When I think of what the next four months of 2026 might bring, I have many mixed emotions. I'm excited for good things to come, like seeing my poetry book be released into the world and my daughter Reegan swimming at the World Down Syndrome Swimming Championships in Portugal. There is also a cloud of grief that hangs over it all as we see my mom’s health deteriorate. Will these big life-and-death events collide, and if so, how would we deal with it? The verse Proverbs 16: 9 comes to mind: “ In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.”
With this verse as my guide, I will plan and pray for grace to hold everything with an open hand. God knows all the details, and I can trust Him with the outcome. So if I could plan out my course for the next few months, here are a few goals I have.
Goal One: My first goal is to finish editing my poetry book and get the final touches and endorsements done so it can move on to the next step in completion! Writing this book has been a journey of healing and revelation for myself, and I pray God will use it to draw readers along on their own healing journeys.
Goal Two: I started a writing course by Hannah Brencher, and have never finished it. I would like to complete it and also look into the writing courses available through Proverbs 31 Women's Ministries Compel Pro. (Side note! If you want more teaching and accountability for your writing, I highly recommend becoming a member of Compel Pro!)
Goal Three: I began sewing a quilt for my daughter and her husband shortly after they were married. She and I picked out the fabric together, and I started creating it. But life and summertime gardening have kept me from finishing, so I really want to finish it and gift it to them. (This listing has become a confession of all my unfinished projects, hasn’t it?)
Goal Four: My life and goals match those that I have for my daughter Reegan. She has Down syndrome, so I actually have to plan and organize for not only me but her as well! For a highly organized person, this might be a simple undertaking, but for me, it is a real challenge. I struggle to organize myself, let alone others. (Pray for me!) My goal is to keep her organized so she feels confident about her days, as she loves schedules. We plan to have her train in the swimming pool for her big swim meet, along with dryland training so she is fit and ready come the end of October. (Lord willing).
Goal Five: I have painting, organization/purging, and gardening projects I want to tackle, and sometimes the to-do list feels overwhelming. My goal is to create lists that help me break the jobs into bite-sized pieces so I can actually accomplish some of them. (I’m always open to tips and tricks!)
Goal Six: This year, my husband and I have been reading through the Bible with The Bible Recap. It's been a rewarding challenge and has created a better rhythm for my daily devotion time. My goal is to keep this daily Bible-reading rhythm and add books and devotionals that strengthen my faith. I also want to read a poem a day to inspire my poetic mind, starting with authors Wendell Berry and Mary Oliver.
This list isn't exhaustive, as it just scratches the surface of my overextended brain. It's been a helpful exercise, though, to write out some of my hopes and plans for the coming months. Part of the struggle for me is putting it all on paper, so this was a good start to the last four months of 2026. Let’s finish strong and see what God will do through us!%20(1).jpg)
Mary Folkerts is mom to four kids and wife to a farmer, living on the southern prairies of Alberta, where the skies are large and the sunsets stunning. She is a member of Proverbs 31 Ministries' COMPEL Writers Training, involved in church ministries and music. Mary’s blog aims to encourage and inspire women and advocate for those with Down Syndrome, as their youngest child introduced them to this extraordinary new world. For more inspiration, check out Joy in the Small Things https://maryfolkerts.com/ or connect on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/maryfolkerts/
Goal One: My first goal is to finish editing my poetry book and get the final touches and endorsements done so it can move on to the next step in completion! Writing this book has been a journey of healing and revelation for myself, and I pray God will use it to draw readers along on their own healing journeys.
Goal Two: I started a writing course by Hannah Brencher, and have never finished it. I would like to complete it and also look into the writing courses available through Proverbs 31 Women's Ministries Compel Pro. (Side note! If you want more teaching and accountability for your writing, I highly recommend becoming a member of Compel Pro!)
Goal Three: I began sewing a quilt for my daughter and her husband shortly after they were married. She and I picked out the fabric together, and I started creating it. But life and summertime gardening have kept me from finishing, so I really want to finish it and gift it to them. (This listing has become a confession of all my unfinished projects, hasn’t it?)
Goal Four: My life and goals match those that I have for my daughter Reegan. She has Down syndrome, so I actually have to plan and organize for not only me but her as well! For a highly organized person, this might be a simple undertaking, but for me, it is a real challenge. I struggle to organize myself, let alone others. (Pray for me!) My goal is to keep her organized so she feels confident about her days, as she loves schedules. We plan to have her train in the swimming pool for her big swim meet, along with dryland training so she is fit and ready come the end of October. (Lord willing).
Goal Five: I have painting, organization/purging, and gardening projects I want to tackle, and sometimes the to-do list feels overwhelming. My goal is to create lists that help me break the jobs into bite-sized pieces so I can actually accomplish some of them. (I’m always open to tips and tricks!)
Goal Six: This year, my husband and I have been reading through the Bible with The Bible Recap. It's been a rewarding challenge and has created a better rhythm for my daily devotion time. My goal is to keep this daily Bible-reading rhythm and add books and devotionals that strengthen my faith. I also want to read a poem a day to inspire my poetic mind, starting with authors Wendell Berry and Mary Oliver.
This list isn't exhaustive, as it just scratches the surface of my overextended brain. It's been a helpful exercise, though, to write out some of my hopes and plans for the coming months. Part of the struggle for me is putting it all on paper, so this was a good start to the last four months of 2026. Let’s finish strong and see what God will do through us!
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