“Forever is composed of nows.” ~ Emily Dickinson
It’s hard to believe that it’s almost the end of this year; they seem to be getting faster and faster!
I want to encourage you today to look back over this year and to pray about the coming 2016 year. Here’s a few reflection questions:
- Is there anything God has told you to do–or not do–in 2015? Did you obey God? If not, repent and ask His forgiveness. Ask Him for His help. We fall, we get back up. “The godly may trip seven times, but they will get up again.” (Proverbs 24:16, NLT) Whatever God has told you to do (or not do), obey Him. Go into your “War Room” and pray. Ask Him to intervene in your situation, to change your heart to become more like His and to be faithful in obedience. Pray about everything. “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.” (Philippians 4:6, NLT) Seek to please God. Don’t leave any loose threads n 2015. Finish strong!
- Do you need to forgive someone (including God)? One of the things I love about God is that He gives us new mercies each morning (Lamentations 3:22-23), and a fresh start each year. Let’s not go into a new year with a rollerboard of unforgiveness, bitterness, resentment, hate, anger, envy, jealousy, spite, malice, and all those ugly things that create distance between us and God and other people. Let it go. That is really hard to do sometimes, especially if someone has deeply hurt you. But unforgtiveness keeps you and me a prisoner. Forgiveness will set YOU free. My sister Maria has often given me a visual picture for this. Each morning and evening, wipe the slate clean. Don’t have a trash pile of unforgiveness and hurts that you keep hanging onto. Life is much too short for offenses and grudges. Go into this new year being free.
- Is there something on your bucket list–something you’d really love to do–that you haven’t done yet? It’s not too late! Right now I’m writing a new book, the second one in my Cinderella Story series, The Cinderella Story: The Power of Dreams. My goal is to have it uploaded to Amazon as an eBook for the Kindle by January 1, 2016. Based on the beloved fairy tale Cinderella, in it I share how I believe God is the one who puts big dreams inside our hearts (when they align with His word and His will), and He’ll help you and me to fulfill them. It’s important to dream. If you feel the enemy or someone else has just stomped all over your dreams, it’s time for God to breathe fresh life into your dreams and you to dream again. The year 2016 can be your best year yet! Your dreams are very important. You can achieve them with God’s help. NEVER STOP DREAMING!
To be first to hear about the release of my new book, The Cinderella Story: The Power of Dreams, be sure to sign up on my personal mailing list with your name and email address here at BethJones.net. I’ll have the pre-order page up soon!
