Well, perhaps you thought I would be returning with thoughts and ideas from our Annual Plan. Honestly, I did, too! However, we had a few kinks thrown in the works and didn’t actually get to do it! Fortunately, the window never closes on making a good plan, so we’ve rescheduled and I’ll keep you posted. From the incredible response (both in comments and by the many emails I received), I might be hearing about YOUR annual plans before I tell about my own!

Right now, I’m getting ready for an event that I’ve been planning at my church for quite some time: a P.R.A.Y. with Passion Across the Nation event with speaker and author (and my friend!) Debbie Williams. The event is this Saturday and we are planning to receive 350 women for a day of worship and learning ways to deepen and strengthen our prayer lives. I can’t think of a much better way to start the new year!

Several months ago, I did a giveaway of Debbie’s book, Pray with Purpose – Live with Passion,

and her prayer journal, Prayers of My Heart.

In honor of her visit this weekend, I’m doing it again, but with the addition of a One Year Chronological Bible. I am reading it through this year myself, and I love the way it’s broken down in easy-to-digest segments each day. Certainly, I’m still digging through my beloved (and somewhat ragged) study Bible for deeper contemplation, but I’m loving just reading it through (especially in this chronological form) like a book.

So, to enter, leave a comment with what you’ve purposed to do this year to deepen your spiritual walk. I’ll announce the winner on Friday, the 9th. Oh, and if you’re interested in having Debbie come to your church (it’s free!), go on over here to find out more.

No matter what life throws at us in 2009, if we immerse ourselves in the Word and set out to learn ever more about prayer and spending time in God’s presence, how can we help but have a good year? May the opportunity to win some tools to help you in this endeavor not only bless you, but spur you on.

You are all precious to me.