You know what’s wild? We’re nearly at the end of January and I never shared about goals for the year. I’d  blame COVID and the last two years for this one – goal setting right now is a bit hit-or-miss – but the reality is, I haven’t shared about it because there’s been other stuff going on. 

Lots of different things but for one, I got the opportunity to share at church – like I gave the mini-message we have on Sundays. If you would have told me, back when I took homiletics, that I’d actually be sharing on a Sunday, I’d have laughed. I only took it to accomplish my mission of, “Take every Trilogy class offered.” But two weeks ago, I shared and it was really fun. I mean, I think I’ll always be somewhat critical and I DO not want to watch it back (Adrian recorded it) but I know it was good and people were touched and I didn’t spew heresy. So in the end, I’m calling it a win. 

Sharing at church actually sort of ties into goals for 2022. You see, this year, Adrian and I did goal setting together. We went to our favorite coffee shop, opened up our 2022 Power Sheets and got to work. I could rave about Power Sheets forever but the real draw is that it’s less about goal setting and more about helping you figure out what matters, what you want your life to look like in 10, 20, 30, or even 50 years from now; what legacy do you want to leave. 

So at the start of 2022, Adrian and I dreamt about the people we want to come, the lives we want to live, where we feel God is calling us, how He’s equipping us, and how we get to bring the Kingdom to the places around us. Because of that mindset shift, our goals for 2022 are vague, more of ideals or guideposts; helpful limits that will direct our time and effort. 

1. Be with Jesus. We want to, as Bridgetown and JMC often say, be with Jesus. We want to cultivate our relationship with Him and find joy and comfort in His presence. We want to practice stillness and solitude with Him and fight against our tendencies toward head knowledge without heart change and ticking boxes. 

2. Build Intentional Relationships. Whether with one another or family, we want to be intentional about growing those relationships because they are gifts God has given to us. 

3. Grow Healthy Habits. Stewarding the world around us as well as our physical and mental health is important. It’s not about weight loss or strength training. It’s about taking care of the earth and ourselves. It’s about doctor’s appointments and the dentist, composting and counseling, meal planning and gardening; things that holistically healthy people do. 

4. Pursue Other Opportunities. Like mentioned above with sharing at church, we want to use our gifts. We want to find opportunities where we have permission and ability to focus on passions we have and use them. 

5. Financial Ownership. This is actually closely tied to Health Habits and has the most SMART goal attached to it but we want to make sure we budget monthly, continue to save, and potentially refinance the house. It’s in some ways the least fun, but it does enable us to do other things so it’s important.

6. Crowded Tables. Like the song goes, we “want a house with crowded tables, with a place by the fire for everyone.” We want to open our home to others and be a blessing to our communities. 

7. Choosing Joy. So often, I think we fall into ruts. We do the same old things over and over. But in 2022, we want to be active participants in what we do. We don’t want to just end up watching re-runs of our favorite show or calling dinner and a puzzle date night every week. We want to explore and choose to do the things we may have forgotten that bring joy into our lives. Which is why, getting the Adventure Challenge date book for Christmas has been so good. It aligns with this goal and helps us when we’re feeling uninspired.

8. Woo Masters. Which is admittedly a silly title but we want to make sure we keep up the work in our marriage and prioritize romance and time together. As best friends first, there’s such a temptation to fall into the old ways but while that’s our foundation, we get to add a layer of romance to our relationship and we want to make sure we’re still tending to that even as life changes and evolves around us.

So there you have it. They’re broad, abstract, and potentially more like life goals but we wouldn’t have it any other way. They give us guidance but don’t limit us and give us the opportunity to see monthly and quarterly how we want to pursue these things. And honestly, guides are more what I need these days. Sure I have specific goals but if I’ve learned anything these last few years, it’s that God’s got His own plans and His own timing and even our best made plans are dust in the wind. 

We did however brainstorm some fun more traditional goals for 2022. If they don’t happen, it’s okay. Again, they’re just things to do that could align with our focus. And if you’re interested in what the BA Jantzis are dreaming of in 2022 it looks a little like this:

• finish the house

• visit Denmark

• figure out a 5-year plan

• find role in Church

• grow a garden

• compost

• build a clothing line to dry clothes

• start our Jeopardy podcast

• start our YouTube shows

• Stream the Sims 4 on Twitch

• Roast coffee

• Explore more

• Quarterly retreats

So there you have it. Our dreams and goals for 2022. They won’t all happen, at least not these silly ones, but here’s to hoping our guides help us grow into the people we want to be. People who love because they are loved and who do everything for His glory and our joy.