January 16, 2018

This Year Spread Out! Think Big! by Nina Faye Morey


“Clear lots of ground for your tents!
Make your tents large. Spread out! Think big!
Use plenty of rope,
drive the tent pegs deep.”

~ Isaiah 54:2 (MSG)


The dawn of each new year always seems like an ideal time to initiate change in our lives. A time to clear ground, to enlarge the canvas of our lives, and to spread out and think big! This requires a willingness to loose whatever is constraining us from reaching our goals and give ourselves the freedom to break fresh ground; plant new seeds; nourish them; and let them take root, grow, and be fruitful. With that in mind, here are some of the goals I have set for myself in 2018:

Become More Firmly Grounded in My Faith

My number one goal for the new year is to grow spiritually and strengthen my relationship with the Lord. This will mean clearing the way to spend more time with Him in contemplation and prayer and in reading His Word so that His love will dwell more deeply in my heart and ground me more firmly in my faith. His indwelling love is the soil in which my heart and soul are rooted and the sunshine in which my spirit flourishes and grows (Ephesians 3:17-19).




Become More Fruitful in My Writing

My second goal is to become more fruitful in my Christian writing. The Holy Spirit doesn’t want me to be afraid to share my gift of writing or to shy away from this work of ministry. If I remain faithful and obedient, He promises to help me uproot that snarled undergrowth of thoughts and feelings that strangle my creativity and threaten my fruitfulness. He will grant me the strength, courage, and self-discipline to reach out and turn even the coldest of hearts and darkest of souls towards the warmth and light of Christ (2 Timothy 1:7).

As FellowScript’s Editor, Spread Out—Think Big!

Thirdly, as FellowScript’s editor, my goal is to spread out—to think big! I hope to enlarge the circle of FellowScript’s tent by continuing to break new ground and cultivate new talent to expand our magazine’s scope and readership. As a member of InScribe’s Executive, I share their objectives of involving more youth and increasing our membership. Therefore, I plan to soon introduce a new YA Scribes Write page to FellowScript to encourage more young Christian writers to contribute to our magazine.




Deepen My Commitment to Exercise

My fourth goal is to expend more of my energy on physical exercise. Just as it is beneficial to stretch and strengthen ourselves mentally and spiritually, it is equally important physically. As the decades fly by with increasing speed, I’ve discovered that my fitness has steadily decreased. My joints are stiffer and my muscles less flexible. My body has grown weary fighting the Battle of the Bulge and sometimes—well—just plain weary! It is not only through caring for ourselves mentally and spiritually that we honour God, but also by caring for ourselves physically (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).

Spread My Wings and Explore My World

Finally, I want to spread my wings and explore more of this wonderful world. The first phase of fulfilling this goal is to explore as much as I can of our scenic country. If everything works out as planned, I will be taking a motorcoach tour from Winnipeg to Niagara Falls this spring. The favourite part of my travels isn’t visiting cities or man-made sites, but exploring the natural world God created. Being out in nature always makes me feel closer to my Creator (Romans 1:20).

What new ground will you break, what good seeds will you sow, and what fresh fruit will you produce this year?



Photo Credits: © Nina Faye Morey

5 comments:

  1. Excellent goals, Nina! Isaiah 54:2 is InScribe's verse for the year, too! I also enjoyed some of the powerful metaphors you used in this piece.

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    1. Thanks, Tracy. I'm glad you enjoyed the metaphors I wove into my blog. It always seems to help me achieve my goals when I put them down in writing.

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  2. Great goals. May the Lord show you many wonderful things this year as you draw closer to Him and write for Him.

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    1. They are great goals, but the challenge now will be to keep them. I hope that if I can maintain the right mindset, "think big," I will succeed. I will rely on the Lord to give me the strength and self-discipline that requires.

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  3. I appreciate your worthy and balanced approach to goal-setting, Nina. You truly will be clearing lots of ground and making your tent large. May you rely on God's promises as you spread out and think big. May God bless you as you use plenty of rope and drive those pegs deep, so they don't pull out so easily and flop around. We have such good examples of imagery in God's Word and I appreciate the word pictures you have shared with us in your blog. Thanks.

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