Tasha: How have you seen this process unlock God’s plan for your life? Others?

•Zarat: One major change was my commitment to work 6 days and rest 1 day each week. Sabbath rest for the recovering workaholic is a “must-have” plan for restoration and renewal. This has been challenging while caring for a young child with special needs, serving in ministry full-time, operating a business, and “living”, but for me it is like eating and drinking. It has become a non-negotiable for me.

•I have seen people let go and be released into living out who they are created to be

•I have seen been accept the responsibility to streamline and cut out unnecessary things.

•I have seen people give themselves permission to excel.

•I have transformation in their lives.

 Tasha: What are the benefits to the process?

•Zarat: Greater awareness and clarity of your giftedness and your life purpose

• The Process culminates in the creation of a working plan—an action plan, a response plan—that will carry you from your new levels of self-discovery to very practical applications in each of the five domains of your life: personal, family, vocation, spiritual, and community. 

•You receive a custom-tailored MasterPlan that defines your total-life strategy.  It is a charted pathway and a spiritually-guided 2-day process, leading toward your focused LifeMission with detailed, measureable action plans to help you begin to fulfill this mission. All work is done on flip-chart paper in sequential order and later put into electronic form.

Tasha: Why do you think the process is becoming more common?

•Zarat: There is a desperate need for it.

•People hunger for greater focus, productivity, and desire more than just success

I pray this discussion may have answered a few of your questions and sends you on a journey of self discovery. What pathway is God creating with your life? I dare you to discover it! For more information on Life Planning  Advanced LifePlan Facilitator: Zarat Y. Boyd www.themaxlifesolution.com – web, Zarat@themaxlifesolution.com – email

 Zarat Boyd, a passionate leader, has over 10 years of experience in creating dynamic learning environments for children, teens, young adults, and adult learners through customized sessions, seminars, classes, workshops, and facilitations. She has worked with colleges, elementary schools, city government, church and parachurch organizations, and businesses as well as leaders at levels to assist them in accomplishing their goals.  She is the first African American woman certified LifePlan facilitator. She is a professionally trained life coach, certified personality trainer, and strategic planning facilitator. She serves as the Director of the Center for Creative Leadership & Ministry Innovation (CCLMI) at Destiny Metropolitan Worship Church and also serves as the President of MaxLife, Inc. Her educational background includes a BA in International Relations and a MA in Leadership. She and her husband, Damian, live in Marietta, Georgia and are proud parents of their son, an emerging leader.

As 2009 approached, I was doing some major introspection and asking God some serious questions. God and I have had some serious dialogue.  It feels like my life has been on this roller coaster ride and I want it to end. There were certain things in my life that I did not want to repeat, endure, or continue in 2009. I needed answers, direction, clarity, but most importantly wisdom. I felt like some of my personal goals, visions and aspirations were slipping into a faint distance. Before the holidays, I participated in a one day teaser for a process called Life Planning; it was exactly what I needed in the right moment. Now this was only a teaser, but it ignited my need to pursue several questions with the facilitator. It was the missing piece for me. I also found out Zarat Boyd, who is a good friend of mine, is the only black female certified as an advanced LifePlan facilitator. Pretty amazing, Zarat is an awesome leader, mother, and wife. She actually sat down with me and answered all of my questions about the Life Planning process and why, as a believer we should embark on the journey to see the pattern that God is weaving together in your life. I knew from talking with friend that I was not the only one at a crossroads in my life. Many of my friends felt like their personal visions and goals have been placed on pause or the back burner of their lives. I asked Zarat a few questions and hopefully they will be helpful to others considering LifePlanning or those like me who are searching for what’s next.

 Tasha: What is Life Planning? Define the process

•Zarat: The LifePlan™ experience is a proven, spiritually and behaviorally sound process designed by Tom Paterson, a surrendered follower of Christ, and an internationally recognized strategist and business leader. The LifePlanning process helps you discover your unique design, clarify your life mission, and apply your discoveries to your personal, family, vocation, spiritual, and community life domains.

•LifePlan is capitalized for a reason. A LifePlan is God’s MasterPlan for our life. We discover and live out that unique plan for His purposes, not our own.

Tasha: What does the process involve?

•Zarat: Prayer, meditation on God’s word, full reliance on the Holy Spirit to guide, intimacy, stamina, openness, honesty, confidentiality, a safe environment, love, and surrender

•Guided by a professionally trained LifePlanner, the process involves a series of exercises and tools to gain perspective, acknowledge emerging truths, and accept personal responsibility.

•As a result of the charted pathway and a spiritually-guided 2-day process, you develop a custom tailored MasterPlan that defines your total life strategy. Leading toward your focused LifeMission, it includes detailed, measureable action plans to help you begin to fulfill this mission. All work is done on flip-chart paper in sequential order and later put into electronic form.

•I require a full two days, uninterrupted, for the 18-20 hour process as well as a minimum 3 month commitment to follow-up, coaching for accountability, encouragement, and continued development. 

 Tasha: What are some of the key modules of the process?

•Zarat: Key expectations

•Detailed evaluation & picture of your life right now

•A detailed timeline of key turning points of your entire life

•Talent matrix that highlights key attributes, heart concerns, and top gifts

•Assessments that highlight your drivers, comfort zones, and ways of organizing the world

•Learnings Matrix

•Significance based action plans

•LifeMentors & partners

 Tasha: What are some key questions that LifePlanning addresses?

• Zarat: Who am I?

•What are my talents?

•How did I get to where I am right now?

•How does my past contribute to God’s plan for my future?

•What perspective have I gained?

•What is my significance?

•What is the current match with my success profile?

•What is my plan or action for each area of my life?

Books:Purpose Driven Life-Rick Warren, Pathway to Purpose, Katie Brazelton