Is the New Year Already Old?

How has your kickoff to 2014 been?? Feel a lot like 2013? Well, it makes sense-it was only a week ago that we were drinking an amazing amount of coffee to stay up for New Year's Eve. But what was going through your head? Were you pumped about being a new person in the New Year?
I think for most of us, we were hoping that just because it was a new year, life would become different somehow. Life might even get better. But there is something we must remember in our lives in 2014-nothing new will come without change. New growth can't come without an amount of change in our lives.
I really want to be a better husband to my wife, Kelsey. I want her to feel taken care of, I want to comfort her-especially now as we're expecting our second child in a few months. To do this I can't keep doing what I'm already doing. If I want to be a better husband, I need to change something in my life. I need to give her more of my time. I need to REALLY listen to her when she's talking to me.
Since I'm a Christian, I follow Jesus. In 2014, I want to be better follower. For this to happen something needs to change in my life. If you look in the Bible, in the Gospel of John (and the other Gospels), after Jesus was crucified, his disciples fled, and in John 20 we find them in a locked room for fear of the Jews. Now if you're holding your Bible, you know that the next book is Acts where the church exploded! With these very disciples! But wait...they've locked themselves in a room...so how's that going to work?
Something changed!! And where did it start?? Jesus!! He stood among them and they were 'overjoyed'. Then everything changed. They entered that room with fear, but left with joy, mission, purpose, confidence.
If you want that this year, start with Jesus. Look at his life, look at his death for you, look at his resurrection for you! And then know that he is with you with his Holy Spirit. He wants you to have an awesome year, not because it's 2014, but because this could be the best year of your life!
Put aside the conflicts, frustrations, the stress-before you do anything this year-focus on Jesus.

-PC
pastorcory@rescuesumner.org
www.rescuesumner.org