#plan by: Julie Wicker
One of my favorite quotes is by Benjamin Franklin; “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail”. Just think if with everything you planned, you were intentional and prepped for. A few examples, if I am dieting, I am much more successful when I plan out my meals. If I am taking a test for school, I am much more successful If I study & prepare. In proverbs 15:22; “Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed”.

This past week I was rereading a chapter, titled “I should be farther along by now” in a book called Girl Wash your Face by Rachel Hollis, she instructs her readers to write letter to yourself about your tenacity. She encourages you to make a list of the things you have accomplished and will accomplish. Later that day a friend sent me a sermon message from Dharius Daniels that was based off Matt 14:29. There were two statements he made that stuck out to me. #1; You can’t look at past patterns to predict your future potential. #2; “If they can’t get over your past, they are not necessary for your future”. Rachel Hollis is big about living unapologetically. You may have a fear of what others might think. You may have a fear of failure. Maybe you can’t let go of past mistakes so you can move into what God has in store for you next. I say, choose to write your letter to yourself through God’s eyes.
What would you say about your tenacity? What would be on your list? What does your timeline look like to accomplish your list? Are you surrounded by a community of family and friends that will support you in accomplishing your goals?
Tenacity means the quality or fact of being able to grip something firmly. Synonyms include persistence, determination, and perseverance. As most of you know by now, I am on a running journey. I am on a mission to run a half marathon. What does this look like? For me its running 5-6 days a week, 18-25 miles a week. Deborah recently shared with me a devotion that talked about how runners can break through an invisible wall. That is so true, that is why one day a week I try to break through that wall and accomplish my long run. The scripture that I can cling to in Hebrews 12:1; “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us”. Today was my long run. I didn’t make it the longest. I didn’t make it the fastest. Today my wall was at 4.75 but I pushed past that to mile 7. Not every week is going to be your peak. Just keep pushing.
This week has been challenging, going back to work and trying to keep up with the running schedule I have set for myself. It has also been an emotionally draining week with everything going on with my dad. Although physically and emotionally I am exhausted, spiritually I have never felt so good. I know ultimately God wans to see me accomplish my plans. He wants me to have the desires of my heart. I have plans for my dad to see me graduate college with an Associate Degree in Business Administration. I would love for my dad to see me run a half marathon. I choose to lean on the scripture in Psalm 20:4; “May he give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed”. I also know that God’s plan is perfect so on occasion I say the words; “Thy will be done”. In my mind this is these are the hardest words to form.
In order to succeed at our plans, we first need to plan, am I right? A quote I found in preparation for today; “You can’t plow a field simply by turning it over in your mind” by Gordon Hinckley. I want to encourage you today to write a letter to yourself. I want to encourage you today to make a plan. I will be honest with you. I have not taken on this challenge yet myself. Deborah and I keep telling you these blog posts are for us too. It is so true! So today, I commit to write a letter to myself. Maybe one day I will share it with you.