"Happy New Year!" or "Thank goodness it's over, that was one of the worst years of my life!"

It's December 31st. Tonight is New Year's eve.

With that comes instagram collages galore, tweets about turning something up, and facebook is officially full posts about 2013 memories and nightmares.

One thing is clear, people in our culture see a New Year as an opportunity to reboot. Whether you want to look back or not, we are all looking forward at least a little bit. So, here's the question I am asking myself...

Will I take responsibility for what I did not do well in 2013, and will I make the necessary changes so that I can do those things well in 2014?

Let me make this clear, I don't think any power lies in our will power or some little promise that we make on the first day of ever year. But, I do believe in an all-powerful God who has the power to change our hearts. I do believe that if we seek His face, He will honor that and allow us to "press reset."

I guess where this question leads me is that if you want to get hit by less cars in 2014 than in 2013, don't stand in the middle of the road. Many of us complain about our circumstances, but don't change the decisions that determine our situation. So, what's a real life example? Maybe you want to be involved in less drama in 2014. Gossip less. Don't want the stress of sex and dating? Give yourself to Jesus and stay pure. Don't want to make the same dumb decisions on those late nights? Come home earlier, don't drink as much, and surround yourself with people who sharpen you not ones who make you dull.

I pray that I will take the new year as an opportunity to examine myself as well. I need to do a better job of listening than talking, loving than becoming angry, and trusting than doubting. Jesus, change my heart and my ways.


Let's take responsibility for what we did not do well in 2013, and make the necessary changes so that we can do those things well in 2014.

Happy New Years!