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Planner


Well, I tried. I tried to be a techy guy, but it just isn’t me. When I first became a pastor of students I got a leather organizer to carry pens, business cards, a notepad, and most importantly, a 2008 calendar. That planner soon became my personal assistant and good friend. I found it was vital to write down all my appointments, and to check my schedule often. Over the years I perfected my system, getting it down to a science. 

 

But as 2022 was drawing to a close, I finally caved. I listened to the voices telling it me it was time to enter the 21st Century. It’s all digital, you know. Use the calendar app on your phone, sync it with the calendar on your laptop, share it with office staff…it’s all so easy!

 

But I am an old dog, and that was a new trick. I gave it my best shot, but the first week of not carrying a planner and I received a phone call about a meeting I missed. And yes, I set up my phone calendar to remind me of meetings, but one of us failed to get the reminder. Throughout the year I made a little progress but still missed a few important events. 

 

So as 2023 was drawing to a close, my wife surprised me with the best Christmas present—a new leather planner and 2024 calendar. This old dog is happy again. 

 

I like to keep tangible calendars because you can look back at it over the years and see what you did, where you went, and what happened. And there are always plenty of eraser marks where plans changed (something you miss out on when you edit or delete on a digital calendar). 

 

The old adage tells us “to fail to plan is to plan to fail,” and I am a firm believer in having a plan. But the old Proverb tells us, “Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand (19:21).” 

 

Whether you use your device or your paper calendar, we all need to plan. But at the end of the day we must remember God is in control, not us. So write your plans in pencil, being willing to submit any time the Lord leads us to grab an eraser. We can write down our plans, but as James said, we need to say “if the Lord wills” we will do this (4:15). 

 

I hope this is a great year for all of you, and that the Lord has great things in store for us all. 

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