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Do Not Depart

Encouragement and Tools to Abide in God's Word

You are here: Home / Encouragement to Abide / Intentional Spiritual Growth / Intentional Spiritual Growth: Setting Goals and Making Plans

Intentional Spiritual Growth: Setting Goals and Making Plans

January 7, 2020 by Ali Shaw 3 Comments

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Are you setting goals, making plans, and being intentional about your spiritual growth in the new year? Here’s some encouragement!

Whether you are a resolution maker, a goal setter, a one-word focuser, or a go-with the flow personality, you know that growth happens best when it’s fostered.

Last spring, I planted a tropical plant in my central Texas backyard. After I planted it, I learned that I should have planted it in a container. (I truly don’t have a green thumb!) The beautiful red blossoms that it proudly boasted when I bought it soon shriveled and died. No more gorgeous crimson ever appeared. Pooh! And our mild, temperate winter was much too cold for it. It completely died within about six months.

I hadn’t done the right things to foster it’s growth. After all, flowers do best in the right environment. 

Intentional Spiritual Growth: Setting Goals and Making Plans #SpiritualGrowth A monthlong series at DoNotDepart.com

Spiritual Growth

Humans are similar. If we want to grow, we must do things to encourage it. When we are intentional, growth will result.

Like our bodies, our spirits can grow. With the right care, attention, and “feeding,” growth will result!

Spiritual growth is really just this: The fruit of the Spirit is evidenced in our lives. 

Like Patti wrote HERE recently, “As we cling to Jesus Christ, our heavenly gardener, He will bring this fruit to maturity in our lives!”

Our part is to intentionally abide in the vine and respond obediently to the vinedresser— agreeing with the Holy Spirit who is working in our hearts. (John 15:1)

The Practical Side of Spiritual Growth

So, on a practical level, how can we be intentional?

Once we identify areas where we’d like to see growth, we can set big-picture goals and create specific objectives to reach them. Intentionality is key.  

Did you hear that part? Let me say it again:  We must be intentional. 

When we give ourselves direction (centered on God’s Word), set mile markers, and work with concrete goals, it will only help us hit our mark. 

Creating actionable steps to follow will move us forward. 

If we want to get from our present location to the destination in mind, we must forecast our thinking: Where do we want to end up? What’s the best route to take?

The beginning of a new year is a great time to think through our current spiritual condition and look for areas where we’d like to grow!

I pray that you’ll join us this month as we, your DoNotDepart team, look at some areas we feel like God has challenged us to grow.

The series will officially start next Tuesday, January 14th. (I usually post the Thursday following a series introduction but I’ll be prepping for speaking engagement. Pray for me?) Between now and the series start, you can be praying, asking God to show you how to be intentional about your own spiritual growth.

Blessings and Happy New Year!

In Him,

Ali

Are you setting goals, making plans, and being intentional about your spiritual growth in the new year? Here’s some encouragement! A monthlong series at DoNotDepart. #SpiritualGrowth

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About Ali Shaw

Ali Shaw can’t believe how blessed her life is! Wife of 20+ years. Momma to three daughters (two that she’s still homeschooling). She serves on the HelloMornings Leadership Team… and is just in awe that God will use a regular girl like her! Woven with practical insight, her writing lovingly encourages other women to seek God daily through the reading and study of His Word. She’s learning to serve her Precious Lord more and more, day by day. She blogs at Heartfelt Reflections. Read more posts by Ali

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Trackbacks

  1. Intentional Spiritual Growth: Serving the Body of Christ - Do Not Depart says:
    January 21, 2020 at 7:09 am

    […] the outset of this month’s focus on intentional spiritual growth, Ali wrote, “growth happens best when it’s fostered.” A PK (preacher’s kid), I grew up in the church, and sometimes it felt like I lived there. […]

    Reply
  2. Intentional Spiritual Growth: Series Wrap Up - Do Not Depart says:
    January 30, 2020 at 6:33 am

    […] our series intro post, I explained that growth happens best when it’s fostered. And, “once we identify areas […]

    Reply
  3. Let Go and Know He is God - Series Intro - Do Not Depart says:
    January 5, 2021 at 6:08 am

    […] I love the practice of choosing a word for the year, making plans, and challenging my family and myself to move toward […]

    Reply

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