A Plan for the New Year by Steph Beth Nickel

 Many people choose a Word of the Year. Do you?

Optionally, you may want to choose a Phrase and/or a Verse of the Year.

This year, God dropped both a phrase and a verse into my life.

I first came across my Phrase of the Year in a devotional in one of the Facebook groups I belong to. 

The phrase: Simple, Not Easy

Often, what we're called to do, even what we want to do, is simple, 

especially if we break it down into bite-sized tasks.

However, it's rarely easy.

That's where my Verse of the Year comes in.

In the NIV, Proverbs 16:9 says,

"In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps."

I have several simple goals for 2023.

Like many of us, I want to...

1. Get more exercise and eat more healthfully.

2. Write and publish more.

3. Read more books.

4. Be more supportive of my friends and family.

5. Do more to point people to Jesus.

There are many simple things I can do in each of these areas.

Plus, it's my responsibility to set achievable goals and follow through.

But we all know...

Life doesn't always go as planned.

We have to trust the Lord to establish our steps...

Even when those steps don't take us along the path we expected them to.

What is your Word or Phrase of the Year?

Do you have a Verse of the Year that you're focusing on?

Let's encourage one another by sharing them in the comments.

New Year's Resolutions - Lynn Dove

I’m not a fan of New Year’s Resolutions.  Perhaps it’s because I fail so miserably at keeping most New Year’s resolutions that I make.  It is so very discouraging for me.  I have these lofty goals and have such good intentions but a week into the New Year and I’m already making excuses or giving up entirely on any resolution-keeping I may have made.  The same is equally true when it comes to making writing goals for the New Year.  I have these lofty ambitions, I make writing deadlines for myself, schedule my days and then inevitably something comes up and I have to scrap my plans and start all over. 

A writer’s life is full of lofty goals and ambitions, but it is also filled with distractions, re-writes, re-writes, rewrites…and occasionally scrapping the project entirely and starting from scratch.  *sigh*

My life verse is, “In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps.”  Proverbs 16:9  I have embraced that verse because I have learned that if I make any kinds of plans on my own, I have to be willing to also look out for the God-sized U-turns that may have me scrap my original plans and follow another course direction that He has set for me.  Faith is all about setting off in an entirely new direction, knowing that His leading is always best.

 When I make my own plans, I tend to fail.  I don’t have the stamina or the endurance to stay the course.  New Year’s resolutions fall by the wayside.  Writing projects get put aside and artistic procrastination sets in.  I’m the queen of excuses when it comes to keeping writing deadlines.  Distractions abound that seem to take far more precedence than my writing.  Again, all my best laid plans tend to dissolve and another opportunity for writing ministry wasted.

With New Year’s resolutions, the only way I can succeed is if I know there is a greater goal in keeping them.  For example, I have been told by my doctor that I must walk more to stave off a chronic health issue.  The quest for fitness is not just a New Year’s resolution now, it is necessary for long term health.  That’s important to me because I’ve got to keep up with very active grandbabies!  With a new, more purposeful focus, I can be disciplined and stretch towards the finish line.  Unfortunately, I will fail in the attempt, if I think I can do this on my own.  Prayer and a good accountability partner will guarantee a positive result.  “I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”  Phil. 4:13

 It is the same with writing.  I consider my writing a ministry.  As soon as I refocus on why I write in the first place, I can rededicate myself to the task at hand.  I am not writing for myself.  Every project, every article is ultimately to bring Glory to God.  I believe God is actively involved in leading me to those writing projects He wishes me to contribute to, and He is with me throughout the writing process.  He requires me to be disciplined in setting goals and keeping them.  It is important that I pray for His direction throughout the process. 

If you are setting writing goals for the coming year, here are a few scripture verses to ponder:

“My heart is stirred by a noble theme as I recite my verses for the king; my tongue is the pen of a skillful writer.”  Psalm 45:1

“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.”  2 Timothy 2:15

“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.” Psalm 32:8

And lastly, I sometimes replace the words “speaks” with “writes” in the following verse to further encourage and challenge me as a writer.

“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.  If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever.  Amen.”  1 Peter 4:10-11

You can find other encouraging verses for writers on my website.

Lynn Dove is the award-winning author, of the YA “Wounded Trilogy”- a contemporary Christian fiction series with coming-of-age themes.  A wife, mom, grandmother, and free-lance writer with articles published in several magazines and anthologies including Chicken Soup for the Soul books, her blog, “Journey Thoughts” is a Canadian Christian Writing Award winner.  Readers may connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, and at lynndove.com  

12 Ways to Make the Write Resolution by Steph Beth Nickel

Happy New Year, one and all!

As much as possible, I want to incorporate the following 12 goals throughout 2016:

1. Be on the lookout for inspiration.

Unless you have a better memory than I do, you’ll want to record inspiration when it hits. I have a half dozen tiny notebooks for different subjects (i.e.: blog ideas, quotes, books to read, etc.). You may prefer to use your smartphone instead. I would, but mine died.

