New Year... New Beginnings

As always, another new year brings in thoughts and ideas of new beginnings and a chance to improve our lives, improve our health and improve our relationships with other people. We all have a certain amount of regret that we failed to be the person that we wanted to be this past year, we did not meet our own expectations. We push the pan of God's grace onto the back burner and allow the pot of condemnation to come to a full rolling boil; it's steam filling the air and infiltrating the whole room of our lives. We breathe it in and it saturates us, leaving us with no hope that things will ever change or get better.

Yet, our senses are brought to life by an aroma that can be compared to no other. It has been there all along. Through the mist and steam, we not only smell the aroma of God's grace, we begin to feel it; the peace, the joy, of God's faithfulness that has brought us through unimaginable circumstances and trials that we could not have borne or endured alone.

I am here this day, I breathe, I feel, I love, I touch, I hold... and I am surrounded by God's grace and mercy. Let us not forget how God has lead us through the wilderness but continue to look ahead, knowing that He is there to guide us, protect us and love us. How blessed we are to know this wonderful and awesome God!

"And the God of all grace, who called you to

His eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered

a little while, will Himself restore you and

make you strong, firm and steadfast."

I Peter 5:10

My prayer for you this year is Psalm 20

"May the Lord answer you when you are in distress;

May the name of the God of Jacob protect you.

May He send you help from the sanctuary

and grant you support from Zion.

May He remember all of your sacrifices

and accept your burnt offerings.

May He give you the desire of your heart

and make all of your plans succeed.

We will shout for joy when you are victorious

and will lift up banners in the name of our God.

May the Lord grant all your requests.

Now I know that the Lord saves His anointed;

He answers him from His holy heaven

with the saving power of His right hand.

Some trust in chariots and some in horses,

but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.

They are brought to their knees and fall,

but we rise up and stand firm.

O Lord, save the king!

Answer us when we call!"

Do not allow your life to be filled with regret or condemnation but trust in the One who gives us victory through His Son, our beautiful Christ!

"Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those

who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus

the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the

law of sin and death."

Romans 8:1-2