by Susan U. Neal RN, MBA, MHS @SusanNealYoga
The dawn of a new year is a powerful time—a season of reflection, evaluation, and preparation. It’s a moment to pause and consider the year behind us, celebrate the wins, learn from the challenges, and prayerfully set a course for the year ahead. For those of us who write or work in ministry, this is an opportunity to align our plans with God’s will, ensuring our efforts are purposeful and impactful. Have you taken time yet to plan for 2025?
If not, here’s a guide to help you start your planning session with clarity, focus, and faith.
1. Begin with Prayer
Every meaningful plan starts with seeking God’s wisdom and direction. Set aside some quiet time to pray, asking God to lead your thoughts and decisions as you outline your goals. Invite the Holy Spirit to illuminate the areas where you should focus and the tasks that align with His purpose for your writing ministry and your life.
2. Choose a Theme Verse for 2025
Selecting a scripture verse as your theme for the year helps to anchor your plans in God’s Word. Reflect on verses that speak to your mission, challenges, or aspirations. Once chosen, write your theme verse on the front cover or the first page of your new calendar or planner. This simple act ensures that God’s Word is front and center throughout the year.
Do you need assistance with organizing your goals? Consider taking the Annual Planning course offered through the CIPA membership platform at cipa.podia.com. This course provides valuable insights and practical strategies to help you plan effectively.
3. Document Your Planning Session
Write your vision and goals in the first few pages of your calendar or planner. This creates a readily accessible reminder of your ministry focus. In the writing world, rejection is common, and the journey can be challenging. Having God’s Word and your purpose documented helps you stay grounded and motivated on His calling for your life.
4. Celebrate Last Year’s Achievements
Before you set new goals, take time to recognize and celebrate what you accomplished in the past year. Make a list of your achievements across different areas of your life:
- Work: Writing projects completed, publications, speaking engagements, or any professional milestones.
- Health: Physical improvements, fitness goals, or wellness habits adopted.
- Spiritual: Growth in your faith, Bible studies attended, or breakthroughs in your relationship with God.
- Family: Milestones reached, quality time spent, or memories created.
Once you’ve listed your accomplishments, celebrate them! Share your successes with family and friends, or treat yourself to a dinner out, a special gift, or an activity you enjoy. Acknowledging your progress fosters gratitude and motivation.
5. Reflect on What Worked and What Didn’t
Reflection is key to growth. Ask yourself:
- What strategies or practices were successful last year?
- What didn’t go as planned, and why?
- Are there commitments or habits that you need to let go of?
Sometimes, letting go of ineffective events, draining relationships, or unproductive habits is necessary to make room for what God truly desires for you.
6. Set Your Goals for 2025
Prayerfully consider what God wants you to accomplish in 2025. Your goals might span multiple areas of your life, such as:
- Writing and Ministry: New books, blog posts, speaking engagements, or marketing efforts.
- Personal Life: Family time, health, and personal development.
- Household: What type of updates need to be done in your home or yard?
Create two lists—one for your professional goals and one for your personal or family goals. Remember that different seasons of life require different priorities. If God is calling you to invest more in your family this year, embrace that fully. Children grow up quickly, and the time we invest in relationships is never wasted.
7. Prioritize and Schedule Your Goals
Break down your goals into manageable steps and schedule them in your calendar. Organize them by monthly or quarterly segments to ensure steady progress. For example a few of my writing goals include:
- January: Create a free book marketing plan lead magnet to accompany the launch of my new book.
- February: Attend the National Religious Broadcasters Convention.
- Spring: Publish and promote my new book, How to Sell 1000 Books a Month.
This structured approach helps you stay on track and prevents overwhelm by spreading out tasks realistically throughout the year.
8. Invest in Your Well-Being
To achieve your divine goals, you need to be physically, emotionally, and spiritually healthy. Consider these areas for growth:
- Spiritual Health: Join a Bible study, dedicate time to daily prayer, or deepen your understanding of Scripture.
- Physical Health: Commit to regular exercise, healthier eating habits, or self-care routines.
- Emotional Health: Seek ways to manage stress, cultivate joy, and nurture relationships.
A well-rounded, healthy you is better equipped to fulfill God’s purpose.
9. Move Forward with Faith
As you finalize your plans, remember to hold them loosely, trusting that God may adjust your path along the way. Commit your goals to Him, and step forward with confidence, knowing that He is guiding you.
May God grant you wisdom, clarity, and abundant blessings as you plan for 2025. Let your work and life reflect His glory and His purpose for you.
"Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans." (Proverbs 16:3, NIV)
The dawn of a new year fosters a time for reflection and planning. It is a time to look back on last year, evaluate what you did, and plan for the next year. The new year motivates one to meet with the Lord and meditate upon his will for a person’s writing ministry. Have you taken the time to plan for 2025?
Begin your 2025 planning session with prayer. Ask God to guide you during this session. Select a scripture verse as your theme for the new year. To assist you with this task, take the Course: Annual Planning in the Christian Authors Network (CAN) membership platform at http://cipa.podia.com/.
I write my new year’s theme verse either on the front cover or first page of my new calendar. This year, I chose to document my planning session in the first few pages of my calendar, so it is easily accessible. In the writing business, we receive much rejection. Focusing on our divine purpose and God’s Word keep us grounded and motivated to pursue the Lord’s will for our lives.
Next, I list all the previous year’s accomplishments in my life (work, health, spiritual, family). Then it is time to celebrate. Tell your family and friends what you accomplished. Go out to dinner—whatever works for you.
Evaluate what worked well last year and what did not. Determine what you need to purge from your life—maybe a negative relationship or an author event that is not working well.
Plan your goals for 2025. As you do, ask God to help you determine what he wants you to accomplish. What is his priority? In different seasons of our lives, perhaps we should focus more on family and less on work. Our children grow quicker than we think. For my goals, I created a list for work and home/family.
Prioritize your goals and schedule them in your calendar based upon segments of time such as monthly or quarterly. For example, in January I created a free marketing plan document HERE to correspond with my new book, How to Sell 1000 Books a Month. Next, I plan to publish this book in the spring.
I also focus on what I can do to improve myself physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Do I need to join a Bible study at church? When a writer focuses on their well-being, they can accomplish their divine goals better. May God give you wisdom and bless you as you work for him.
TWEETABLE
Thank you, Susan for sharing these tips. For the last couple of years, I have picked a word to concentrate and pray on to draw closer to God. This year my word is TRUST. It is ironic that you mentioned Proverbs 16:3 because that is the verse I picked to meditate on before I move forward in my writing and other endeavors.
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