Nearly a year ago, the Lord gave me vision for a new adventure. A new calling. A new ministry. Half of me was filled with passion and excitement. But my other side was filled with apprehension and excuses. Start a blog? I didn’t even know what the word blog actually means. But I have learned that obedience is always a good choice.

So I began planning, learning, preparing. The online world is full of words that become distractions, and I do not want to add more words unless they will draw others closer to Jesus. The past year has been a journey of educating myself on how to communicate more effectively and asking God to give me the message He wants His children to hear. This has been a season of forming intentional strategy.

My plan to launch this site, I think, is very good. But life circumstances have a way of preventing good plans from becoming reality. So in the beginning of a new year, I find that I still have not begun what I intended last year.

A few days ago, it seemed God gave me a simple message:

Just Begin

Take the step of faith. Don’t forget the plan, but don’t trust in it either. Trust Me. Begin.

And so I begin with a new plan: A 21 day series to coincide with my 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting to kick off the new year. I don’t know what I will write about each day, but I trust God will give me the message. During these 21 days, I will pray for my heart; I will pray for the impact of this website; and I will pray for you.

Perhaps there is something that you, too, have been planning to do. Maybe I’m not the only one with good intentions falling short of reality. Is there a whisper in your heart of a new adventure, a new task, a new habit? Maybe a New Year’s resolution?

May I encourage you to just begin? The first step might be the hardest, but we walk by faith and not by sight (II Corinthians 5:7). Planning and preparation is wise, but you don’t always need to know all of the details. Not if you walk with the One who does see every detail ahead of you.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.”

Proverbs 3:5-6 (NASB)

Any area of life where we are tempted to lean on our own understanding is exactly where we should take the first step of faith. We may not see the path ahead of us – actually, we cannot see the path ahead of us – but Jesus can. Rather than lean on our own understanding, let’s lean into Him.

It is much easier to trust someone if we know them well and are close to them.That’s where prayer comes in. Prayer is how our hearts draw close to God’s heart. As we begin the journey on any new path, we must lean in and draw close to the One who can make that path straight.

Anything worth doing is worth doing…

with prayer as the starting point.

Let’s begin by intentionally getting close to Jesus. Will you join me for 21 days of getting closer to Him? Each day, I will share two things:

  1. God’s Word – I will write something to help us focus our hearts on Jesus so that we can trust Him more completely with our whole heart. What will I write? Hmm, that’s a surprise…for you and me! But I acknowledge Jesus as Lord over this website, and I trust the He will make the path straight.
  2. Prayer Challenge – Sometimes, we just need a little direction to help us get started.

So join me for 21 days. You won’t regret it!

Today’s Challenge:

Make a Plan

Jesus had a time and a place where He met to talk with His Father (Mark 1:35). We would be wise to follow His example. So take a moment and make a plan for the next 21 days.

  • When will you pray?
  • Where will you pray?

This is your plan. Someone might catch a few minutes during the kids’ naptime. Someone might get up an hour earlier each day. Perhaps you could set a timer for several times during the day. Maybe your commitment is to pray with your spouse or your children daily at mealtime.

Be sure your plan is doable for you for the next three weeks. But don’t be afraid of giving yourself a bit of a challenge. Our commitment is step number one. A step of faith.

So let’s begin.