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Have you started thinking about your year-end planning? Don’t make the mistake of jumping into planning and goal-setting before you have prepared to plan. In Episode 138 of Just One Simple Thing, you’ll learn four things you should do before you start your annual planning.

It’s the time of year where we start planning for next year. You’ll have plenty of opportunities to reflect on the past year and to set goals for next year, but before you get started, there are some things you can do to prepare and make the process a lot easier for you.

So let’s create your planning plan!

First, start off in prayer. We know this, right? But as you enter this season, it’s so vital that you do it along with God.

• Pray that God will show you the truth.
• Pray that God will show you what is important.
• Pray that God sparks a blazing passion for your message and a deep desire to serve your audience.

Second, gather up your stats. This info will tell you where your efforts are paying off and where they aren’t.

Third, start making a list of investments you want to make in your ministry or business. Once you start planning, you’ll be able to tell which ones will most likely support your goals.

Lastly, get some feedback from your audience. You can do this with a survey, or simple polls in your Instagram Stories, or just ask some questions in your Facebook group or email newsletter.

Action Step

Set aside a specific time to do your year-end planning and goal setting. Some people like to do it during the quiet space between Christmas and New Year’s. Others prefer to wait until everyone is back in the swing of things in January. Whichever works for you, mark it on your calendar.

If you are listening to this in real time in early December, check the show notes for a link to the Looking Back to Move Forward Challenge. It’s a FREE five-day challenge that will help you close the door on 2024, leave behind what you no longer need, and start framing up 2025. I hope you’ll join us!

RESOURCES

How to Create a Reader Survey including a free download of sample questions.

Looking Back to Move Forward Challenge

Be sure to subscribe to the NewLetter to receive free resources and podcast updates in your email every Monday. Sign up here.

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How would it feel to close the door on this year and start the new year with fresh confidence?

No matter how it went for you, you need to say a fond farewell before you can move confidently into a new year.

The Looking Back to Move Forward challenge will help you take stock of the past year, decide what to carry with you into the New Year, and what needs to stay in the past.

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If you feel like you are in a season of waiting, maybe it is really a season of preparation. And that preparation is part of God’s plan. Listen in to Episode 137 of Just One Simple Thing to learn how to navigate the preparation so you can get to the other side.

We have the most amazing group of ladies who join us monthly for our Saturday morning Plan & Pray sessions. One of our most faithful members is a mom of 12 kids (yes, 12!!) who, with her husband, is building a ministry to support families with Bible study and parenting resources.

In one of our sessions several months ago, Emmie said she hadn’t done much in the past month to actively build their ministry, but she had spent a lot of time decluttering their home. They thought maybe God was calling them to go on the road in some way to serve people where they are.

They were waiting on direction from the Lord, but in the meantime, were preparing for what may come. As I’ve watched this unfold over the weeks since then, a couple of things have struck me about our conversation that day.

First, a season of waiting becomes productive when you see it as season of preparation.

Sometimes, we view a season of waiting as just sitting on our hands and doing nothing. But I think most times, the season of waiting includes some type of preparation, and it may not make any sense.

Second, preparation makes God's preposterous plans possible.

A family with 12 kids loading up in an RV to do ministry on the road sounds crazy!

But God knows exactly how it can be done, and only a season of preparation could make it possible. That’s not something you can just wake up one morning and do. It takes months of planning and preparing.

Maybe God has given you a huge dream... one you can’t even picture. It’s big and it’s overwhelming and you don’t know how you’ll ever get there.

I promise you that if God has given you that dream, he is also going to prepare you for it. You may not even realize that the hardships you are enduring and the pain you are processing are part of the preparation for His preposterous plan for you.

ACTION STEP

Look at the unexpected things happening in your life right now... especially the ones that may feel like distractions and interruptions that may be putting you in a season of waiting. How could God be using those to prepare you for what’s next?

Emmie’s family is getting a little closer each day to heading off in that RV. I’m excited to see what God does with all of the preparation they’ve been through. If you’d like to follow along on their journey, connect with them at their website.

And if you’d like to be part of our monthly Plan & Pray sessions, join my free Facebook group Plan & Pray with Do A New Thing. That’s where you’ll find all the info and the zoom link the last Saturday of each month.

RESOURCES

Plan & Pray Facebook Group

Jim & Emmie Manor Website

Be sure to subscribe to the NewLetter to receive free resources and podcast updates in your email every Monday.

+++++++++++++++

How would it feel to close the door on this year and start the new year with fresh confidence?

No matter how it went for you, you need to say a fond farewell before you can move confidently into a new year.

The Looking Back to Move Forward challenge will help you take stock of the past year, decide what to carry with you into the New Year, and what needs to stay in the past.

Send us a text

Welcome back to another episode of Just One Simple Thing! I’m so excited to spend this time with you, especially if you’re listening from the road, a hotel room, or maybe even an airport terminal—because today, we’re diving into a topic that’s close to my heart: how to balance your dream work while traveling for your full-time job.

As I prepare this episode, I’m sitting in a hotel room on a Saturday more than 2000 miles from home in between two legs of a business trip. I don’t know about you, but travel can easily disrupt my routines.

But—just because you're traveling doesn't mean you have to lose momentum.

The first thing to do is recognize the season you're in. Ecclesiastes 3:1 says, "There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens." When you’re on the road for work, it may be a season to be realistic and adjust how much time you can dedicate to your ministry, and that’s okay.

Even in busy seasons, we can take small but powerful steps toward our dreams.

1. Plan Ahead to Work Efficiently

Before heading out on your trip, think about the type of work that is easiest to do in settings you’ll be in.

Pro Tip: Download necessary files or apps beforehand so you can work offline if you need to, then sync up when you are back online.

2. Maximize Your Downtime

Use these times to catch up on tasks that don’t require a full setup—listen to podcasts related to your business, sketch out ideas, or even pray and seek God’s guidance for your next steps. Turning downtime into productive time can keep you moving forward without feeling overwhelmed.

3. Leverage Technology

Technology is a lifesaver when you’re on the move. The key is to simplify your tasks and make them as mobile as you are.

4. Prioritize Rest and Reflection

Traveling can be draining, and it’s easy to burn out if you’re constantly pushing yourself to be productive. Be intentional about setting aside downtime.

Don’t feel guilty about unplugging for a bit. Rest is a form of worship, and it’s in those quiet moments that God can recharge your spirit.

Action Step

Look at your upcoming travels and identify what tasks can be done on the go, and what needs to be done ahead. Set yourself up for success on your next trip!

Thanks for joining me today. Let’s be praying for each other as we pursue our calling while honoring all the work God has given us to do.

Resources

-The Move Forward Scripture Writing Journal is an easy way to stay in God’s Word when you have a busy schedule.

+++++++++++++++

How would it feel to close the door on this year and start the new year with fresh confidence?

No matter how it went for you, you need to say a fond farewell before you can move confidently into a new year.

The Looking Back to Move Forward challenge will help you take stock of the past year, decide what to carry with you into the New Year, and what needs to stay in the past.