2. Set up your writer’s nook.

What do you need close at hand when you write? Pictures of your family? A shelf of skills development books? Your journal and a stash of multi-coloured gel pens? Your favourite beverage and the busyness of a crowded coffee shop? I’m most productive when I sit at my computer and stay off the Internet. A clutter-free workspace is the best, but it’s rarely a reality.

3. Enlist your support system.

You, my fellow writers, are a tremendous encouragement to me. Knowing I’m part of a community that “speaks my language” is amazing. I encourage you to connect with other writers from time to time. Although my writers’ group doesn’t meet over the winter months, we stay in touch via Facebook. Plus, I’m a member of COMPEL and The Word Guild as well as InScribe of course.

4. Write regularly—if possible, every day.

I recently heard of a pastor who also writes books. If the blank screen is taunting him, sometimes he types gibberish just to get his fingers moving. There’s something to be said for simply writing “whatever” until the words begin to flow. Obviously, we want to go beyond typing random letters and writing nonsense to actually creating something we’ll be pleased to share, but we all have to start each session by simply putting fingers to keyboard or pen to paper.

5. Set a specific writing goal.

Do you want to write a new blog post each week? A short ebook or novella for publication online every two to six months? A full-length novel or nonfiction book for print within the year? If we break each task into bite-sized pieces and set deadlines for each piece, we are much more likely to achieve our goal(s)—at least I know it’s true of me.

6. Read skills development books and blog posts.

There’s always more to learn. Plus, it’s important to incorporate what we’re learning rather than just accumulate the knowledge.

7. Read other books as well.

No matter what we read, we can pick up on things we’d love to incorporate into our own work—and things we’d like to avoid.

8. Enter writing contests regularly.

Entering contests is a great skills development exercise—even if we never win. I’m not sure I’ll have time to enter many contests in 2016, but we’ll see.

9. Join an online writing challenge.

I participate in OctPoWriMo (October Poetry Writing Month) and PiBoIdMo (Picture Book Idea Month) each year. In October I write 31 poems and in November I come up with 30 ideas for picture books. I often attend Camp NaNoWriMo once or twice a year but have never participated in NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month), though I would like to do so one of these years. You can learn about these and other challenges online. I may try to participate in OctPoWriMo, but with the other things that are on my plate for 2016, I’m pretty sure that will be it.

10. Attend a writers’ conference or one-day workshop.

From skills development to networking … from inspiration to feeling understood … there’s nothing quite like hanging out with other writers and industry pros. We shouldn’t feel intimidated. No matter how far along the path, every writer has more to learn. And every writer was a newbie at some point. Since it looks like I’ll be filling in for our church administrator while she’s on mat leave, I don’t think I’ll make it to a conference this year. But as a member of COMPEL and Goodriter, I have access to lots of great training online.

11. Join or start a writers’ group.

I had the privilege of being one of the original four members of Women Writing for Christ. Over a decade later, we still meet monthly (except in the winter) and share the adventure of writing. We each write in different genres and for different audiences, but it is a wonderful opportunity to encourage one another. It’s a highlight of my month.

12. Be patient with yourself.

As in any area, it’s important to create SMART goals. Pace yourself and add one or two realistic goals per month. You can do this—and so can I!

Looking Forward - Susan Barclay

It's natural, as the year comes to an end, to look back and reflect on the events of the past twelve months, to consider how far (or not so far) one has come in that period of time, and to consider the year ahead.

Often it's a time when people create 'resolutions' or formulate goals. From my experience and from what I've heard from others, resolutions are usually broken within a couple of weeks. Instead of recommitting and moving forward, people tend to throw their hands up in despair and stop their self-improvement efforts.

Personally, I have moved from making resolutions to setting goals.While I admit that attempts to accomplish my 2012 goals using the Pick Four system failed, I still managed to complete two of the four on that list - finishing a Christmas short story (published in the anthology All Wrapped Up) and losing weight (17 pounds!).

As I look toward 2013, I have jumped on the Jan Plan wagon, which I found out about on one of the blogs I follow. According to the original post, "The Jan Plan will involve committing to finish one project. One. However you define 'finish'. Just doing what you have to do to get one project out of your unfinished knitting basket." My one project will be the completion of a short story I started this fall. If I successfully "get 'er done", I imagine there will be a Feb Plan, Mar Plan, etc. Please think about joining me and signing up for the challenge!


In the last couple of days, I've also been thinking about how to grow my character this year to become a less critical person. Yes, I admit this is an area in which I struggle. I can be critical of others as well as myself, not even attempting to extend compassion, understanding, or grace - especially if I'm around other judgmental people, who are quick to see the sawdust in another's eye while ignoring the plank in their own (Matthew 7:3-5). From the thoughts and mutterings I was wrestling with yesterday, I know this isn't going to be easy, but I'm determined. It will require me to learn more of God's Word, lean into and depend on Him, and remember that through Christ I have all I need for godly living (2 Peter 1:3). If I come to your mind this year, won't you pray for me?

