NEW BEGINNINGS

It’s a time-honoured tradition at the end of a year to make lists of our new year’s resolutions – of all the ways we’re planning on bettering ourselves in the upcoming year. But then, of course, despite the best of intentions, our aspirations often slip, and we don’t necessarily achieve all of our self-improvement goals.

If one looks at the New Year’s resolutions it is selfish and only refers to the person’s own needs. Sometimes the person will, as an after thought, add something to include others but is very low on the list.

New Year’s resolutions started because of the human longing for a better life. We want everything to be new as the year ahead is a clean slate and the events are unknown. Most of the time the new year is a mixture of high lights and low points – joy, sorrow, shocks, surprises, pain, or the possibility that it will be our last new year. Thus, it is a step into the unknown.

New Year’s resolutions are good as it tells us that we are not perfect and there is room for improvement in our lives. There are things we can work on, if we persist.

So it got me thinking. In addition to creating a list of our ambitions and resolutions, how about a list of our typical New Year’s stumbling blocks: the things that typically hold us back from reaching our self-improvement goals.

1. We trust on our own strength. Start this year by asking God to show you what your new resolutions should be. Ask him to help you to achieve it.

2. What happened with your spiritual life the past year? Any success the past year will be of no value in God’s eyes. Trust in God every day and live every day in anticipation of His grace.

3. Turning you life over to God. You can do this at any time and then it will really be a happy new year.

4. Choose to live with hope. Izak de Villiers said that hope is not a big fire to give heat; it is a small flame to give light in darkness. With hope we can believe that we can conquer anything - good or bad - that crosses our path this year. Without hope we loose our joy but with hope we can live our dreams.

5. Stop wearing blinkers. We look at the now and forget to look around and above us. Smell the roses.

6. Remember how you felt in times of despair. How you carried on and what gave you the strength to do it. Remember how God helped you during this crisis.

My New Year resolutions for 2019 are as follows:

I am going to take time from my daily routine to:

· Think – it is the source of power;

· Play – it is the secret of perpetual youth;

· Read – it is the fountain of wisdom;

· Pray – it the greatest power on earth;

· Love and be loved - it is a God-given privilege;

· Be friendly – it is the road to happiness;

· Laugh – it is the music of the soul;

· Give – it is too short a day to be selfish;

· Work – it is the price of success;

· Do charity – it is the key to heaven.

I want to share one of my favourite quotes with you:

“Life is a song—sing it.

Life is a game—play it.

Life is a challenge— meet it.

Life is a dream—realize it.

Life is a sacrifice— offer it.

Life is love— enjoy it.”

Sathya Sai Baba

I believe this quote is an excellent basis for a New Year's resolution. It touches all the areas of our lives and indicates how we should experience these areas.

Meditate on it, use it as inspiration, or read it every day as a reminder of the goals you want to achieve.

Together with this I want to have the attitude of “I am” and “I can” by following the confessions from God’s word:

· I am a new creature in Christ.

· I can live in peace and prosperity

· I am willing to listen, not to respond in haste and not to get up tide so quickly.

· I can do anything through Christ which strengthens me.

· I am dead for sin but alive unto God.

· I can overcome evil with good.

Father, help me to achieve my new year’s resolution and let me turn to you for assistance in doing it.