New Beginnings... Every Day!

In case you just crawled out from underneath a log (likely because your NYE hangover...) it IS January 1st, 2015. As annoying as that guy is who always says something like, "This is the first day of the rest of your life!" with a huge, cheesy grin on his face, he's right. It is. As much as you want to smack that girl who keeps posting, "Today is page 1 of a 365-page book...", she has a point. It's a fresh start. It's a new beginning.

But, when you think about it... isn't every day?

Isn't every moment?

I was recently asked to speak at St. John's United Church of Christ in Elkhart and, since the new year was fast approaching, I talked at great length about how we don't have to wait until January 1st to start over. God gives us a way to come to Him every moment of every day and say, "I screwed this up. Please fix it and let me start over." Because the fact is, being human and being imperfect are inseparable phrases. We will never be perfect. We will always make mistakes. But God loves us anyway, and we can always come to Him for forgiveness and a fresh start.

Each year, we make resolutions. We're adamant about them at the beginning and really good at keeping them... until we don't. Once we slip up, we're more apt to slip up again because our resolve has faded. That little voice creeps in that says, "See, I knew you couldn't do it. You messed up, you'll mess up again, so you shouldn't even bother." The trick is to talk back to the little voice because THAT little voice is not your friend. Learn to say, "Of course I messed up. I'm not perfect. But I'm not on 'the prize at the end'. I'm on 'the Journey'".

What is it for you? Is it diet and exercise? Is it breaking an addiction? Is it reining in your untamed tongue? Is it organizing and scheduling? Is it spending more time with friends and family? Is it a relationship-with-your-Higher-Power thing? What is it for you?

Just know that, whatever it is, 2015 is here and, regardless of how many times you've screwed up in the past, or how many times you'll screw up in the future, there's no shame in trying.

And there's certainly no shame in trying again, and again, and again.

If you're reading this, you're in my prayers this and every year. You can do this! And, even when you can't, God can.

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Stephanie Jean