
- to become more like Jesus
- to pursue righteousness
- to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength
- to love our neighbours as ourselves
- to use our God-given gifts to bring glory to God
Press on, stay focused on Jesus, and see what God wants to do through you.
Prayer: Holy God, who made the heavens, shaped the earth, and formed us in our mothers' wombs, we praise You and thank You that we can be used by You when we surrender our wills to Yours. We worship You. We put our trust in You. We will serve You all of our days. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.
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Thank you for all your posts, Dee! God bless you!
Congratulations, Dee. A good finish to a worthy goal.
Thanks so much. Dee, for your work. Have a Happy New Year.
Thank you, Dee, for your devotionals. I always am encouraged by them
Congratulations on your goal. Enjoy your devotions. I am 76 and still play the organ and piano at church. Keep up your devotions.
Thank you for so many words of inspiration this year and I look forward to what God will say through you in 2019.
Many Blessings.
Congratulations on reaching one hundred! Your message is very encouraging, Dee …. and keep them coming! Thank you for using your God-given gift all these years.
Happy New Year.
Dear Dee = Great goal!! Thank you for all the inspiration you provide in writing these devotionals. It seems that we never know which ones will touch which people, but since they are all God inspired, it matters not. God Bless you and grant you health in 2019.
Good Morning Dee,
A most beautiful, meaningful, devotional today, Thank you!
Lord willing we will have many more devotionals from you in the future.
Happy New Year!
Congratulations Dee on your accomplishment for our Lord! May we each aspire to set such godly goals.
Well done good and faithful servant.
Blessings.
Hello
This was an encouraging devotional. Before I opened my computer this morning I said to my husband, this is a new year coming up, I think we should make some changes, a goal… and then I read this so it is confirmation I believe.
Thank you, God bless.
Dear Dee,
Thank you for the timely devotion. My heart now has peace regarding goal setting. My 50 year old mind wants to honor and bring glory to God in many ways, but my 76 year old body brings me back to reality saying, “Wait on the Lord, I say.” or “Lord willing.”
(USA)
Well done, Dee! I have enjoyed your devotionals over the years.
Especially found today’s texts were so appropriate. I hope that now you have achieved this goal, you will set another and continue to bless us with your talents.
Blessings to you for the New Year.
(BC)
Dear Dee,
Thanks for your significant contributions. I have enjoyed reading them over the years.
I have also written devotionals and have also been amazed at the responses I have received from various parts of the world.
Thanks again. Now I assume you are starting on your next 100!
Good morning Dee,
Congratulations on reaching your goal of writing devotionals. I always appreciate and enjoy your contributions. Just think of the joy the Lord feels when we set our goals on following Him and glorifying Him in our daily lives.
Blessings to you and joy in the coming New Year.
(B.C.)
Hi Dee:
Thank you for your encouraging devotional. It’s such a great idea to have goals. I must do that more often.
As I was reading your list of goals, I was thinking that I will give them to my ladies who attend a Bible study at my home. I think it’s a great way to start 2019.
Thank you.
Good Morning Dee!
Congratulations on your accomplishing your goal to write 100 devotionals. I have enjoyed your writing and sharing. I loved how today it was about setting goals and as you wrote you accomplished just that! Life in action! Your story and Godly advice on goal setting is one of many that has spoken to me and encouraged me to at minimum dedicate time and prayer to if this may be part of God’s plan for my life. Your devotionals are an example of how… speaking through your God-inspired heart and personal experience has an authenticity that I desire to also bring to the world. Thank you for being an inspiration and showing that it can be accomplished, as anything can with Him who gives us strength. Congratulations and thank you for using your gifts to help me!
With loving thanks and gratitude.
Thank you Dee for all your efforts for the Kingdom.
(CA)
Another lovely devotional today Dee. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Happy and prosperous New Year to you and yours!
(Ontario)
Dear Dee,
Thank you for today’s devotional. I appreciate it all very much, especially its goals.
Keep writing.
Congregations, Dee, on obtaining your goal. I read the Presbyterian Devotional daily and enjoy yours very much. I hope you will continue writing these devotionals. All the best to you and yours and may you have a blessed 2019.
One of the difficulties I used to have with goal setting was, they were what I thought I should do.
Now I just ask the Lord, what would you have me do?
Thanks for sharing
Hi Dee,
Setting goals is good, but as you may have noticed all around you they don’t always work out the way we plan. Bu as we know God guides us all the way.
Thank you for writing.
Blessings and a Happy New Year.
Dee, Congratulations with 100 devotionals. This is also a very inspiring devotional with very good goals for all Christians. Thank you for sharing.
Wow! congratulations! I enjoy your devotions very much. All the best to you. Please know how much you are appreciated.
Blessings of great joy!