NEW YEAR, NEW YOU

Once again we are approaching the beginning of a new year…2016. Some of us have embraced it and look forward to what the new year has to offer, while some some of us will carry our sorrows and shortcomings from this year to the next. If we are to do better we must embrace better and it all starts within. No one is responsible for your circumstances but you and the faith and power that you draw from within. If you want to see change, tap into the power of God almighty and ask Him to take over and guide you towards your dreams. Let His will be done in your life and you will begin to transform. 

He is a God of transformation, redemption and reconciliation so start today by seeking His wisdom and His will for your life; change can start in a multitude of ways. Remember as long as you are breathing, there is still time to:

• Start over
• Chase your dreams
• Change your ways
• Forgive and ask forgiveness
• Learn something new
• Love more
• Be of service
• Repair broken relationships
• Embrace God's transforming power
• Have Hope

So for the rest of this year, make a plan, set a goal, and do something with the time you have right now. Pray like there is no tomorrow. Praise as if your life depended on it. Worship with all that you are. Give until you feel you have nothing left to offer and then give some more. Serve as if you were the only one capable of doing so. Love until your heart breaks open from it. And laugh like your joy and strength to do all things comes from an almighty God!

Prayer: Father God, we call on you to lead and guide us as we navigate our way through the remainder of this year. We have dreams and goals that we want to be fulfilled and we look to you for your will to be done in our lives. Rescue us from our temptations and protect us from the evil that seeks to destroy us. Bless our families, our homes, our finances, our ministries, and all things that we do that will glorify you! Thank you for your continued grace and mercy and it is in Jesus’ name that we pray, Amen!

Read Isaiah 40:28-31 and understand how God sustains us and gives us everlasting hope. 

WHAT ARE YOU GIVING JESUS FOR CHRISTMAS?

Imagine that you are having a birthday party and everybody came with gifts but none of them were for you. It is a celebration of you, but no one acknowledges you. Everyone says that it is all about you but they are focused on each other and what they will receive instead of giving to you. I, myself would feel some type of way and put everyone out of the party! 

But God! God in His infinite wisdom and with unconditional love continues to open His arms to us with unfailing grace and mercy. So as we go about our days, celebrating the birth of Jesus, ask yourself "what can I give to the One that has it all?" Give Him you, wholly and fullly; give Him your love, your time, your resources, your faith and your failings. Just as the three wise men brought gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh to the New Born King (see Matthew 2:11); bring Him your best, your worst and your all! 
  

Prayer: Father God, we come before you praising and lifting the name of Jesus! Thank you Lord for your Son! We thank you Father for your grace and your mercy in the forgiveness of our sins, and continue to keep us from temptation. We exalt you Lord for the Almighty God that you are! Please touch each of our lives as we give them as living sacrifices to you and the work you started in each of us. We look to you to fill us with the Holy Spirit and to guide us in the ways of righteousness. We pray this and continued blessings in Jesus’ name, Amen!

In this season of giving, remember the gift of Christ and His sacrificial love. Remember those that He would want us to love and bless (see Matthew 25:31-46).

TIS THE SEASON TO BE JOLLY…

It is the holiday season, a time when we celebrate love, joy, hope and happiness; but for some of us it is a season of depression and despair. Many people experience a dangerous melancholy during the holiday season sending them through a vicious cycle of sadness, regret and loneliness. The loss of loved ones, tight budgets, dejection and the cold dreariness of winter can make it extra hard for some of us to make it through the day. When we find ourselves giving in to the woes of hopelessness and despair, we must rejoice in knowing that God gave us a splendid gift, everlasting hope! 

The gift of Christ Jesus, he is the reason for the season!!!

God gave us love, hope, redemption and a chance to embrace a fresh perspective! Nothing worth having ever comes easy so we must fight for peace and joy within. It is a choice that some of us must fight harder for than others because misery will do its part to fight for control. Hopelessness can become so strong that it often prevents us from doing something about it.  

