A time for reflection

At the beginning of every year, I spend a little time doing a few very weird things. I say these activities are weird because very few people do them. Would you like to know what they are? I hope so because I’d like to share them with you. :-)

1. I give thanks to God for the previous year. “In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” (1 Thessalonians 5:18, NKJV)
2. I ask God to forgive me for all of my mistakes and sins from the previous year. Yikes, it is a long list from this past year. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9, NKJV) 
3. I ask for wisdom for the coming year. Last year’s wisdom will not take you to new levels of wisdom this year. “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.” (2 Corinthians 3:18, NKJV) 
4. I evaluate my previous year in order to build on the progress the Lord has helped me make and eliminate the negative. “‘Come now, and let us reason together,’ says the LORD.” (Isaiah 1:18, NKJV)
5. I pick my friends and partners for the future because I believe my associations will determine my destination. “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful.” (Psalms 1:1, NKJV)

friend, there was a time in my life when every year seemed to melt into the previous one. I was stuck in a rut. Please don’t get me wrong…my life was pretty good…but it wasn’t great. I recently read a book for one of my doctoral classes entitled Good to Great by Jim Collins. Wow! Everyone should read this book because it teaches a profound concept: DON’T SETTLE! 

This kind of reflection may sound weird, but I love trying new things because I want better results. You can try this, too, because you are a miracle and I think you are incredible.