Happy New Year and welcome to 2017!  I hope that your Christmas season was blessed and peaceful.  If you are like most people you had some ups and some downs and are ready to be finished with the holidays and move on into the new year.  Many made their lists of goals for 2017 and a good percentage of these folks, if statistics are to be believed have already failed at keeping their New Year's resolutions.  

I did a talk a couple of years ago that talked about strategies that you could use to be more successful at developing new good habits.  It got a lot of positive feedback and several folks have asked me to share it again.  It contained lots of helpful suggestions such as think small when it comes to goals for the short term but think big for the long term, reward yourself for every success, and find support with like minded people who are working to develop the same good habits that you are working on.

I think the best piece of advice that I put in this talk did not come from any research studies I found, but from scripture.  Proverbs 16:3 says, "Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed."  When you commit something to HIm, it means that you put everything about that project into His hands.  It means that you trust Him with the process, the timing, and the results.  It even means that if He says to you, "This is not the right thing for you right now" you listen to Him and accept it.  Most importantly you thank Him in advance for the answer He has for you in each and every area of your life.

Maybe your are not a New Year's resolution or goal setter.  Maybe life has knocked you off course a bit this last year or you just are feeling overwhelmed and just trying to make it through today.  Planning for tomorrow is beyond you.  All you have to do is commit each day to Him and let Him lead you moment by moment.  Start out your day every morning by thanking Him for all He did for you yesterday and is going to do for you today.  Tell Him your challenges, hopes, and dreams and then listen throughout the day for His whispers of guidance.  Look for doors opening and closing moved by His almighty hand.  If you invite Him to lead you He will lead you in the path you should go!

Today, I join my faith with yours for a happy, blessed, and prosperous 2017!