Make This The Best Year Yet!

My son Caleb loves to play. When he was a baby I had two twenty-minute carpet playtime sessions with him each day. When he became a toddler, during those times, we would dump all his toys on the living room carpet and play until it was bath time. He loved spreading his toys all over the floor so much so that when snack time would come along, he would dump his plate of cheerios, popcorn or whatever, all over his mat, spreading and eating as a game. I should have known then how essential play would be for his little love tank. When he was old enough, my mother would take him for weekends and they would visit a lovely garden near her home which houses a pretty decent playground. Caleb loves going to that place! Back then, as soon as they would arrive he would excitedly greet everyone in sight, informing them that he was there to play. Once his sister came along and was old enough to join him on his weekends with Nana, he would confidently stroll into the garden facilities, making a beeline for the swing set and announcing that Chiara is his sister, to anyone who cared to listen. He was living his best life.

Today, he has a partner in crime, in every sense of the word. Caleb and Chiara love playing, toys, YouTube and chips. Whenever we have been busy and they feel their mommy and daddy tanks running low, one of the first things they will say is, “Mommy or Daddy, come play with us.” I may not have the energy their Daddy has but I enjoy carpet time, dance parties and playing ‘the floor is lava’ with my bambinos. I am honoured that this version of their best life includes time with me. True to their playful nature, each time we need to leave the house without them we are sent off with a, “Please buy us something nice!” What they don’t know is that we have a stash of small and random toys we always keep handy to honour that request once in a while. If before we leave, our response to their request is OK, they eagerly wait for our return and they never forget! Once given something nice, my son, true to his old ways, goes into their bedroom, carries their tub or toys, hauls it into the living room and dumps it onto the carpet. “Chiara let’s play,” he’ll often say and I can’t help but smile. He is still living his best life.

But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”— these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. ~1 Corinthians 2:9-10 (ESV)

Never doubt God’s mighty power to work in you and accomplish all this. He will achieve infinitely more than your greatest request, your most unbelievable dream, and exceed your wildest imagination! He will outdo them all, for his miraculous power constantly energizes you. ~ Ephesians 3:20 (TPT)

As we start this wonderful New Year that the Lord has given us, I would like to challenge you to make this the best year yet! Best year yet? I know, I know. You must think that’s the tallest order ever but hear me out. Your thoughts are valid and I bet they are quite similar to my own. You may be thinking that you have no control over the outcome of the year or that last year ended so badly that you are gearing up to expect much of the same this year too. Even though you give your very best like you did last year, there are too many variables at play, right? I am thinking the same thing… But God. God would not have allowed us to see this new year if it wasn’t in His plan for us to win. Winning doesn’t mean we’re in total control. Winning doesn’t mean we won’t experience some losses. Winning doesn’t mean that we won’t feel unsure. Our ability to make this the best year yet doesn’t rest on our shoulders but on God’s. Trust me or better yet, trust Him. I have six things I hope you can keep with you as you journey through the year 2023. My prayer is that with these and the Holy Spirit’s help, we will make this our best year yet!

Don’t be satisfied with yesterday’s glory

I shared in a previous blog that one of my pitfalls is comparing myself to previous versions of myself. I’ll be honest, I went down this rabbit hole last night. It didn’t go well and ended in tears. As I poured my heart out to God, I was made very aware of the fact that even if I admire certain traits in the former me, I wouldn’t truly want to trade places with her. She was clueless! I have grown and learned so much about myself and God in the recent years and months that though certain parts of me back then are tempting, they pale in comparison to the more well-rounded version of me today. As you endeavour to be present in this new year, try not to compare it with years gone by. Today is today! You are here now and you made it this far for a reason. Keep your eyes fixed forward. Yes, take the lessons learned from your past along with you, but don’t ruminate on what you shoulda, coulda or woulda done. You get to choose today! God has grace for you today, new mercy for you today and a new level of glory for you to experience today. So, whether yesterday was good or bad, focus on today and allow the Holy Spirit to show you what He has in store for you moving forward.

