Happy New Year!

It’s 2007. Can you believe it? Seems like just the other day everyone was freaking out about Y2K. But it wasn’t just the other day, it was 7 years ago! Sheesh.

My pastor here has done a couple of really great sermons on the subject of the New Year. We make all these New Year’s Resolutions like “I want to lose weight” or “I’m going to exercise.” But Rock (my pastor) asked “Why don’t we make a spiritual plan?” Something like “This year I’m going to give away more than I did last year” or “I’m going to be more faithful to study the Word” or “I’m going to focus on loving people.” Instead we aim for all these really worldly things. And when we look back on the last year how do we measure our success? “I made money”? “I earned a degree”? What about spiritually? If we gained the whole world yet didn’t produce fruit that lasts for eternity, was the year a success? No, he says, it was wasted time.

Not only do we make Resolutions, we make Proclamations. “This is going to be the best year ever!” “May you have a prosperous New Year!” But, asks Rock, does the act of proclaiming actually have any effect on how the year turns out? Of course not. There’s only one way to make this year a success…

John 15
The Vine and the Branches
1"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. 3You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
5"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. 8This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

I have hope that this will indeed be my best year ever! I’ve got some pretty cool plans: Jan-March in Ouesso, April-June in Brazzaville, July-September at home, October in Kenya, Nov-Dec back to Brazzaville to welcome two new teammates. It’s gonna be a cool year. But more than that, I know that I can make of this year what I want it to be. I get to choose to make this a new start with the Lord. With His help I know I will become more of the person He wants me to be. Through His power I will walk in what He has for me!