Real Life Disciples: Where do you want to be in 10 years?

As this past year ended and the new year began, I found myself reflecting a lot on the many blessings God has brought into my life. For some reason this year, the transition hit me more than in the past. I’m not sure why this one had more force. I must be getting old! It also may be that I have spent the past couple of years helping with the Vision 2030 plan for the archdiocese – my whole focus has been on planning 10 years out.
 
Whatever the reason, I keep being drawn to reflect over the past years and look forward to the years to come. Where was I in 2010? And, what has God done in my life and in my family for the past 10 years? The list is very long! I found myself amazed at the incredible unfolding of grace. And, where do I see myself in 2030? As I started reflecting on that for my own life, and for my family, I started to realize that in 10 years I will be nearing retirement, all of my children will have grown into adulthood, and Meg and I will be entering a very new chapter in our lives.
 
I spent much time in adoration with these questions over the past couple of months – praying and asking God to guide this process in my heart. I figured if I spent the past two years helping guide a process to articulate key priorities for the archdiocese over the next 10 years, maybe I should do that for my own life. What a fruitful process it was!
 
In the end, I came up with five key things that I felt the Lord was calling me to:
 
1) Ongoing spiritual growth and spiritual multiplication – I am called first and foremost to be a disciple, but I am also called to share that gift with others and call them to the same;
 
2) Invest in my marriage – this next 10 years should be some of the “best wine” of our marriage, but that won’t happen without intentionality and careful attention to the priority;
 
3) Invest in my children – what is it going to look like to transition into adult friendships with our children? Navigating that beautiful transition is going to be a major focus of the next 10 years;
 
4) Plan for the inevitable reality of retirement – I’m realizing that 10 years is not that far away and I don’t want that time of our life to catch me off guard, financially or otherwise. We’ve been planning for much longer on the financial side, but there are so many other factors to that transition. We should especially be asking “What does God want us to do with our time and talents? How does he want us engaged in mission in an ongoing way into those years of our life?”
 
5) Plan for health and vitality – what does it look like to thrive in our day-to-day lives over the next 10 years? I saw a plaque in my chiropractor’s office that keeps speaking into this area for me – Think Well, Eat Well, Move Well. That pretty well captures the desires in my heart for the coming years. I want to think right, about myself, about God and about others. And, that right-thinking happens best when I’m rooted in daily prayer and relationship with my maker. I want to eat well and in a way that fosters a healthy lifestyle. And, I want to, God-willing, stay healthy, agile and mobile for as long as possible. Again, that won’t happen without planning and effort. Anyone want to meet me at the gym?
 
This has been a beautiful process over the past several weeks. I’m now sharing these new goals with my wife, family and close friends and talking about how they resonate with my conclusions. I encourage you to undertake a similar exercise at the beginning of this new year. How is God moving in your heart as we start this new chapter of our lives? How is he leading you into the future? And, where does he want you to be in 2030?