True Confession. I am a compulsive planner. During my years as a classroom teacher, I found that
detailed plans allowed me to focus on my fourth graders rather than on the lesson itself. As a mom of
three active little girls, my compulsive planning ensured that each of them had her lunchbox, backpack
loaded with completed homework, and matching shoes on her feet when dashing into school each
morning. Planning for success led to peace of mind, slightly less chaos, and the opportunity for me to be
attentive in the moment.
In the months ahead, you may hear a similar refrain here at Visual Faith Ministry: Plan for success. If you know you’re going to need forty tags during Lent for your devotional time, set aside an hour to create all forty of those tags. Then they’re ready and available for your devotional reflections. If you need thirty
decorated index cards for Scripture Scribing, enjoy gelli printing and embellishing all thirty of them in one sitting so they’re ready to grab as you have need for them. Many of our VFM coaches use a Plan for Success strategy, enabling them to keep The Main Thing as The Main Thing.
Here’s a recent Plan for Success example: I just returned from an amazing two weeks in Israel. In
preparing for travel, it was my intention to continue observing my daily devotional practices, but how?
There was no way my already bulging suitcase was going to hold a stack of books and a pile of art
supplies! The answer? Plan for Success. My Names of God journey for 2023 is based on a simple
envelope journal for each Name. This 7”x9” envelope journal provides space for my Logos reflection,
daily gratitudes, devotional doodles, and prayer templates. And the bonus? It fit into a gallon-size
ziplock bag, which protected it from spills and rough handling. So, prior to leaving for Israel, I
constructed my Elohim envelope journal, tucked it into my backpack, and enjoyed having it at my
fingertips on long bus rides and international flights.
When we Plan for Success, we increase the likelihood of consistent daily devotional practices. Daily time
with Jesus produces peace of mind, keeps the chaos at bay, and allows us to be attentive to God’s Plan
for us, as revealed in His Word. In future months, some of our Creative Haven sessions will focus on
preparing FaithArt materials for upcoming themes and projects. We invite you to join us for these
sessions, so that you are prepared to thoughtfully observe Lent, Advent, and other seasons of the
church year. We are here to provide encouragement, resources, and support as you Plan for Success!
blog post by Jenny Long- VFM Coach