went “undercover,” working in different capacities at several Olive Garden restaurants. He accepted the CEO position saying, “I want Olive Garden to be a fine dining experience.” He kept a list of things he would change, based on his observations in the restaurants he had visited. Brad began working toward his overall goal. He increased training for all employees by about 500 percent. He empowered managers at the local level. In short, he planned, and then he followed directed by careful planning. Some Christians live like walking by faith means you must forsake planning and determination. But God asks us to faithfully serve Him, and that faithfulness often includes careful planning. Faith coupled with determination and planning can mesh together to achieve great goals. MIMBS 6 41 Wednesday—August 23•Giving Thought to Your Steps The simple believe anything, but the prudent give thought to their steps. (Proverbs 14:15) Brad Bloom was approached to become the CEO of Olive Garden at a time when the business had experienced a 12 percent sales drop the previous year. Before accepting the position, he through. The results were phenomenal. Olive Garden experienced 33 quarters of consecutive growth, and profits rose 600 percent. Credit that success to Brad’s determination, which was Who in your life best shows the combination of faith, determination, and planning? What successes have you seen as a result? Daily Reading: Job 8:1–11:20, 1 Corinthians 15:1–28, Psalm 38:1–22, Proverbs 21:28–29 Thursday—August 24•Reporting to the General The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but victory rests with the LORD. (Proverbs 21:31) The first part of today’s verse recalls the importance of preparing before going into battle. The second part reminds us that even the best battle plan can fail, unless God ordains otherwise. You could say we are like lieutenants and God is a very good General. He gives lots of leeway to plan our own battles. But He ultimately calls the shots. I don’t see that as a limitation of freedom. I see it as a comforting assurance of God’s ongoing grace, covering our lives. When our plans bring success, we must stay humble, recognizing God as the author of all victory. When plans don’t lead to the success we expected, we can trust God’s protection. We can trust that He will not allow us to destroy ourselves. When our strategies fail, we can trust that God is working things for our good, rather than our harm. And He also is working to bring our plans into alignment with His. We need to seek His insight for our long-term thinking, setting our minds to pursue His glory in every plan we make. MIMBS 6 Think of a situation you are facing that requires planning. Rewrite today’s Scripture passage so it applies directly to that situation. Daily Reading: Job 12:1–15:35, 1 Corinthians 15:29–58, Psalm 39:1–13, Proverbs 21:30–31
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