Week 2: Lifetime Goals

Disclaimer: I apologize for not posting on Sunday-- it was a crazy day. Then yesterday when I started this post, the computer froze up and freaked out.
Challenge: Write your diary in advance.
Promise: You will move toward your lifetime goal.
Dunn states that through goal setting, we can "write about what's happened before it's happened," and thus write our diaries in advance. I would like to clarify that goal setting is not predicting the future-- it's making the future. "If your goals are strong enough, they will inevitably produce results," (Dunn). Dunn reaffirms his faith that the subconscious mind, "if programmed with goals that are already set," will automatically steer you toward those goals. This reminded me of a poem I read by Walter D Whintle:

"If you think you are beaten, you are.

If you think you dare not, you don't.

If you'd like to win but you think you can't,

It's almost certain you won't.

Life's battles don't always go

To the stronger or faster man,

But sooner or later, the man who wins 

Is the man who thinks he can."

From the last few lines, the Spirit brought to my mind David and Goliath. Beating the nine foot, gazillion pound, angry, blood-thirsty Philistine seemed like an impossible goal. I often imagine King Saul and the Israelites laughing at David, but his faith in God "deliver[ed him] out of the hand of the Philistine," (1 Sam. 17:37).

Dunn continues "We have the unique perspective of knowing that the ultimate goal is to be as God is, and the lifetime goal is to return to His presence. All shorter-range goals should tune themselves to that. The way to do it is to look long and hard and prayerfully at that lifetime goal, and then WRITE DOWN what you could do in the next five years in pursuit of it," (caps added). I stress that all goals are written down. I do not recall who, but a leader of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints explains why when he said, "A goal unwritten is just a dream." From experience I can testify that not writing down a goal is like fantasizing "I hope one day to do this or be that," but writing down a goal is demanding "I will do this and I will be that." So whatever goal you work on this week please WRITE. IT. DOWN.

After supporting our lifetime goal with a five year goal, Dunn encourages us to set a one year goal that will uphold the five year goal, and then a one month goal, and then a one week goal. So here it goes:

Since my lifetime goal is to return to live with Heavenly Father I know I will need the direction, counsel, and examples found and placed in the scriptures specifically to help us with this lifetime goal. Therefore, in five years I will have a thorough knowledge of all the scriptures. It works perfectly, one set of scripture for each year: 1. the Book of Mormon  2.the Old Testament  3.the New Testament  4.the Doctrine and Covenants and 5. the Pearl of Great Price(contains some re-translations of the Bible, Joseph Smith's record of seeing God and Jesus Christ and obtaining the Book of Mormon, and 13 articles describing what we believe- for more information go to mormon.org/faq/). For my one year goal I will read the Book of Mormon twice. The math says that in one month I need to be in 2 Nephi 19. In one week I will have read to 1 Nephi 13. Now I am making the future! I suggest that you do the same. Not the same goal, but do the same with whatever your goal is. Just as Dunn promises, I promise the if you follow this pattern for setting goals you will "see that nothing is unreachable to one who works in partnership with God," (Dunn).

                   

Week 1: Personal Divine Destiny

Challenge: To seek your personal divine destiny.
Promise: A feeling of purpose, and assurance, and worth.
In this chapter Dunn encourages you to seek out your divine purpose and part in God's plan. He recommends beginning with your Patriarchal Blessing. For those of you who do not know, a Patriarchal Blessing is a special blessing given through the Spirit and power of God and righteous man worthy to hold and exercise that power (or the Priesthood*). It is a message from a loving Heavenly Father to counsel, guide, and aid the recipient through his/her life. It is a special and wonderful gift from God to help us through the trials in life so we can return to live with Him. Those who have received their Patriarchal Blessings may find it helpful this week, but it is not necessary to complete the challenge.
Dunn suggests much prayer and study (of the scriptures, your life, and yourself) so that God may reveal your divine destiny gradually. "Line upon line...precept upon precept," (Isaiah 28:13) Dunn points out that even Jesus learned gradually and patiently. Patience will be the most challenging aspect of this week's challenge. Diligence and hard work are much easier to bear than waiting and learning slowly; therefore trust and faith are crucial. "Have the faith to let it come at the rate that the Lord wants it to come, for He knows the best time. But be persistent...the important thing is not that you know fully and precisely...but rather that you are seeking to know it," (Dunn).
Dunn promises that a knowledge you divine nature and destiny produce "an increased resistance to the feelings of gloom....and an appreciation for the part every man can play in [God's] plan." So be on the look out for joy and an increased appreciation of others as children of God (and I might also add a confidence boost). Good luck! If you feel like it let me know how it goes by commenting on this post.
 *Better explained here: http://mormon.org/faq/topic/priesthood/question/purpose-of-priesthood

My Challenge to You: Make a list of at least 10 things you are good at, thank Heavenly Father, and then find ways to use some of them to help others.