Stay spiritually sharp

I always confess to myself, “I am the Lord’s child, I know His voice and the voice of a stranger I will not follow.” While this is true, if I do not purposely spend time in His presence, I won’t be as familiar with His voice. The same is true for you. Spending time in God’s presence allows us to learn the tone, inflection and texture of His voice. I heard someone say that reading God’s Word helps us to learn His personality. Both are necessary to us staying spiritually sharp. The spiritual precedes the natural. While we operate in the natural, everything we do must pour out of our spirit. To be spiritually healthy, we must not get too busy to connect with God. If we commit to staying connected with God throughout the year, no matter what may or may not happen, we will remain firm-footed on our foundation in Him. I don’t know about you, but that to me is a guarantee that this is my best year yet.

Don’t count yourself out

God wants to use ordinary people to do extraordinary things. I’m going to go out on a limb and say that you and I are pretty ordinary. While this would typically serve as a deterrent, I want to challenge you to make that your superpower. The fact that you are unqualified makes you perfect for God. If we are ordinary, God can be extraordinary. If we are weak, God can be strong. If we are limited, God can be unlimited. So rather than let the fact that you are, fill in the blank, keep you from stepping out to do what God is calling you to do, let that be the reason you never take a single step without Him. God uses messed up people, just the way they are, and when it’s all said and done, He gets the glory. Don’t count yourself out of what God is calling you to. If He has called you to sit at the table, sit there with confidence that He who called you makes no mistakes. If He has called you to start the business or write the book, do it knowing that He will make provision of grace, wisdom and resources to make the vision come to pass. If He has called you to be a parent, parent knowing that you have a Helper who is co-parenting with you and loves your child more than you ever could. Don’t count yourself out this year, whatever the roadblock, keep your eyes fixed on the One whose miraculous power constantly energises you.

Don’t forget that without the Holy Spirit, you can do nothing

We can’t do or accomplish anything without the help of the Holy Spirit. If we keep this fact at the forefront of our minds this year, nothing will be too hard for us. You see the Holy Spirit is our Helper. We can do many things without His help but there will come a time when we hit a ceiling or a brick wall. If we try to keep going in our own strength, we will burn out, and grow weary or tired. We need God. We can start things with our own strength but only by the power of the Holy Spirit can we finish them well. So, as you start this year, don’t leave your Helper out, involve Him in every detail and see what manner of strength will be made available to you.

Stay aligned with God’s Word

Be aggressive about following God’s instructions. I’m not a golf player or fan but I’ve observed enough of the game to know that if the ball isn’t hit in a specific manner, it won’t ever get close enough to enter the hole. It’s all about alignment. God has many wonderful things teed up for us to experience and enjoy this new year. All He wants is for us to get aligned with Him so that He can move on our behalf. Stay full of His Word, prioritise it and enjoy the wonderful benefits that will come your way.

Pay attention to your heart

Lastly, be honest about what is in your heart. The contents of your heart will direct your life. So if you want this to be your best year yet, guard that heart! Get in the habit of sharing your heart with God and those closest to you. Be gracious with yourself when the contents of your heart shock you. Be deliberate about filling it up with truth and stand unashamed in the presence of God, revealing its contents with passion and purpose. When you start to pay attention to your heart you will notice an instinct to protect it begin to grow. Lean into that instinct. Allow the Holy Spirit to coach you through the process showing you the plot line of your heart and where certain boundaries may need to be reinforced.

Make this your best year yet! Make it your best year yet because you didn’t settle for where you are. Make it your best year yet because you grew to know God’s voice at a deeper level, paid attention to His Word and took every step with the Holy Spirit. Make it your best year yet because no matter what it looked like on the outside, you paid attention to your insides and didn’t count yourself out. Happy New Year my friend. Let’s make this one count.