start here.

When I first decided to create a calendar, I sat at my kitchen table and shared the idea with my roommate. She loved it and immediately pulled up a template I could use to actually create one, priced out how much it would cost to print some, and listed a number of people who would buy one. I definitely could do it, she said.

My roommate’s support didn’t just include excitement but action steps for how I could turn my idea into something tangible, and it made me more excited too. I scanned the templates and imagined the possibilities — until I suddenly felt overwhelmed by all the steps involved.

There were so many templates. Scrolling through them reminded me that calendars don’t just have months, they have a front and a back. I’d have to make decisions about fonts, spacing, sizing, what to put on the back. This feels like a lot, I thought.

“Okay,” my roommate said. I don’t remember if I voiced my hesitations or if she could just tell by my face. Either way, she broke it down for me. “All I need you to think about right now is what God is saying for each month. Once you figure that out, I can help you put it in a template and do the rest.”

Gosh, I needed that reminder. I didn’t need to choose a template. I didn’t need to design anything. I didn’t need to make any decisions. I didn’t even need to pick up a Sharpie.

After all, the whole idea was to create a calendar that reminded people of the truth and hope of God. It wasn’t about creating a calendar for the sake of it, but about setting the stage for an encounter with God. Through a calendar.

So. First? Get with God. Ask Him about what He wanted to do. Go from there.

Sometimes new projects can be exciting and ideas and possibilities fly around in abundance. But it can get pretty overwhelming when everything is on the table and you have to decide where to start.

My favorite piece of advice for getting started is to set the lowest barrier of entry. Forget all the details and focus on the simplest next step.

Someone recently asked for advice about how to establish a better morning routine so she could get up and get in the Word more. My advice, and how I figured out how to do it, was to find the lowest barrier of entry. It doesn’t need to be a whole thing. Just figure out what gets you out of bed and in a chair with your Bible the easiest.

For me, it’s making my bed (so I don’t get back in it) and a cup of coffee (so I can keep my eyes open — even while sitting up).

It doesn’t need to be fancy. I keep reminding myself of that this week, because I sometimes forget that things don’t have to be as complicated as I make them out to be in my head.

Whatever you’re trying to do that seems a bit intimidating or overwhelming, just figure out what the simplest next step is. Find the lowest barrier of entry. It doesn’t need to be fancy, and it doesn’t need to be Monday.

The power of God is in you, even on a Thursday.