Blueprint for Life

Do you have a plan in place to discover God's vision for you?

A few years ago, I read a blog post by Michael Hyatt on the importance of creating a life plan.

Making a life plan is not intended to try to play God or to squeeze Christ out of being Lord over your life; it’s a way to cooperate with Him to successfully manage the relationships, duties, and finances that He has entrusted to you.

Although making a life plan is very simple, few people commit time to plan their life, but it’s truly a valuable investment. 

Here’s how to make one:

Michael Hyatt recommends taking one full day to create your life plan. With my work, family, and other responsibilities, I couldn't disappear for a full day. Instead, I woke up early each morning for two weeks and spent 30-45 minutes each day working on it. The result was a five-page life plan that gave me a renewed sense of clarity and purpose.

My eight priorities that emerged from the exercise were:

• God
• Self
• My Wife
• My Children
• Family & Friends
• Career
• Finances
• Ministry

As an example, here is a condensed version of the details for my first priority.

Priority 1: God

Envisioned Future:

I am intimately connected with God and His purposes for my life. I seek His wisdom daily and walk in the power of His Spirit living in me. I faithfully pursue my calling and frequently see evidence of my efforts being multiplied by His providential hand. I am being transformed daily to be more like Christ. His joy is evident in all circumstances I face. His power is changing me and the lives of those around me.

Purpose Statement:

My purpose is to love Jesus the way that He has loved me and share that love with others. I want to spend significant time in God’s presence and hold the door open wide so that others may experience God.

Supporting Verse:

“I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked. For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless.”  Psalm 84:10-11.

Current Reality:

• I feel very connected to God & His purposes.
• I feel content and secure in His love.
• I am doing significant work for the Kingdom—loving my wife, children, family and friends, leading my family, writing, and speaking.
• I am reading the Bible and praying regularly.

Specific Commitments:

• Start my day with Bible reading. Goal: Finish Chronological Bible this year
• Listen to one sermon / week during commute. Goal: 52 sermons
• Pray regularly, during daily commute, at meals, with my wife and kids.
• Develop a prayer list. Pray regularly and intentionally for people and situations. Then, record how God answers these requests.

I keep this document on my computer and review it regularly. Every six months, I block out an hour to update it. This process has been extremely valuable. It serves as a great reminder of what’s truly important and allows me to track progress in each area over time.

Proverbs 29:18 reminds us that, “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” Are you focused on pursuing God’s vision for your life? Do you have a plan in place to discover His vision for you? If not, let me encourage you to start by making a life plan.

The above concept is simple, but powerful:

• Identify your priorities.
• Envision your desired outcome.
• Understand the purpose behind each priority.
• Recognize your current reality.
• Determine specific commitments to reach the envisioned future.