This week's experience:  Dunn wrote that "all men come to earth with specific missions to perform." I do not know what my specific mission is but I do know that "the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them," (Book of Mormon, 1 Nephi 3:7). So whatever mission is mine I have been or will be prepared to accomplish it. Which means that every physical and spiritual affliction I endured was to help prepare me, shape me, mold me, so that I can be used the way Heavenly Father has designed. "If thou are called to pass through tribulation, it shall be for thy good," (Doctrine & Covenants[explained last post] 58:5-8). I am blessed with talents to bless others and be an instrument in the Lord's hands-- talents I don't even recognize as talents. After reflecting on my talents, I am overwhelmed at the number. I play piano and sing but I also have a friendly smile and give good hugs. They may not seem like talents but I can serve others through these blessings. "Neither shalt thou bury thy talent that it many not be know," (Doctrine & Covenants 60:13, Parable of the Talents Mathew 25). We all have talents given to us from God. How divine and special is that?!

Challenge Accepted

In a moment of spiritual curiousity I pulled a book from my shelf that I have been itching to read for ages: "I Challenge You...I Promise You..." by Paul H. Dunn or "I Promise You...I Chanllenge You..." by Paul H. Dunn. As a little girl I was fascinated with reversable clothing. My reversable jacket was magical; there was no wrong way to wear it because both sides were pretty and Mom would let me walk out the door with it on either way. This book is similar to my magical jacket. It does not matter which end of the book I begin to read-- the message is the same from either end. Dunn interviewed a group of young couples about their formative years and mapped out a series of accompanying challenges and promises for youth in the church. Whether a challenge or promise is written on a page I can access the other simply by flipping the page upside-down.
In the introduction, Dunn encourages the reader to veiw this book as "a process wherein you think more than you read." Therefore, I decided to record my thoughts and experiences as I read, starting with the introductory chapter: "I Challenge You to Prove the Lord."
Also in the introduction, Dunn suggests that the reader "read a line, then look up and think a page," so after reading the title of the chapter I looked up and immediately thought of my Especially For Youth company from 2011. We were called Prove Me Now. The title originates from Malachi 3: 10 (thank goodness for scripture mastery otherwise I would not have remembered that :D). The Lord challenges: "prove me now herewith...if I will not open the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to recieve it." I know this was said in reference to tithing and not this book, but the idea applies to everything. Countless times in church I have been told: "The Lord wants to bless you." I can just picture a room in heaven, stocked full of bleassings of every kind fastened with a door that is bulging so it does not look like it will hold another second, with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ standing by waiting to pronounce all those blssings upon the faithful of the world. (So it is not a page but one line produced a lot of thought!) Dunn continues, "He has invited us to prove Him by accepting the challenges and expecting the promises. The connection between the two are of His design; and you can know that for yourself if you will engage in the proving process." This last sentence brought to mind another scritpure mastery, Doctrine and Covenants 58: 27 (for those of you who do not know, the Doctrine and Covenants is a record of Jesus' relationship with the memebers of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in the 1800s-- their struggles, faith, dilligence, and blessings. A lot like the bible but a different time in history.) The verse reads: "Verily I say, men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness." This book-- the improving of my relationship with Christ-- is definitely a good cause, I accept these challenges of my own free will, and I hope to "bring to pass much righteousness."
Challenge: Prove the Lord by accepting the challenges in this book and expecting the promises.
Promise: The rewards in this book will be yours.
Dunn guarantees "that the number of promises you recieve will be the number of challenges you accept." As long as I "accept the challenges and expect the promises" there is no way to fail. Now that is an encouraging thought. :D
Dunn further challenges in the introduction: "Read a chapter and live it for a week; then read another chapter." That means this is a 20 week book; this is a 20 week proccess; this is a 20 week opportuinty to "prove the Lord;" this is a 20 week challenge....Challenge accepted.
I invinte any and every one who wishes to take the challenge with me to do so. On the Sunday of each week I will post the challenge, promise, and my thoughts. I will continue to update the post throughout the week as I see the promise unfold in my life. Should you desire to participate with me, accept the challenge and share your own ideas and experiences by commenting on the week's post.
You do not have to be a member of my church or any church. You do not even have to beleive in God. "It does not matter, He believes in you," (The Count of Monte Cristo, movie).
 Though I have never read this book or met Paul Dunn, I know Jesus Christ and that He is honest. I add my guaranty to Dunn's. Accept these challenges, and you will see the promises unfold.
Please join me, even if you do not comment on anything. This is a personal process and if you do not want to share that is ok, I love you and thank you for accepting the challenge.
The first challenge will be issued on July 22.
The 20 challenge will conclude on December 8.
Please join me! :D

If you want to purchase the book I believe it is available online.