Prov. 16:9 “We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps.”

Last month, (January’s evaluation of your heart), you selected a few areas of your heart ( whispered to you by the Hoy Spirit) which might be improved . This month, is the time to develop specific plans for these 3-4 spiritual areas.

Begin by writing down a description of what each area looks/ feels like now- what the current conditions of this aspect of your heart is like.

Then write a description of what you would want this area of your heart to look/feel like How can it be improved? (not perfect- leave that for God) . . If you cannot picture an improved way of being in your heart , work on another area of your heart where you can imagine a better way of being. It’s important to be able to visualize where you are going.

.Prov 14:22 “If you plan to do evil, you will be lost. If you plan to do good, you will receive unfailing love and faithfulness.”

Check your attitude to make sure you are planning patiently, looking at your situation with kindness and being helpful to yourself –not critical. There is no right or wrong way to plan as long as in your heart you are sincerely trying to plan for good, to plan for bettering your heart , to grow love, peace and joy. Sit quietly and think about things you might try to do to move your heart in the direction of where you want to be.

Prov 19:21 “You can make many plans, but the Lord’s purpose will prevail”

Why plan? Without a plan, there would be no reminder to change anything. Planning nothing may lead to no changes at all in your heart. Even though it is God doing the changing of your heart, somehow, your efforts, your will , your desire, to change ( along with persistence ) will attract God’s help. God gardens in a mysterious way. (not a human way) and He gardens with each person in His unique ways with exactly the right tools and plants for your heart.

How do you plan? Start imagining everything you could do to support the changes you want. Write down your ideas such as- Find scriptures which support your desires. Memorize the best ones. Write a prayer to say each morning to ask for help to remember/ visualize your desires – Brainstorm ideas- write down 25 ideas you might try –even silly ones- and one of these ideas might be useful. Think of ways to practice what you want. Act “as if”. Pretend.

For inspiration about ideas for a plan, make a tour of your heart. ( I use garden elements to help me remember and to organize scriptures I hear or read. For instance , the fountain in my heart’s garden is associated with forgiveness- washing away of sins and cleanliness. So, I have a folder I call fountain where I actually put quotes on those subjects so I can find them when I need them. This is a way for me to organize. God’s organization is beyond me, but I try to put some order I can understand into my heart. It seems wise to have some way of organizing your thoughts to be able to find quotes or ideas you want to remember when you need it .)

So, here is what my “walk” through the garden is like-

I would visit the hill in my heart where I go to praise God, to thank God and to be joyful. On this hill praise His wisdom and enjoy thinking about the future ways I am planning to act - I can show Him I can be less prideful. ( put your ideas in the plan – remember to include ways of strengthening the good ways you already are walking with God)

Next, I visit the place where I pray, asking God for things for my heart’s garden. Speak in His language if you can find a proverb or psalm to “remind” Him of His words… which is really me reminding myself! Ask, ask, ask for what your heart desires. Always approach God’s ear with a loving spirit ( His will is for you to love Him- it’s His command) - Because He does care, you can be bold and persistent in your humble requests. Remember to put prayer in your plan. I had to use little rocks all around the house to remind me to pray at first. Plan for ways to remember to pray .

I visit the fountain in my heart to be washed of any guilt I may feel for past. Know that God gives good gifts when asked. Give your heart to God to cleanse . Believe He forgives you. Act like you believe. ( Put that joy- a joy about a better future- into your plan. It seems silly, but you have to plan to remember the good things- the fact that you are trying to garden your heart or else you’ll forget !) Turn from evil and do good(-write down plans about how you might try to be better ) God forgives and forgets the past and so I’m free to just deal with now ( my intention to do right) and the future. I try to be better than before and do not beat myself up for being human .

God knows we are human ( fallible) and He loves us just as we are- a person trying to be better trusting His power . Look over your plan to make sure the actions are not muddied by guilt. ( If you are in the process of doing better, do not drag your plans down with condemnation about things you have no control over- the past and /or being human )

I visit the compost pile where the sorting of good and evil is done by God’s Holy Spirit. God judges, not humans. Here, let Him decide which thoughts from the outside world are worth keeping (useful humble ones) and which thoughts are not worth keeping ( the self-hating ones!) . . Plan how to speak words of peace. ( God’s ways are wise and He’ll let your heart know that some moderate self-love (pride) is good- it’s needed for survival. The limits are written in your heart by God)

Finally, visit the bench of peace under the tree of faith in the middle of the garden –the center of your heart, and gaze as you rest at the focal point of the garden- Jesus points the way for you to go and He is an excellent gatekeeper for what gets into your heart and where thoughts ought to go. Relax and listen to His voice. Write what you believe His thoughts about humility are into your plan. Think for yourself as you read the Gospels. He’ll speak to you and show you the Way. ) See His strength in being humble. He points all glory to God. There is protection and strength in His Way. He is always there in your heart to show you the Way. How can He be so fearless? Follow..

What else should you think about while planning?

Keep in mind that in two months- April -there is a time for action- (sowing / planting the seeds.) Spiritual seeds for your garden can be thoughts , words and deeds. You will need seeds to sow because the seeds you sow will grow into the fruit you harvest. Whatever you sow, you will harvest the same thing! So, you have already figured out what you want to harvest ( goals or areas to improve), now you are planning ways you might get these spiritual seeds.