For more of my writing, please visit www.susan-barclay.ca

Purpose Refocused - Tracy Krauss

January is half over and I find myself reflecting on how well I am keeping up with my 'resolutions'. In relative terms, things are going pretty well. I've joined an aquafit class three times a week, I'm spending more time in Bible reading and prayer each morning, and I'm keeping up with my writing and promotional goals. Pretty good, huh?

Yes, things are going well so far this year - for me. What a shock to hear just a few days into the new year, that a young friend died unexpectedly of cancer. When I first heard of her death, I thought she must have been involved in a car accident. As far as I knew, she was a healthy, robust, 23 year old with her whole life ahead of her. To my surpise, I found out that she was diagnosed with cancer just days before Christmas and died during the first week of January, only a little more than two weeks later. Although the 'C' word is never welcome, I am sure her friends and family expected to have a little more time with her than that.

It got me to thinking. Did she have time to reconnect with the Lord? I recall a commitment made years ago at a youth group meeting, but was it genuine and did that prayer come to mind in her last moments here on earth? Did someone take the time to visit in the hospital during those busy days before Christmas, or were their good intentions put on the back burner until after the busy holiday season? I can hope for the positive alternatives, but only God in His sovereign wisdom knows the answer.

Life on this earth is so fragile. So unexplainably unpredictable. My own goals for the new year seem rather shallow in camparison to the grief this family is now facing, and could be just as quickly snatched away in the twinkling of an eye. And yet, I believe God wants us to set goals for ourselves. In His wisdom, He keeps the future secret, yet gives us that desire to plan for it, come what may. I sometimes laugh when I hear certain 'doomsdayers' lamenting the coming date of 12/12/12. (Didn't you hear? It's the end of the world!) But God's word says no man knows the day or the hour - of the end of the universe or our own personal demise. Instead we are exhorted to "fear God and keep His commandments", doing "whatever your hand finds to do, with all your might..." (Ecclesiastes 12:13, and 9:10)

This is sound advice, and reminds me of Violet Nesdoly's Jan. 12 post on prayers for a writer.  In everything we do, we need to dedicate it to God and pray for his blessing upon it. And so, this is my prayer for each of you for this coming year. "Fear God, keep his commandments, and whatever you do, do it with all your might!"

Psalm 84, Revisited - M. Laycock

A friend posted a cartoon on Facebook the other day. The big dog is asking, “What exactly is a New Year’s resolution?” The answer made me chuckle – “It’s a to-do list for the first week of January.”

Like many people, I’ve been working on my to-do list, hoping it lasts a little longer than the first week of the new year. I’ve been pondering my writing life, assessing and setting goals and trying to decide what’s next. The sequel to my first novel will be released this year, and I know there is a long editing process yet to be done to bring that book to the marketplace, but once that is finished, I’ve been trying to discern what path I should take. I’ve been praying, and have asked others to pray, but so far no clear direction has been given. The options lay before me like juicy pieces of tropical fruit on a platter. I know all of them will taste good, all of them will be nourishing and all of them will bear more fruit according to their kind. But which one is what God wants for me?

I was getting a little tense because the answer wasn’t clear, until I remembered something I told my daughter when she was trying to make a decision about the direction of her life. I’d come across Psalm 84 and e-mailed verses 3 and 4 to her, because they struck a cord. I pulled out my Bible and read them again.

“Even the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may have her young – a place near your altar, O Lord Almighty, my King and my God. Blessed are those who dwell in your house; they are ever praising you.” (Ps. 84:3-4).
As I read those words I pictured those tiny birds flying high over the temple in Jerusalem. I thought about all that they would have seen and heard – the priests and believers coming and going to offer sacrifices, the songs sung in praise and worship, and above all, the presence of God in that place. I thought how true it is, even today, that we must nest close to the Lord and his people.

So many times God has told us this – stay close, let me gather you under my wing, hide yourself in me, abide in me. I think he said it so often because He knows how prone we are to not do it. We pull away so quickly; we find reasons to stay away, to our detriment.
It’s interesting that the very next verse talks not about resting in one place, but about those “who have set their hearts on pilgrimage.” The principle is clear: You don’t have to stay in one place, or make any one decision, to stay close to the Lord. Whether we choose one path or another for our lives or our careers, as long as we stay close to the Lord, depending on Him for strength and guidance, praising and thanking Him, we will be in the right place. It was because those little birds were nesting in the courts of the Lord that they could fly high and far in any direction they chose.

So my prayer has changed from, “Lord show me what to do,” to, “Lord, help me to stay close to You.”

Visit Marcia's website - http://www.vinemarc.com/