When we began to think negatively, saying things like “why bother, things will not get better, no one loves me, etc…” and give up on life itself, isolation becomes a friend and we withdraw from loved ones, favored activities and positivity happening around us. Do not give in when you feel the effects of despair. There is hope for the hopeless, we just have to recognize the patterns of despair and fight against them. 
Hopelessness and despair can be alienation, powerlessness, or a sense of impending doom that challenges each of us differently; here are some ways to combat those negative feelings:

• Acknowledge your feelings - realize you could be wrong about the way you feel, act against the hopelessness
• Get support from friends and loved ones no matter how hard it seems to do so
• Challenge negative thoughts
• Take care of mind, body, spirit
• Try something new/different, change your mindset and embrace a new attitude
• Focus on what you can change not the things you have no control over, like other people
• Embrace the moment, enjoy the beauty around you right now, not what could or could not happen tomorrow. 
• No one thing brings us happiness, so get over it…Happy is not the destination it is the journey

Remember, if joy is your default setting then reach out to someone else who may not be as blessed. Give love this Christmas, just as it has been given to you. 
Although it is normally cold, dreary and lacks the benefits of the Sun shining upon us during this time of the year, remember to refocus and realize that God is Supreme and the gift of His Son forever shines upon us. 

Prayer: Thank you God for giving us a direct connection with you, for giving us joy in the form of Christ Jesus. Forgive us for trying to fill that void with sinful and worldly things. During this time help us to see that happiness is a choice that we can make each day, and help us to choose wisely. Be with those that struggle to embrace joy, allow us to minister to them with love and understanding. Our hope remains in you, in Jesus’ name, Amen!

Read the following scriptures for understanding of joy, hope and love...
Job 8:13 
Psalm 42:5, 11, 43:5, 62:5, 130:7
Romans 15:13
Isaiah 57:10 

HONOR YOUR BODY

I am hungry. I am always hungry. I love food and can eat all day every day. I love to cook and I love to discover new ways to enjoy the foods that I eat regularly. I am also mindful of how overindulgence can have an effect on the body; coupled with genetics and age, bad food choices could ruin me. But everywhere I go these days there are signs that say EAT! EAT! EAT!  Turn on the television and there are entire networks dedicated to tempting our palates and commercials offering up the deliciousness of the newest trend in foods. We see restaurants at every intersection, grocery store chains, and then there is the super sized meal or the excess of four to six courses served in one sitting. Food is everywhere, tempting us to be gluttonous and out of order in respect to our bodies. We must eat to live, right? But are we nourishing our bodies or neglecting them? 
We are made from the creativity of God and our bodies are a reflection of His love (see Psalms 139:13-14). The body is a gift from God given to us as a temple for the Holy Spirit to reside and usher in the presence of God. God does have expectations for how we should treat our bodies. It is where his spirit dwells within us and we must take care of the temple that He has entrusted to us (see 1 Corinthians 6:19-20)
There are consequences for violation of the temple (see 1 Corinthians 3: 16-17).  Consider that heart disease, diabetes, arthritis and many our ailments are because of what we consume. When we refuse to nurture our bodies with healthy substances, we succumb to the negligence and we suffer.
We have gotten away from real food, we are so busy and consumed with worldly things that food is eaten on the run; fast food and restaurants have replaced home cooked meals and fellowship amongst loved ones. We often abuse our bodies by what we consume, but it is up to each of us to make better choices. Daniel is the example here, when offered choice food and drink presented by the royal court, he refused and requested vegetables and water and was better for it (see Daniel 1:11-17).
We must take care of our bodies with healthy choices like a balanced diet, regular exercise, proper rest and a joyful spirit. So as we recover from celebrating Thanksgiving with our loved ones, and enter into this festive season of excess, we must remember to be grateful for the temple that is the body and refrain from indulging too much in the flesh. Let us reflect on the Holy Spirit that resides within each of us and make choices that honor our relationship with God, our creator. 
Prayer: Father God thank you for your provision and for allowing us to commune in your presence. Father forgive us for our gluttonous behaviors and help us to be grateful for enough. You meet us at our need and exceed our expectations but let us not revel in the excess. Continue to bless us and heal our bodies but allow us to operate in a manner pleasing to you. In Jesus’ name, Amen!