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IT'S A NEW SEASON!

Hi Friends,

We often look at the coming of a new year as a chance to start fresh, to start something new and of course lay down those proverbial lists of resolutions.  No one is immune from it's hypnotizing promises of change, the start of a new year is no doubt one of the most hope-filled moments of our lives.  But, I challenge you to keep track of how long your "new leaf" mode will last before you go right back to your old ways.  I heard somewhere that if you do something for 30 days, it is supposed to become a habit.  Dare I beg to differ in this thinking!  I think if your attitude has not changed while mindlessly doing the task at hand for 30-days your efforts are going to be in vain.  So, what do I think we should do in this new season?

The Apostle Paul writes this in Romans 12:1-3 (MSG)

"So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you."

Often times we want to change, and we set all these resolutions, try certain methods to get results, but Paul simply reminds us to place what we want  before God.  Seeking God's approval and help, renewing our minds to what God has for us and leaning in on him as our source to overcome our obstacles.  It is an awesome goal to be healthy, but be sure not to leave God out of the equation. For me, I pray that my book reaches thousands of people, not because I want any fame or to make a name for myself, but that God is pleased, that He gets the glory from my obedience to Him as his servant. 

I know you want to be better in 2019, how about starting with asking God what he wants from you this year, and respond to his plan.  I am excited about what God is going to do in 2019, not with me in particular, but with the many people who find Him in my words.

Happy New Year! 

Novica Olinger

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