Finish What You Start

Have you ever found yourself taking on a number of projects, at home or at work and becoming so overwhelmed you don't really complete all of them? As a writer, it has happened to me, and I feel very guilty about it. There's just not enough time, I tell myself. So for this year, I'm going to make every effort to finish what I start.

A new year has just begun, and you may be thinking it's not yet time to talk about finishing anything. Isn't a new year about new beginnings? Maybe for some people, but for most of us, the new year is just another date on the calendar. Last year I wrote this post:  Just Do It  I hope some of you followed my advice and took that bold step to give your life to Christ. If you did, I'm happy for you, and the angels are rejoicing. If you didn't, don't put it off too long.

For those of you who gave your heart to Christ, I would like to encourage you to develop a habit of daily prayer and Bible reading. Yes, daily. It doesn't have to be an hour every day. You don't need a lot of time to connect with your Lord and Savior. He is always with you, and a few minutes a day may be all you need to acknowledge His presence and thank Him for it. Reading the Word helps you to hear from Him and get His direction for your life. Just as my morning walk energizes me for the day, so my Bible reading lifts my spirits and helps to set the tone for my day.

The other step is becoming a church member. Going to church doesn't save you, but saved people go to church. More about this in another post. Once you become a member, try to get involved in some of the various ministries. Many churches have activities for different ages, so it should be no difficulty fitting in. You don't have to be in everything. Church activity should never be a chore or a duty, but something you do because you want to give of your time to the Lord and fellowship with other believers.

If you do these things, you will grow in the Christian faith and enjoy being part of the family of God.

To help you get started on reading and understanding the Bible, I would like to recommend Know Your Bible by Paul Kent. If you are a woman, you may also enjoy Women For All Seasons written by me. These books do not replace the Bible; they are only companion literature to give you a deeper understanding of the Bible. If you do get any or both of these resources, I receive a small commission.

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Are You Ready For 2016?

                                                                                                                                                    

Whenever my grandson, Jayden and his little sister Jen play hide and seek, I can usually predict  who the winner will be. Jayden is familiar with all Jen's favorite hiding places, so when she is hiding, he waits a little then calls out, "Ready or not!" Shortly after, shouts of joy - from Jayden -and squeals of surprise - from Jen - ring out. 

So it is with the new year. Ready or not, 2016 is here. The only difference between it and a game of hide and seek is that we knew it will find us, but we didn't realize how quickly. Everywhere I turn, I hear people commenting on how quickly 2015 passed. Many of us worked harder, drove faster and stayed up later in an effort to fulfill our dreams, only to be caught before we'd even accomplished half of those things.

I daresay, 2016 will not be much different. With the specter of terrorism, climate change, global financial crises and a host of other ills threatening, we may be tempted to ramp up our efforts to do more in 2016. This can leave us tired, frustrated and defeated.

Jesus Christ gives us some good advice: "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls" (Matthew 11: 28 - 29). 

Jesus offers us the perfect hiding place - one where we will never be caught unawares or unprepared. If you have been running yourself ragged trying to achieve this, that or the other, stop now and go to Jesus. Exchange your burden for His, and you will find rest. 

The beginning of a new year is the best time to make a new start. If you don't know Jesus, why not open your heart to Him today, because one day, ready or not, He's coming and He will find you. Will your shout be one of joy or one of surprise? 

Happy New Year!

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My New Year Wishes

As 2011 rushes to get out of here to make room for 2012, my thoughts turn to what God has done in my life this year. While I have not had any earth-shaking success or changes in my life, God continues to show me that it is He who is watching over me and my family from day to day, providing for us and guiding us. I was able to continue working at my day job as an occupational therapist and while I'm beginning to focus on retirement, I still thank God that  I do have a job and am able to meet my financial commitments. That's a lot more than many people can say these days.

New Year's Resolutions

For decades the topic of New Year's resolutions has been so bandied about around this time of year, that I, for one, have come to dread it. Some people have said that they make New Year's resolutions on New Year's eve, only to break them on New Year's Day! I don't think I've ever been that bad, but I'm usually unaware of when I stop following through with my resolutions. Still, in the back of my mind nag those pesky wishes, desires and dreams that are ushered in with the confetti and firecrackers. And I find myself thinking, what if I could really lose those ten pounds this year? What if I could really stop eating chocolates and ice-cream? What if I could exercise four days out of every week?

What if ... Over the years I have come to realize the futility of those wishes and so I've stopped wishing and begun to ask God to give me the strength and the motivation to do what I need to do. And as I reflected on that this morning, the Holy Spirit laid it on my heart that He wants me to love Him more. "I do love you, Lord," I said. "I've been loving You ever since I was a child. Even when I knew very little about You."

Gently, He directed my thoughts to the kind of love He requires. The kind that Mary, Lazarus's sister showed to Jesus. This woman sat at His feet, drinking in His words, while her sister Martha busied herself being hospitable. Jesus said of Mary, "She has chosen what is better and it will not be taken away from her" (Luke 10: 42). While Jesus appreciated Martha's hospitality, he clearly considered the time Mary spent with Him to be far more valuable than what Martha did. When we love someone we want to spend as much time with them as possible, and I believe this is what God was saying to me this morning. Make time for Me; put aside your busyness and spend time with Me.

In His commandments the Lord said, "... I am a jealous God" (Exodus 20:5). He is jealous of all the "gods" we put before Him. The god of work, money, position, entertainment and all the many "gods" we create. We don't want to make God jealous, do we? Because if we do, He just might remove the "gods" that are taking His place in our lives. So there's my New Year's resolution. Learning to love God and spending more time with Him in 2011.

Lord, I love you, but I confess that my love has been weak and faint. I allow too many things to get in the way of spending time with you. Help me in this New Year to spend more time at Your feet so I can get to know You better and become more like You, in Jesus' name. Amen.

Change

I recently came across a joke about three men who were in a strange city and had no money to pay for their meals. They came up with a creative plan which went like this: The first man entered an upscale restaurant and ordered a very expensive meal. When the meal was over, the waiter handed the check to the man who looked astonished and said, "But I already paid you." The waiter looked puzzled, but not wishing to offend the customer, apologized and took back the check.

The second man came in and the same situation occurred. Not long after, the third man walked in, ordered the most expensive items on the menu and enjoyed his meal. When the waiter brought the check, the man looked angry and said, "What's wrong with you, man? I already paid you." This time the waiter was determined to get to the bottom of the mystery. He turned to his customer and said, "Sir, I don't understand what is happening. I served two other men today who said they paid me but I'm almost certain they didn't. What do you think I should do?" The customer looked at the waiter and said, "I'm sorry you've been having trouble sorting out your payments, but will you please give me my change?"

Change. The word is on everybody's lips these days, especially since the stunning victory by Barack Obama, who stirred up the hearts of the people with his mantra of change. But what does change mean? Many of us, myself included, are still putting the finishing touches to our New Year's resolutions in an effort to change our lives for the better. But in most cases, very little change will take place this year or even the next.

In the Bible we see many instances where God made changes in the lives of His people. He told Abraham to leave his hometown, Haran, and go to the land of Canaan. He caused Joseph to be sold into slavery so he could end up in Egypt and become the Prime Minister of that country. God never allowed His people to lead static, boring lives. He changed their names, addresses and ultimately their destinies.

Why, then, are we so resistant to change? Maybe it's our love for the familiar or fear of the unknown. Whatever it is, change can be scary. But in this new year, this new era, let us look to the One "who changeth not" (Malachi 3:6), the unchanging God, to help us make those changes that are necessary and resist those that may cause us trouble. Happy New Year!