Dear God,
In your Holy book, Psalms 42:1-2 poetically says, “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with my God?” (NIV Thinline Bible, 2005). Lord, I hunger and thirst for who you are and nothing fulfills me like being in your almighty presence. I could not stand to lose my connection with you as my Savior and Friend, but as a vulnerable human being sometimes it happens little by little from busyness or my failings to do things on my own. Therefore, Lord, I have devised a plan to guarantee my heart stay guarded against things of this world and that will keep me spiritually refreshed in you. I will follow this plan as I know that you will sustain me and help me to follow through with it.
“Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life” (Prov.4:23).
In order to keep my eyes on you God, I am going to organize and balance my life. Jim Burns states that “We need to be proactive in placing safeguards in our lives that will help us pursue balance and therefore long-term ministry with students. A good plan will take into account six areas of balance: spiritual, family, relational, emotional, physical, and leadership” (Burns, 2001, p.28). With his advise on these six balances, I believe that my walk with you will be more safeguarded against the evils and temptations of this world. Using the first balance, spiritual, I will make sure to spend time with you daily in prayer, Scripture reading, quiet times, and worship to allow you to work in my life. I do not want what Burns calls “fading away before God can use them to their greatest potential” (p.28). I also will be using the second step, family, to make sure and show my family their importance in my life as well. My husband and I made a date box, as you know because you are God, in which we both write date ideas down and once a week draw an idea out to do that weekend, and we promise you to keep up with that. I promise you that we will remember to go on dates and cherish each other through your love that you pour out unto us and the blessing we have of enjoying each other while on this earth. After all, “the most important ministry is to your spouse and children” (p.30). Third, I will keep my relational balance in check by staying active in my Salute group, the military fellowship/accountability group at my church, and allowing myself to be guided by those stronger in their walk than me. Fourth, I will keep my emotional balance in check by seeking to “recharge my batteries” (p.31). To do this, I will use my photography passion that you have given to me and enhance that so I will have something relaxing to help me recharge. Fifth, my physical balance, I will keep in check by getting enough exercise and resting eight hours a night as much as possible so as to be fresh for your daily work that you call me to. Lastly, my leadership balance will keep me fresh by making sure to have a healthy schedule/work load, training and equipping myself, and growing my administration skills.
Another way that I will keep my promise to you is by constantly checking my motives and heart in what I am doing. If my heart is not focused fully on you God, then my ministry and life will suffer. Not only will I notice it if this happens, but also everyone around me, and my witness for you would fail. Because I do not want to fail you Lord, I will “commit myself to an honest and regular evaluation of my heart, the source of my spiritual growth and leadership” (Fields, 2002, p. 24).
The final way in which I will guard my heart and keep myself fresh, is by promising you God that I will try to stop holding myself up in comparison to others. Fields states that “When you feel tempted to compare yourself to another volunteer, leader, or Bible teacher, stop and focus on God's love for you in that moment. God's love isn't based on how you measure up. He loves you for who you are, not for whom you think you should be more like” (p.30).
You are so amazing God and I thank you for who you are and that you freely let me come into your presence. I pray that you continue working in my heart, mind, body, soul, and ministry through the course of my life. Please use these promises to you in order to enrich my heart and life and make me more effective in ministry and as your servant. Amen.
Love, Holly
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