​As my home school family learns about this vast earth, we notice that everything has a beginning and an end. We read that even our ever faithful sun is using up its energy at an astonishing rate of millions of tons each second; it can’t last forever, and hasn’t always been. Such can truthfully be said about the entire universe; everything has a beginning and end. So, when as Christians we claim the God of the Bible as the divine Designer of the world, someone could very well pose the questions, “Who created God? When was His beginning?”

Everyone has a different personality. I am a very goal-oriented person. I like to be accomplishing something all the time. There are many benefits to this, but along with the trait comes side effects that can be mild or severe, depending on the situation. J For example, I tend to get stressed over menial details or kinks in my schedule. Sometimes I become discouraged over the fact that I did not accomplish much a certain day, week, or month. I have also noticed that I occasionally base my “worth” on what I call my “productivity rate,” which is not right! (I am realizing that just because we are busy does not mean we are busy doing the right things—it’s possible to work ourselves exhausted and get nowhere, just as we would on a treadmill!) The Lord wants me to be a daughter of devotion more than a daughter of commotion! :) He loves me not because of what I do, but because of Who He is! Praise the Lord for that!
 
However, there is no excuse for laziness or slothfulness. The Scriptures tell us to redeem the time, to be diligent, and to serve our King! How is the virtuous woman described in Proverbs 31? “She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.” If you study this dedicated lady, you will quickly find that she was not sitting around. She did not waste the time that God chose to entrust to her. Instead, she used it fully for His glory and honor! So many people let time slip away as they spend fruitless hours watching television, playing on the computer, sleeping . . . you fill in the blanks! It is important that we do all activities in moderation—even things like reading, sleeping, exercising, cooking, studying, or cross stitch! It’s critical that we think of ways to wisely invest our time here on earth. I recently read in Psalm 39 these thought-provoking verses: “LORD, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is; that I may know how frail I am. Behold, Thou hast made my days as an handbreadth; and mine age is as nothing before Thee: verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity. Selah. Surely every man walketh in a vain show: surely they are disquieted in vain: he heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them. And now, Lord, what wait I for? My hope is in Thee.” This challenges me to do things that matter for eternity, that will matter in the end. I want to invest my time in building treasures for heaven.
 
My goal in this article is to give you some practical ideas for how to set and accomplish your goals.... 

“And now, Lord, what wait I for? My hope is in Thee.”—Psalm 39:7
 
Have you ever heard a single girl say something to this effect: “I’m waiting for the Lord to bring me a husband.” Probably most of us have. In fact, we may have even thought something like that ourselves! And frankly, for many of us, there’s truth to the statement. We are waiting for the Lord to bring the right man to be our husband. God’s best is certainly worth waiting for! However, I’d like to share some thoughts that the Lord has been impressing on my heart lately. I think that by telling ourselves (and others) that we’re “waiting,” we could potentially slip into a mindset that keeps us from using our “single” years fully for the glory of God.