Sunday, January 7, 2018

Welcome

“And now we welcome the New Year; full of things that have never been.” (Rainer Maria Rilke)

Can you believe that the year 2017 left as quickly as it did, and now it is gone? It's only normal to make goals for the new year of 2018. Statistics forecast the following:

·        “People who explicitly make resolutions are 10 times more likely to attain their goals than people who don’t explicitly make resolutions.” (Statistic Brain)

·        25% of people stopped working towards their goals after just the first week

·        75% of those who set goals follow through with them after the first week of the year.

·        8% of people achieve their resolutions each year.

 Looking back on your life to the year 2017, consider the following information:

·        “The Lord does wonderful things more than anyone could ask for.” (Psalm 111:2, ERV)

·        “Every time I thought I was being rejected from something good, I was actually being re-directed to something better.”  (Steve Maraboli)

o   How has your Heavenly Father provided for you this year?

o   Has He taught you something new about Himself?

o   What is your Heavenly Father asking you to do in 2018?

Looking ahead in your life to the New Year 2018 that is here, consider the following information:

·        “Here is the bottom line: do not worry about your life. Don’t worry about what you will eat or what you will drink. Don’t worry about how you clothe your body. Living is about more than merely eating, and the body is about more than dressing up” (Matthew 6:25, VOICE).

·        “The secret of change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the new.” (Socrates)

o   Can you trust the promises of your Heavenly Father in the New Year of 2018 that is here?

o   What has your Heavenly Father promised you in the New Year of 2018 that is here?

o   How can you bless someone in the New Year of 2018 that is here?

“I hope that in this year to come you make mistakes. Because if you are making mistakes; then you are making new things, trying new things, learning, living, pushing yourself, changing yourself, changing your world. You're doing things you've never done before (and more importantly) you're doing something.” (Neil Gaiman)[i]



[i] Inspired by the sermon “Looking Back…Looking Ahead” Sunday, December 31, 2017 Pastor Dave Jansen CenterPoint Gahanna Church Gahanna, OH. Additional source used:  ”How to Reach Your 2018 Goals – Setting Goals for 2018” by Michelle Schroeder-Gardner
 

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