2 Corinthians 5:17,  “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”

The New Year is often seen and it even feels like a “fresh start”, probably because we grew up with everyone making their New Year’s resolutions and the excitement of everything feeling “new”.  That is great in so many ways because let’s face it we all need moments of refreshing and the courage to say, “Okay!  Let’s try again!” And sometimes we need to feel like we can just let the last year roll off and leave it and everything it held behind.  Well, good news ~ there are actually three New Years a year that people celebrate!  There’s the one we are celebrating now and then the New Year set by God when He was talking with Moses as the Israelites were about to leave Egypt which is the Hebrew month Nisan.  Exodus 12:1-2, The Lord said to Moses and Aaron in Egypt, “This month is to be for you the first month, the first month of your year.”  They were getting ready to leave Egypt and God was explaining the “Passover” when they needed to put the blood on the doorposts of their homes so God would pass over their house and the firstborn would not die.  They were walking out of bondage and a new relationship with God, unlike anything they had known which is the perfect picture of salvation.  They were about to see God do amazing miracles and His deliverance, it was truly a fresh start.  The traditional Jewish New Year that comes in the Fall is called Rosh Hashana which is Elul 29 on their calendar and it is sometime in September or October for us (their years don’t have the same number of days as ours).  But the good news is ~ you really don’t have to wait for any of these, God offers you a “fresh start” anytime and the best fresh start at life you can have anytime begins with the decision to allow Him to guide you in all you do!

On that note, are there areas in your life that need refreshing or maybe a fresh start?  Is there something you feel moved by God to accomplish?  Have you maybe felt stuck and you aren’t sure how to get going again?  God has a plan!  I can tell you firsthand that now more than ever there are days it takes raw determination to push past the overwhelm, heaviness, and those feelings that want to tell you you can’t or it’s just not worth trying anymore.  Those thoughts and feelings do not line up with the Word of God!  Those thoughts and feelings are satan trying to discourage you and hold you down.  I have found that in those moments the best thing I can do is turn on a worship song like, “Worthy is the Lamb” or “What a Beautiful Name”… any song you love that truly praises God and play it over and over until you can rise above those feelings and move forward.  Open your Bible and read some Psalms, spend time in prayer, and take the time to just praise Him and thank Him for Who He is and all He has done! Whatever you do ~ do not lay prostrate before the enemy in defeat!  If you have accepted Jesus as your savior then His Spirit dwells within you and as it says in John 4:4, “You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.”  Don’t you be taking His Spirit with you and laying prostrate before the one He has already overcome for you!!!  Rise up and arm yourself with the Word of God!  If memorizing isn’t your thing then write down the scriptures that empower you and that will put satan and any demons in their place.

Make this year count in your walk with God by serving Him in all that you do.  God wants to use your story to reach others.  There are people out there who need to know that they can make it through whatever they are facing if they will just give their hearts and lives to Him and it may take your story for them to be able to relate.  Dod loves you and He wants to walk with you as you go through life.  He wants your life to shine so others will be drawn to Him so they can also understand that His best is yet to come!