---
id: ff16_wish_list_proper_action_joel
title: FLYINGFREE - Wish List, Proper Action, Joel 3:14
category: Biblical Life Counsel
predicted_narrative_arc: forced-turn-to-decided-trek
sentiment: Convictional
emotions:
- Practical
- Convictional
- Pastoral
keypoints:
- Layoff, forced exit from relationship, or forced new direction — use the time
- Fork in the road you would never have taken without this opportunity
- Proper action: slow down, decide what is happening, then next step
- Wish list for life and how you want to live; formulate the plan
- Crisis timing can open dream work; Joel 3:14 valley of decision
summary: >
  Dean closes the chapter: use forced turns; slow down into a wish list and plan;
  let crisis timing open God’s path — with Joel 3:14’s valley of decision.
tags:
- flying-free
- chapter-16
- proper-action
- wish-list
- decision
- joel
- crisis
- dean-rush
- book-excerpt
- section-ii
sycophancy: 0
truth_score: 9
entropy: 2
sample: false
consent: owner_approved
agent: flyingfree
created: '2010-01-01'
updated: '2026-09-09T00:00:00Z'
vault_stage: 07_CODEX
headwaters: FLYINGFREE
prefix: FLYINGFREE
enrich_status: ok
enrich_blockers: []
enrich_method: manual
pipeline_filename: FLYINGFREE_16_wish-list-proper-action-joel.md
source_kind: book_excerpt
proposed_topic: FlyingFree
lane: FlyingFree
voice: desk
active_voice: desk
voices:
- desk
routing_source: carbon
corpus_topic: FlyingFree
content_status: active
date: '2010-01-01'
share_url: https://deanrush.net/downloads/flyingfreebook.md
source_url: https://deanrush.net/downloads/flyingfreebook.md
site_category: Flying Free
book_title: Flying Free
book_chapter: 16
book_chapter_title: Use Time as Your Friend – Determine Your Goal and Work Toward It
source_file: flyingfree/flying-free-16-use-time-as-your-friend.md
description: >
  Chapter 16 close — forced new direction; wish list and plan; Joel 3:14 valley
  of decision.
---

# Wish List, Proper Action, Joel 3:14

**Author:** Dean Rush  
**Book:** *Flying Free* · **Chapter 16:** Use Time as Your Friend – Determine Your Goal and Work Toward It  
**Full book:** [deanrush.net/downloads/flyingfreebook.md](https://deanrush.net/downloads/flyingfreebook.md)

## Context for the Reader

Chapter close and Section II “take proper action” summary: forced turns (job, relationship, direction) can be forks; slow down; build wish list and living pattern; formulate the trek; use God-given adverse time to find His plan. Joel 3:14 seals the decision valley.

> Voice note: Everything under **Dean's excerpt** is Dean's original prose (lightly cleaned only). Sections marked **Biblical foundations**, **Scholar sidebar**, **Takeaways**, and **First-time learner** are enrichment for Asker / first readers — not Dean speaking.

---

## Biblical foundations (preface)

Dean ends with decision under God. Scripture calls for sober assessment, deliberate planning, and recognition that days of decision are real — Joel’s valley image is Dean’s chosen closer.

| Dean's claim | Scriptural undercarriage |
| --- | --- |
| Forced turns can open a fork never taken otherwise | Joseph’s harm turned for good (Genesis 50:20); what you meant for evil… (same) |
| Slow down; decide what is happening; next step | Be quick to hear, slow to speak (James 1:19); the prudent gives thought to his steps (Proverbs 14:15) |
| Wish list, how you want to live, formulate plan | Commit your work to the Lord (Proverbs 16:3); write the vision (Habakkuk 2:2) |
| Use adverse time to find His plan | In all your ways acknowledge Him (Proverbs 3:5–6); teach us to number our days (Psalm 90:12) |
| Valley of decision | Joel 3:14 (Dean’s citation) |

---

## Dean's excerpt

### Wish list and the valley

If you have been laid off, forced out of a relationship, or forced into a new direction in your life, use the time to your advantage. You may have just been given an opportunity to follow a fork in the road that you would never have taken without this opportunity.

The key to taking proper action is to slow down, decide what is happening around you, and then go to the next step. Let’s figure out how to take proper action to rectify your situation. Determine your wish list for what you want to do with your life, determine how you want to live, then formulate your plan to begin the new trek. The timing of your crisis can become the opportune time to make a decision and take action to change directions in your life. It may be the long-sought opportunity to accomplish your dream task in life. Use the time God gives you, even in an adverse situation, to find His plan for your life.

“Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision.” Joel 3:14 (NIV)

> **Scholar sidebar — Proper action sequence**  
> James 1:19 and Proverbs 14:15 underwrite slow-down-then-step. Habakkuk 2:2 and Proverbs 16:3 underwrite wish list and plan. Joel 3:14 in context is prophetic judgment imagery; Dean applies the *decision-valley* phrase pastorally — keep his citation, and do not pretend he wrote a full Joel commentary.

---

## Takeaways

1. **Forced categories.** Layoff, relationship exit, new direction — all in scope.
2. **Fork you would not choose.** Opportunity inside force.
3. **Proper-action key.** Slow down → see what is happening → next step.
4. **Wish list + how to live + plan.** Three planning layers.
5. **Joel 3:14.** Decision valley; use God-given adverse time for His plan.

---

## First-time learner

### What is Dean saying in one sentence?
When life forces a turn, slow down, build a wish list and life pattern, form a plan, and treat the crisis timing as a chance to find and follow God’s plan — standing in a valley of decision.

### Why end with Joel?
To mark the chapter as decision, not endless reflection.

### Key verses to read with this lesson
- **Joel 3:14** — Valley of decision (Dean’s close).
- **James 1:19** — Slow to speak; careful response.
- **Proverbs 14:15** — Prudent steps.
- **Proverbs 3:5–6** — Acknowledge Him.
- **Habakkuk 2:2** — Write the vision.
- **Genesis 50:20** — God-meant good through harm.

### A simple practice
One page only: (1) what is happening, (2) wish list, (3) how I want to live, (4) next step this week. Pray Joel 3:14 as a decision marker, not a slogan.

### How this feeds Ask Dean
Seed material for: *How does Dean define taking proper action in chapter 16? What is the wish-list process? Why quote Joel 3:14?*