Who sets your agenda each day? Henry Kissinger is reputed to have said, “There cannot be a national crisis today — my schedule is already full.”

I know the feeling!

My day often starts with the prayer, “Lord, help me find enough time to do your will today.”

I know that it will be a struggle to do so. Our world offers no encouragement toward finding God’s will.

Romans 12:2 says, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” We can clearly deduce from this that God’s perfect will can be known as we renew our minds.

We all are born into worldly patterns or forms. We are formed by race, economic status, culture and family. We conform when we live within these forms. We are transformed when we change the form we are in and move into a new one. When you pour water into a round glass, the water takes on the shape or form of the glass. When you pour the water from the round glass into a square container, what happens to the shape of the water? The new form changes its shape. This is what takes place when we experience spiritual birth into Christ. We leave the old form and take on a new one. By renewing the way we think, we change our old pattern of thinking which was shaped by the world we have known. We are no longer conformed, but transformed.

The recent story in the newspaper of ranch worker, Donna Byrne, who is traveling by horseback from Florida to Texas, illustrates the mindset of a non-conformist. Byrne lost her job and home when the Florida ranch where she worked closed due to the poor economy. What did she do — conform to the world, lay back and draw unemployment? No.

She took everything she owned, a few articles of clothing and two horses, and struck out across country to find a place where she heard ranch hands are needed, Amarillo, Texas.

She said, “I just take it one day at a time and let God do the decision making.”

Now that’s a non-conformist attitude!

What needs changing in your life? The list may be long, but it begins with tackling the first one.

Win the war one battle at a time. Start thinking differently.

Renew your mind and experience a whole new set of values, goals and outcomes.

Get on your horse and begin the journey to a new you!

Del Loy is founding pastor of Crosspoint Church in Natchez.