Dear friend,

 

Each December Josh and I go away for a day and a half for what we call our “annual visioning getaway”. I don't know if “visioning” is even a word (I made it up), but it captures what we do on these short times together. This is our fourth year doing this and our shortest time away (we were gone about 12 hours!). Whether you're single or married, this practice might bless you. This week I thought I'd share what we do and how it has impacted us over the years.

 

Let's get this out of the way first: you don't have to be a goal-oriented person to set a vision for the next year. Scripture says “without a vision, the people perish” (Prov. 29:18). We need vision - a mission for the future, something to live for and work toward - to guide our daily lives. Only when we live WITHOUT vision do our days feel pointless, rootless, and mundane. Average days driven by long-term vision move us toward something good, even when it's hard and slow.

 

Josh and I are very different people – complete opposites on paper. I like clear goals, something to move toward and check off. He's not as motivated by such things (though that has changed a bit over the years). As with most people, Josh does not appreciate goals being set for him; he wants to come to his own conclusions about what to change. Early in our marriage I made the mistake of “suggesting” changes in the name of family health — I learned to simply pray for Josh and God to come to those conclusions and focus instead on what we could change together. That's what this getaway is about: evaluating and improving our family direction, our priorities, goals, and mission for the next year. Despite our different personalities, Josh looks forward to this as much as I do and we have so much fun getting on the same page, celebrating our successes and evaluating what God wants to do in the future!

 

There are many ways you could go about something like this, but our strategy is really quite simple. Here's what we do…

 

That's it! Like I said, it's quite simple. But this practice of bringing God into our vision – letting it be truly HIS vision, specific to our family – helps us enter the new year with a clear mission. Beautifully, each year builds on the one before. The rhythms we set in 2023 are building toward the systems we put in place in 2024. 

 

One last tip: Perfectionism is the enemy of consistency. Idealism is the enemy of contentment.

 

Josh and I are consistent, but we are not perfect. And because we choose to let go of perfection (which is impossible for flawed people anyway; we are not God) we are able to consistently get back up again, get back on track, and move forward without shame. Perfectionism leads to inconsistency and ironically, failure. Only those who accept their imperfection can contentedly move forward in growth… and on the other side, find the satisfaction of a life well-lived, purposefully accomplished. 

 

Try inviting God into your vision this year, whether you journal alone for a few hours or go away for a weekend with your spouse. Dreaming with God is the best way to dream!

 

2023 was our first year offering this program. I spent 110+ hours creating content, videos, and finding extra resources for our students this time around, and hundreds of people are finishing the Bible (many for the first time!) at the end of the year! I am so excited to relaunch with a new group and add even MORE to the course.

 

Launch details will be sent later in the month, but for now, here is what Bible in a Year entails:

FAQs:

The registration announcement will come after Christmas. We are hoping to supply an annual option and the monthly subscription option if Teachable will allow us to do so :)

 

I am listening to this on audio because it's only 3 hours long. I've been reading Shakespeare to the girls using Shakespeare for Children and Beautiful Stories from Shakespeare but haven't listened through or read all the plays myself. My plan is to listen through them in 2024 and watch the movie versions (that the kids can handle) with the girls.

 

Update: I gave up on this one. I will watch the show now that I got the jist, but it was SUCH a slow plot, the conversation was had no driving direction and the characters were just not for me. Quitting this to pick up Dracula. 

 

Been working on this one for several months and am almost finished. I loved it and found little to disagree with within it, but I can see how people who are not familiar with the lifestyle he describes would kick against the goads. Some of what he recommends is a bit unrealistic (living near your church isn't always possible, or living in close proximity to your church community; but you can fix that by being hospitable). He also holds to the same view I do on education - that it is for the cultivation of truth, goodness and beauty - and believes the public school system no longer accomplishes this. His strong stance for private Christian education (where possible) is probably why some people dislike the book. I'd say: Don't throw the baby out with the bathwater on this one. Most people crave the community he describes, but don't have it because they follow the standard American model for life, sports, education, commitments, and (lack of) church engagement. You have to say no to something to say yes to what you want - and that's what is in this book.