Time to Set Priorities

Systems that work

Time management is more about priorities than finding time. Work on systems more than goals to balance your life. I practice priorities to balance time by applying Newton's seven colors of a prism.

Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, Violet

R - RED - Your spiritual life

Motives matter. Relationship to God is the WHY. Priority #1

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the law and the prophets hang on these two commandments.”  Matthew 22:37-40

Each year many of us will go through a physical check-up, a performance review at our workplace, perhaps do a financial check up at year’s end or at tax time. But how often do we take time to review our spiritual life?

Those who are saved by grace are called to grow in grace (2 Peter 3:18). As disciples of Jesus, we are to live a life of love – love for God and love for our neighbor, in the power of the Holy Spirit. Too often, in the busyness of our day-to-day lives, we let other priorities crowd out the two highest priorities Jesus gave us.

The following questions are designed to help you examine your spiritual life over the past year and to prayerfully seek God’s help in areas where you sense He desires you to grow in the New Year. There are links after most of the questions, guiding you to resources that we pray will stir your hearts and minds towards that growth.

As Paul prayed for the Ephesians, we pray for you - that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him,  having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might.  Ephesians 1:17-19

Take your spiritual checkup here.

Annual Spiritual Checkup - C.S. Lewis Institute

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the law and the prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:37-40 Each year many of us will go through a physical check-up, a performance review at our workplace, perhaps do a financial check up at year’s end or at tax time. But how often do we take time to review our spiritual life? Those who are saved by grace are called to grow in grace (2 Peter 3:18). As disciples of Jesus, we are to live a life of love – love for God and love for our neighbor, in the power of the Holy Spirit. Too often, in the busyness of our day-to-day lives, we let other priorities crowd out the two highest priorities Jesus gave us. The following questions are designed to help you examine your spiritual life over the past year and to prayerfully seek God’s help in areas where you sense He desires you to grow in the New Year. There are links after most of the questions, guiding you to resources that we pray will stir your hearts and minds towards that growth. As Paul prayed for the Ephesians, we pray for you - that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might. Ephesians 1:17-19 Loving God with all your heart, soul and mind

C.S. Lewis Institute

O - Orange -Your organized life

Organizing is like the sections of an orange, because organization is half the battle. Planning time to determine how to arrange your space and time makes a difference in the outcome. Planning takes time but saves time in the long run. That's the WHAT.

Y - Yellow - Your body life

You care for your body. Taking time to eat healthy, exercise and sleep well means that you are caring for your golden goose. You are that golden goose. You cannot lay golden eggs without a golden goose. Get it? Believe it or not, you spend at least one-third of your life on this color. That's the WHO.

G - Green - Your gifted life

Green is giving gifts of time, talent, and treasures. You are unique and the world needs your contribution to a particular purpose that God designed for you. Become who you were meant to be. That's the WHERE.

B - Blue - Your thinking and feeling life

Blue is being mentally and emotionally healthy. ME. When I am taking time to address mental miscues, and emotional triggers, I find healing and restoration from the past and present challenges that can disrail me. IQ (intelligence quotient) and EQ (Emotional intelligence quotient) support is a worthy investment in learning and practicing healthy boundaries. That's the WHEN.

I - Indigo - Your relationship in life

Indigo values individuals because we do not grow in isolation. We need each other. Learning how to interact in positive ways to encourage and confront each other is essential. That's the HOW.

V - Violet - Your voluteer life

Violet is volunteering, investing in the overflow of your life that is healthy so that you have extra to give. You cannot give what you first do not have. That's the OVERFLOW.

Together we can create a supportive community to work through 7 areas to balance our lives for our good that glorify God.