Has your daughter set goals for herself this new year? The Bible says “The plans of the diligent lead to profit” (Proverbs 21:5). Making resolutions is a smart practice. Keeping them is the hard part.
Here are a few tips for helping your daughter keep tabs on her goals this year—and reach them.
Pray—The best way to set a goal is to include God in the process. Encourage your daughter to pray about her goals. First ask God if it’s the right goal for you. Is it wise? Honorable? Aligned with His will? Then ask Him for the strength and perseverance to achieve the goal, always leaving room for God to interrupt your plan with a different one.
“In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps” (Proverbs 16:9).
Measure—Effective goals are measurable goals. For example, “read more books” is a noble aim, but what does “more” mean? Guide your daughter to make her goals specific, such as, “read two extracurricular books per month.” Then work together to design a progress chart so she can track her accomplishments!
“Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress” (1 Timothy 4:15).
Communicate—Check in with your daughter on a regular basis to see how she’s doing with her goals. Talking about them often can help her keep her goals in mind and prevent losing sight of reaching them. Make sure, though, that your approach is always encouraging and not condemning. Better yet, set a few goals yourself and invite your daughter to hold you accountable in return!
“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing” (1 Thessalonians 5:11).
No matter what goals your daughter has in mind, following a few basic biblical principles will help both of you keep your eyes on the prize—for
