New Year. New Time.

The beginning of a new year brings rushes of excitement and dreams of change. It represents a seemingly rare opportunity to hit the reset button and have a fresh start on life! A do-over. A clean space. A new page. A new time.

With the new year, we find blank space in which we get to create and choose. The possibilities are endless! We have a chance to erase the mess from the previous year and start all over again. We must not be so quick to move forward that we miss any valuable lessons to be learned from the past year. Whether you have gathered small subtle tips or large life lessons, I encourage you to carry the wisdom forward with you but leave the regrets and frustrations behind. No time for that in 2017!!

“… let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith.. ” – Hebrews 12:1b-2, ESV

We start the new year with a blank canvas full of room for our hopes and ideas! I encourage you to choose wisely what you allow on your canvas. Look past what the world deems important and focus instead on things above, things that truly matter and will last. Things that will strengthen you rather than weaken you, encourage you rather than lead you astray, comfort you rather than ignore you, and love you rather than entertain you. The world is full of flash and eye candy, but these sparkling moments of happiness are fleeting. Seek the joy that truly lasts.

“This [bitter jealousy and selfish ambition] is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual … For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder … But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.” – James 3:13-17, ESV

I assure you that God will outshine anything fabricated by the world. When we seek these temporary worldly joys, we focus only on ourselves and our own personal gains. James points out that disorder will likely ensue on a group filled with jealousy and selfish ambition. The first church did not need chaos and neither do we!

Seek God to find the joy that truly lasts. Make spending time with Him a priority in your day. Carefully choose what will be allowed to fill your life and enjoy each new day!