Happy New Year 2024

Happy New Year to all of my beautiful readers. I've been praying for peace for all of you. I want everyone who reads this post to have a fresh start this new year. First of all, ask God to forgive you for known and unknown sins in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ, who died for our sins. Ask Him for strength to do His will. Doing God's will is a process. It may not happen immediately. But by 2025, you will be able to see your progress. I promise to be here to help you through that process.

image courtesy of Sincerely Media via Unsplash

Often, change has to occur inside us for change to happen around us. There are so many hurting people in the world. We have to let go of past hurts and forgive those people who have hurt us. Next, we should ask God to forgive those who have hurt us, because that's what Jesus did when He was hanging on the cross. Forgiving doesn't mean returning to a toxic relationship. It just means we aren't holding grudges, and we can move on with our lives and live for God instead of for revenge. When you finally grasp this, it is such a freeing experience.

Song: Come as You Are by Crowder

Today, I'm asking you to start somewhere. That's what God tells me when I'm feeling overwhelmed. "Just start somewhere, and I'll give you the strength to finish." And I pair that with his gentle, "Trust Me," that He often coaxes me with. That gets me through every difficult situation, task, decision, or whatever else I'm facing in life.

For example, I used to try to be everything for everybody. Perhaps you're the same way. God finally told me that He is the Omnipotent One, not I. Yes, He wants me to help others, but He doesn't expect me to do everything for everybody. I wasn't able to be in 3 places at once, I wasn't sleeping at night, and there was definitely no rest for me during the day. My own health was in crisis. So, I gave control back to God. Now, I'm much wiser and healthier for it.

Again, this stuff takes practice. But I think this is the best way to start the new year. Let's ask God to forgive us, and let's forgive everyone who has hurt us. This means that we give God control of our emotions as well. You will have days when bad emotions want to surface - maybe every day for a while. Practice good emotions in order to overcome those bad emotions. For instance, when anger surfaces, smile and tell yourself you're going to have a good day regardless of the thoughts that Satan is putting in your head. If jealousy arises, figure out how to overcome it. Jealousy only repels relationships anyway. So, trust God and start somewhere. Start here.

Listen to the audio of this New Year post.

Comments

Buying and Care Tips for Outdoor Plants

These first 2 tips came to mind when I was buying 4 new outdoor deck plants this past week at Lowe's. First of all, at least at the Lowe's I visited, all of their hanging basket flowers were badly wilted and turning brown. I'll have to say, that was a first. All of their plants usually look amazing. I'm not sure if it's because of all the local rainfall, and maybe they haven't been watering them regularly, and that was why they looked so shabby. Because typically, someone would be watering the flowers at about the time we arrived; always have been in the past, and no one was doing that on the day we visited earlier this week. Or maybe they've let Mother Nature overwater them. I don't know. Regardless of the reason, I passed on buying hanging basket flowers. I'm the type of person who really needs to start with healthy flowers. Therefore, I brought home 4 in regular pots, because they all looked healthy. So, my first tip is to pay attention to the

Worry is Waste

How many moments do we waste worrying about things we aren't able to control? I know I've had my fair share of moments like that. I won't say that I never worry anymore. Human nature is to worry. But I worry much less these days, because I trust God to take care of all my needs and problems. According to my NLT study Bible, worrying leads to immobilization, but concern leads us to action. I like that they have shown me the difference between worry and concern. Let's, now, read today's Scripture about the impacts of worry and the effects of trusting God from Jesus' Sermon on the Mount. Matthew 6:25-34 says, “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your

Being God's Ambassador: Meditation 4

Let's prepare to meditate . Start playing your relaxing sounds/music on another device if you like accompaniment with meditation. With your tissues and water beside you, get in a comfortable sitting position. Close your eyes if you'd like. Now, relax your entire body, starting with your forehead, between your eyebrows, your jaws, your neck and shoulders, your arms and legs. Feel the tension release as you relax. Allow the stomach and shoulders to naturally rise and fall as you slowly breathe in and breathe out. Today's meditation affirmation is "I am created in the image of God. He provides everything I need to be His ambassador." Let's repeat this affirmation to ourselves as we concentrate on our breathing for a few moments. Continue your slow, concentrated breathing as I guide you through today's meditation. Listen to Meditation 4 . In Genesis 1:26 NLT (New Living Translation), God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us.” God made u

Subscribe to Newsletter

Search This Blog