Small Steps Lead to Big Gain

Courtesy of Håkan Dahlström/Creative Commons License

The idea of running my first 26.2 miles was intimidating.  I remember driving the course in my car the day before the race to get a scope of what it would feel like.  It didn’t help the overwhelming feeling the distance was causing me.  There was so much adrenaline pumping through me, it was hard to contain.  The way I’ve gotten through the marathon is by remembering one simple piece of advice: “One step at a time.”

You are going to have big goals and dreams for your youth ministry.  Some of them you’ve been thinking for a while and others just emerge.  No matter how long you’ve been sitting on these goals some of them might seem impossible.  To get it done, to create big change and reach lofty goals in your ministry you are going to have to approach it with small steps.  In other words to achieve your goals you need to:

• Create Mile Markers For Your Goals – Whether it’s one step at a time or a mile at a time the key to running a race is by breaking it down.  If you are going to achieve a big goal break it down into small achievable tasks.  Each time you accomplish one it will feel like you are reaching a new mile marker.  Eventually the momentum of success will snowball you towards your goals.

• Make One Small Change At A Time – Maybe your goal is to change the format and structure of your ministry.  Instead of making all the changes at once, do something small; yet, significance.  Change around a component, shift the time or put someone new in the lead.  Tweak and tinker before you decide to wipe it out and start over.  You might save yourself a lot of time and energy.

• Do Something Nice For One – To get your entire team to rally around you, sometimes you just need to focus on a few people.  Invest in a few leaders and encourage them to pass it on.  By doing this you are showing others that you care about the details.  Your thank you’s will be a little more personal.  Sometimes when we go big and reward everyone at the same time it comes off insincere.

To achieve all your goals you need to continue to go back to God.  Allow Him to bless those small moments, and rely on His strength.  Remember small steps lead to big gain.

How do you help lofty goals seem achievable?  When is it hard to think small for big gain?