At this time in the planning process, you may discover there are too many ideas to do them all. It can seem overwhelming at this point. Or you may not have been able to think of anything you could try. Do not worry in either case. You do not have to do much of anything. God’s the gardener. His pace is not hectic but gentle. Look at your list as a wonderful resource of ideas for the future

At the end, sit quietly alone with God and consider all your plans. Which are the things you want to do? As you plan, you will think of things you want to try to do right away. Please do not be impatient and run ahead and do something without next month’s preparation time. It’s too cold outside to plant the seeds, wait another month before you try to plant or do anything. There will be some people who want to rush to plant too soon ( me) and there will be others who will never get around to doing anything when the time to plant is here in April. Just work on planning this month and stop at the end of the month. Get used to the fact that you are never finished, the plan is never perfect ( perfection is God’s plan). Just like a gardener is never finished in the garden as the winter approaches , you will never be finished planning - keep moving on (God’s mysterious ways).

Sample Plan 1 –

(Area of my heart to be changed- I want to increase gentleness.

Here’s where I am- “ I can be rude and impatient with others when I’m in a hurry. I do not listen and cut off people from speaking concerned with my own point of view. I’m abrupt with the kids. I make noise to get everyone’s attention or storm out of a room and visually show my anger in a gesture. (Not very gentle!) I attack opinions which are different from my own . I can be very gentle with my mother and friends.

Here’s where I want to be- I am patient and soft spoken with others, quietly listening and waiting for them to finish. I am a peaceful person even in the midst of an argument by –remembering My Rock in my heart so I do not have to say the last word because I know in my heart the last Word even if I cannot explain it. I have restrained my actions by remembering my desire to be a light, an example, for my kids. I am turning from evil (hating ) and doing good ( loving). Reacting and treating others and myself with gentleness is good. It shows love which is obeying God’s command.

Here is my plan-

A list things I can do to get from the first situation above to the second. Just make a list of” seeds”, ideas to plant…This is your plan.

• Read and think about the Bible’s words about gentleness and how they can be used in my life. Psalms and proverbs are good places to start for Wisdom about God’s ways and the ways of people. Write down phrases which touch my heart –strengthen my understanding. Keep them close.

• Memorize my favorite scriptures so I can remember them and use them use ( by using them I mean to speak them aloud ( you can hear and influence yourself) , include them in a daily prayer time, follow their wisdom/guidance in your actions - think about their message in any spare moments. Let God’s Wisdom protect you from foolish thoughts and deeds. Find out where “It is written”…

Prov 3:5 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Don’t depend on your own understanding.”

• Look specifically at Jesus’ life- He shows an example of gentleness in the midst of oppressive as well as friendly situations . Read the Gospels and make notes of ways you might try to be gentle. Note the gentleness of Jesus was not a constant gentleness as a man. We humans are never constant in our actions but change depending on the situation There are times and places for different approaches-with Wisdom. Read, think and I will try tomake up ways for me to copy…

• Pray/ ask , ask, ask God for help and listen, listen, listen… -

Ps 118:9 In my distress I prayed to the Lord and the Lord answered me and set me free!”

Write a prayer to say each morning to start my mind focused on my desire to be gentle. Keep the prayer by your bed. Thank God for the gentleness you do have . Take time to recognize your own gentleness and acknowledge it. Take time to be quiet and listen to His response in your heart .

• Rehearse a way to react in gentleness to a difficult situation which has occurred in the past.. And after an “ incident “ where I do not behave as I wish I had ( sorrow) , I plan to review it and know that God forgives me . I want to be prepared for possible situations. How am I going to remember to react in gentle ways? I’ll write it on top of my “ to do” list each day. I’ll think and record a way for me to distract myself from harsh l thoughts so I can be more gentle. I will “act as if” I were gentle as a spiritual exercise and feel the joy when I can do it! Create a piece of paper that tells me what to think and say and do before I feel agitated

• I will take a walk rather than show my agitationto others . I’ll wait until I can be gentle- the way I want to be in response to all things.

• Prov 20: 18 “ Plans succeed through good counsel, don’t go to war without wise advise”

• Other “plants” that support gentleness are patience, humility and kindness. Ways I might strengthen my gentleness with these are - to be early for things so I’m not rushed, remember I’m not that important ( except in my own eyes) –other people are God’s also and I do not want their life to be worse off because of my actions or words!

• “Weeds “ which oppose gentleness are meanness, impatience, pride. Ways I might reduce or tie up these weeds are not be on the lookout for weeds, know the bad feeling I have when I see them and to quickly distract myself with a memorized scripture against these weeds.

• I will get help if I do not know what else to try down the road. (A book recommended by a loving friend about gentleness. ).

• I will look for gentleness at the grocery store, at work, at church. I will spend one whole week focused on seeing gentleness in the world around me and try to learn from my observations. How do others seem to be gentle in this troubled world? I will write down my findings and learn about gentleness in God’s world.

• I will remember-in truth, my life has always changed-if I get discouraged in my efforts. what was my situation 5 yrs ago?…Your life will change so do not go around believing the lie that there can be no change in your situation. You want love and peace not hate and chaos ….keep the truth in front of you –remember good ( focus on what is beautiful- make a list of everything good.) this will lift my spirit when I need it. I had better figure out which psalms do this best for me! Have fun experimenting!

)

• I will find my joy in trying to follow what’s right. ( I know it in my heart. There is joy in reacting to situations with love and wisdom which is what God commands. (Since this is quite a challengeto do all the time, I will expect to be joyful when I can do it and sorrowful when I fail ( I’m human). – God sees my heart, my intention-so I will keep my intentions good. This is God’s world- )

Prov 16:3 “Commit your actions to the Lord and your plans will succeed”

Ps 40: 3 “He has given me a new song to sing…Many will see what He has done and be amazed.”

Next month , March, we till the soil preparing for our active month of sowing in April. (The garden is most hectic in the spring- ask any gardener.)