{"id":1087,"date":"2016-01-01T08:00:26","date_gmt":"2016-01-01T08:00:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.crazy4fiction.com\/?p=1087"},"modified":"2016-01-01T08:00:26","modified_gmt":"2016-01-01T08:00:26","slug":"possibilities-list-for-2016-new-year-thoughts-from-francine-rivers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sites.tyndale.com\/crazy4fiction\/possibilities-list-for-2016-new-year-thoughts-from-francine-rivers\/","title":{"rendered":"Possibilities List for 2016\u2014 New Year Thoughts from Francine Rivers"},"content":{"rendered":"

A guest post by Francine Rivers<\/em><\/p>\n

After the excitement and joy of Christmas, I begin to ponder the coming year\u2014and my possibilities list. A wise friend once told me \u201cresolutions\u201d has a legalistic sound to it, a \u201cmust do\u201d that puts stress on one to achieve everything put down on paper. Anything less than perfection would be failure. I like the slogan \u201cprogress, not perfection.\u201d Hence\u2014I went with her suggestion: possibilities!<\/p>\n

Every New Year\u2019s Eve, I spend the evening going through a pile of notes, articles, and my calendar. It\u2019s important for me to have a plan for the coming year. It\u2019s on paper, not chiseled in stone. God is free to redirect me anytime He pleases. I\u2019m open to His leading. But it doesn\u2019t hurt to have some ideas about things I\u2019d like to do\u2014or get done.<\/p>\n

I have seven categories in the following order:<\/p>\n

Spiritual<\/strong>\u2014Anything that will nurture my faith in Jesus Christ and help me grow as a Christian. Examples: Reading the One Year Bible, attending Bible Study Fellowship, keeping our home group Bible study going.<\/p>\n

Family<\/strong>\u2014Rick and I start our day by reading devotionals to one another, then praying. It\u2019s also important to plan activities together, as well as with the family. Golf, anyone?<\/p>\n

Work<\/strong>\u2014Finishing a manuscript and considering what might come next. Maybe I\u2019ll try script writing.<\/p>\n

Finance<\/strong>\u2014Everything that comes in comes from God. Hence, we need to be responsible in how we use those resources. They aren\u2019t just intended for our personal use. Rick and I work together in this area, making decisions about intentional giving and saving.<\/p>\n

Travel<\/strong>\u2014It doesn\u2019t cost a penny to dream or have a bucket list. I have categories within this category: local spots to visit, places in the state, out-of-state, and international. The more we see, the more we want to see. I\u2019ve done a lot of armchair traveling this year, too.<\/p>\n

House<\/strong>\u2014Last year, we worked on downsizing. Rick has Parkinson\u2019s and I\u2019m a klutz with arthritis. Stairs will one day be a problem. We went through everything with the thought of a possible move to a smaller, single-story house. Well, we changed our minds. So this year, I\u2019ll be focusing on minor repairs. I have a list for a handyman. All I need to do is find one.<\/p>\n

Personal<\/strong>\u2014Physical, mental, and emotional \u201cupkeep.\u201d Exercise, reading, time to reflect, spending time with friends (girls\u2019 nights out).<\/p>\n

While making my list of possibilities, I consider the following:<\/p>\n