Happy New Year

Jer 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Someone once said that if you want to make God laugh, tell Him your plans.  I absolutely agree with that notion that only God knows the future.  I also know that a life without goals and dreams is merely an existence.  So how does one go about setting goals that honor God?  Note that God says He knows the plans He has for us.  So to set goals, one must seek information from God or run the risk of setting goals that are outside God's will.
Psalms 119:105 reminds us that God's word is a lamp on our path.  When I envision a dim candle-it lamp, I imagine only being able to see the path for the next step or two.  The remainder of the path is not lit until I approach it.  Therefore a life lived for God is one wherein He only reveals the information we need to take the next step or two.  While this doesn't satisfy my own need to know everything before I make a decision, God insists on a walk of faith, not sight. 
So I don't know my long term destination (I'm still wondering what I'll be when I grow up!), but based on where He has brought me over the last 50+ years, I know whom I want guiding my steps.  As I spent time over the holidays reflecting on the incredible blessings in my life, I realized that I could not have orchestrated such a blessed life and God must have been guiding me along the way.  I want to continue in that blessed existence and know only that God wants me to live a healthier lifestyle, particularly as I age.  I also know that there are financial debts to retire.  Finally, there is the need for improved discipline in prayer, devotion, and perhaps most importantly, worship. 
What are your goals for 2016?  Are you seeking divine guidance to make the best possible plans or are you trying to humor a Holy God who knows both you and your future?