AS we are about to enter into 2018, we reflect on our lives. The things we have accomplished, the things we have not, the time spent wisely and the time wasted and we vow in the new year to be different, to reach higher, to go further and to be better.

May I interject for just a moment with the thought: We cannot hope for a different outcome if we keep doing things the same way, having the same old mindsets and following the same routines.

In order for TRUE change to come, we have to take a step back and ask ourselves a few things.

1. Where do I want to be?
2. Who do I want to be?
3. When do I want to achieve this?

Where do I want to be?

Our greatest hindrance is ourselves! We are our greatest enemies from achieving our purposes in life. We falter before we even set out on the race. Where I want to be and where I am at this moment may be separated by a great chasm, but we have to be able to have CLARITY OF VISION to see over that hill to where we want to be. We have to have a vision. We have to envision the end goal. We cannot let ourselves and our shadows hide us from our destiny!

Who do I want to be?

We cannot be anyone else but whom GOD created us to be. We have to come to terms with who we are. No-one is responsible for me except me. We have to release those who may have said evil against us, who may have stood in our way to smash us down, who may have wounded us. We cannot carry that baggage and those old demons across the finish line. We must dump them. We must release them and it takes some doing but the key lies in the word – FORGIVENESS. We have to forgive ourselves first and then those around us.

When do I want to achieve this?

Remember- all things have a process of growth and we must never lose sight of the journey we are on. We cannot cloud our minds with the small things. The urgency of our destiny must be imprinted in our minds, our souls and our spirits so that we reach forward with purpose. Time lost is never regained. But never forget to take a few moments to enjoy the journey, always focusing on what is forward and forgetting the things behind.

As the new year dawns on us, let us release those who have hurt us, hindered us and have held us back. Release them to release yourself and move forward with new hope, re-invigorated by the Love of God and through that Love- see others and yourself.

Don’t take the old demons that torment you into the new year. Forgive and Love. Release and Breathe and Let God In. And with Him forge ahead to reach new heights, climb new mountains and achieve great things. AMEN!