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- “Before You Plan 2026...”
Before you race into 2026 with goals, plans, and resolutions…
there’s something far more powerful you need to do:
Pause. Reflect. Receive grace.
Because you can’t plan well until you’ve processed well.
And you can’t process well until you slow down long enough to see what God did this year.
Today’s newsletter gives you five reflection questions to help you end 2025 with grace instead of guilt.
Before You Plan 2026…
Most men jump into January with pressure:
“What do I need to fix?
What do I need to achieve?
What should I change this year?”
But wise men start differently.
Wise men begin with reflection — not resolutions.
Because reflection reveals:
Where God carried you
Where He stretched you
Where He refined you
Where He healed you
Where you grew without noticing
Where you need His strength for the next season
Reflection is not looking back with shame.
Reflection is looking back with spiritual awareness.
Psalm 77:12 says: “I will ponder all Your work and meditate on Your mighty deeds.”
Before you move forward…you look back and recognize God’s fingerprints.
Here Are 5 Questions to End the Year With Grace, Not Guilt
Take this slow.
You don’t need long answers — just honest ones.
1. Where did God carry me this year?
Think of moments where you didn’t know what to do…
and somehow you made it.
He was there.
2. What was the hardest part of this year — and what did it teach me?
Hardship is a teacher.
Pain produces wisdom.
Ask what the stretch produced.
3. What blessing did I overlook because I was busy?
Sometimes God’s goodness comes subtly:
A small answered prayer.
A moment with your kids.
Provision you didn’t expect.
4. What slipped this year that God is asking me to repair?
Not with shame.
With grace.
God only reveals areas of neglect to help you rebuild.
5. What do I want to bring into 2026… and what do I need to leave behind?
Maybe you need to leave:
Overthinking
Fear
Busyness
Comparison
A habit that drains you
And carry forward:
Gratitude
Presence
Consistency
Prayer
Community
Clarity
Peace
Make space for what God wants to do next.
Reflection Leads to Alignment
Once you answer these questions, something powerful happens:
Your heart slows down.
Your mind clears.
Your focus sharpens.
Your identity settles.
And you become ready — truly ready — to plan 2026 with wisdom instead of pressure.
TOOL OF THE WEEK — “The Five-Minute Year-End Reset”
Tonight, take 5 minutes:
Light a candle or dim the lights.
Ask God: “Show me where You were this year.”
Answer the five questions above.
Pray this simple prayer: “Lord, thank You for being faithful this year.
Guide me into 2026 with a clear mind and a grounded heart.
Lead me, shape me, and steady me.
I trust You. Amen.”
This small practice can change the way you enter the new year.
A guided 7-page PDF to help you:
Look back with clarity
Identify growth
Release burdens
Prepare spiritually for 2026
If you’re not premium yet — now’s a great time to join.
One Step at a Time.
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