What’s in store for you in 2017?

Here we are, another January upon us.  As you take a look back at 2016, do you smile and have good memories or were there more painful moments you rather not remember?

I’ve heard many people say how 2016 was the most amazing year for them, listing many positives with very few exceptions, while I have also heard some people say it wasn’t their best year to remember.  For them, the negatives outweighed the positives.

No matter what your view is on this past year, today I want to encourage you to believe in the new beginnings that are up around the corner.  

Whether or not that is easy for you to swallow, you have to believe that the best is yet to come.  For every negative there is a positive, for every season, there is a reason, and for every rain cloud, there is a rainbow.

Today, I want to share with you three important tips to help you strengthen your faith and start to believe in the hope of your future.

1. Stop looking back at what was. 
2. Focus on Him, not “it”.
3. View life through the eye’s of a child with child-like faith.

We often get ourselves into a trap where we can’t help but focus on the things we used to have with the longing that we wish it was still in our lives.  This could be a past relationship, a past job, a past friendship, a past house/possession….. but what we don’t realize is happening during this “looking back,” is that we are blocking our view from seeing all of the beauty and blessings in our lives, TODAY.  I’m sure you have heard others say how they had to go through A, B, & C to get to D, where without each of those steps, D wouldn’t have happened.  So stop looking back but instead look ahead-every part of your life has lead you to where you are today.  Keep your eyes on the finish line….the WHY you are running this race.

Which brings me to my second point….focus on HIM, not on “IT”, aka your troubles, problems, wishes, changes, etc.  When we take our eyes off of what is and they are focused on things that are of Him, we begin to find clarity on why we experienced those painful moments.  There is hope and a reason for your pain where it is up to you to begin to open up and realize He is building your character through each hardship.

Viewing life through the eyes of a child, lifting up your hands to be picked up and held, or how little ones often run to their parents and tightly hugging their legs, is exactly the view we need to have.  God is all-knowing and constantly watching out for us and knows the dangers and fears we have.  If we don’t look up to Him and depend upon Him to comfort and calm our scares, it can feel like we are left out in the cold on our own.

But, we’re not alone.  We’re taken care of.

So what is ahead for you in this beautiful new year?  It’s up to you to purpose and position your heart to trusting HIM with your goals, dreams, visions, and hopes.

When you place your focus on HIM, no longer looking back at what was but realizing TODAY is meant to be lived, your child-like faith strengthens and you’ll start to realize you are living your dream.  God places desires in your heart that only He can finish in you.

Isaiah 58:11, “And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.”