As I begin my first blog for 2024 I want to first wish everyone a blessed and prosperous 2024! It’s hard to believe we are in another new year. It seems like it was just yesterday in 1966 that I was halfway through my senior year at Rancho High School.

Every so often I pull out my old high school yearbook and when I do I can’t help but laugh at how we looked way back then. Our hairstyles were crazy back then and the way we dressed was no different. The funny thing is that here we are in 2024 and many of those old hairstyles and cloth styles are coming back in 2024.

I remember the day after I graduated, I had no idea what I wanted to do in life. I was in a band and my first thought was that I would play music the rest of my life. That dream soon ended as the money we made was not enough to support myself, so like everyone else did, I got a job and went on in life.

Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would eventually become a Christian, go on to be a pastor and would serve the Lord for currently going on 48 years. A lot has taken place in those 48+ years, too much to mention. What I can say is I have personally witnessed the mighty love, grace and mercy of the Lord in my life and the life of my family.

With every New Year that comes along there is a lot of looking back at what took place in the previous year in our lives; what we need to change, get better at and build upon in the New Year.

I like going to the gym and working out and I never fail to see people at the start of a New Year who have made it a goal to get in better shape in the New Year, only to sadly fail at meeting that goal because they didn’t consider all the hard work it would take to accomplish that goal.

Goals are good to have in life. Sometimes we will accomplish some of those goals and some we won’t. I have seen many Christians, myself included, make spiritual goals at the start of a New Year, only to sadly fail to accomplish them.

One of the main reasons I believe we fail at accomplishing many of our spiritual goals is that we fail to change our perspective, our attitude before we begin to complete that goal in life. All goals will come with hard work and determination on our part to see them accomplished in our lives.

NKJV 3 John 2 “Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in good health, just as your soul prospers” (emphasis added)  

As believers, if we first made it a goal that our soul would prosper in any New Year, then everything else would fall into the place the Lord would want for our lives.

My friend, is making sure the health of your soul the most important goal of this New Year for your life? It’s a great place to start!!