Happy New Year!!!!
I was one of those who waited excitedly for this Year.
A lot happened last year, I was truly glad when the clock chimed midnight on 1st January.
Ushering in a New Year. I bet you were as well.
As I left my house for church activities ushering in the New Year, I looked around and said to myself, “by the time I get back home it will be a New Year.” I was going to be out for only a few hours but it seemed like I was crossing a huge chasm in those few hours. Stepping across a large gulf, from one year into another.

Well, it has been a few days into the New Year.
How has it been so far?
Is your excitement waning as you wonder if there’s going to be anything different about the New Year?
Can I let you in on a secret?
It is something you probably know but I’ll share it nevertheless: The New Year came with new opportunities, new grace, new visions and new dreams. BUT there’s one constant that came into the New Year; Y-O-U.
You came into the New Year. Same way you have been coming into New Years for decades.
You need to pay close attention to this person that has stepped into all those New Years.
You moved houses, you changed cars, you moved cities, you had children, you got married, you got into a relationship, you started a new business… YOU were there all along.
I think beyond rejoicing about the New Year and all you anticipate about this year, you need to pay attention to YOU because you have a huge role to play in ensuring this year doesn’t fly past like the one before it.

So, what have you been up to?
It’s been a week already. What have you done differently?
Let’s pick a few of the typical things we all set as goals at the beginning of the New Year:

  • Weight loss (or gain): You set your weight targets. How have you eaten so far? With what you’ve done this week, be honest, are you going to achieve those goals?
  • Relationships: You penned down to have more meaningful relationships but here you are again, isolating yourself from people who love and care about you
  • Your walk with God: God first you promised yourself. But January 2nd, you woke up and took a quick look at WhatsApp. The same thing, dare I remind you, you’ve done for decades. You’ve even scrimped on the study of the word which you decided firmly to do.
  • Personal development: I will read more this year, you said. But here you go again binge watching TV
  • Finances: You planned to be deliberate with your spending this year. “I will set up a budget” you said. It’s been 6 days and you’ve gone back to the sporadic unaccounted for spending. You don’t have a plan.

When will this cycle end? Every year, you decide to do things differently and then you sit and watch time pass by.
When will you make a commitment to do things and actually do them?
No pressure, but deep down inside you know you are capable of way more than you are actually giving out.
After all the excitement that comes with entering a New Year, I urge you to commit to you and stick to you.

Commit to yourself. Have someone close hold you accountable if you need to. But by all means, please take baby steps in the direction of all you planned to do. Win those souls for Jesus, make those phone calls, cut out the carbs, walk out of that ungodly relationship, let go of toxic things and people, allow the gift God put in you shine forth…

I pray for you that God’s strength will enable you do those things He put in your heart to do this Year.
I pray for you that you find ways to take all your big goals and break them down into daily tasks, and commit to waking up and doing those simple tasks everyday, even if no one is watching. Till they grow into bigger things.
This year will be a different one for you because YOU will move out of your comfort zone and do those things you have put off for so long. You started the year with God, with His grace, Don’t be afraid, don’t consider the mistakes of the past, this is a new You, a determined you. You can because He lives in you!                            Now, m-o-v-e!

“There are those of us who are always about to live. We are waiting until things change, until there is more time, until we are less tired, until we get a promotion, until we settle down — until, until, until. It always seems as if there is some major event that must occur in our lives before we begin living.”
– George Sheehan