Happy New Year!  I am so excited to have the opportunity to welcome you into the glorious year of 2008! Additionally, I would like to take this opportunity to be the first to congratulate you on the fact that, “You Made It!” Think about that for a moment. 

Many of us endured a lot of things in 2007 that, from the looks of things, suggested we would not make it!  I can certainly be very transparent with you to say that I honestly was not sure that I would.  As many of you may be aware, last year this time, I was happily pregnant all to have it tragically end March 2007, due to pre-term labor at five months.  And yes, that was very personal and painful for me, and I could not see how I would survive, yet along encourage others. But, to God be the glory I made it!  And guess what, “You did too!”

Now, of course, we’re getting ready to be bombarded with a lot of slogans and sermons tailored around 2008.  I can probably come up with a few right now to help you along: “God’s Doing Something Great in 2008!,” “Get Straight in 2008!,” “2008, the Year to Create,” and not too mention the whole “The Year of New Beginnings” thing! Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m not knocking any of those things.  Actually, I think they are all true.  However, these cliché’s are very broad and impersonal.  And, I believe that God is saying something very unique and specific concerning you. Hence, I want to take this opportunity to share a very special nugget the Lord gave me to give to you.

“This is the year to walk in the fear of the Lord and the comfort of the Holy Ghost.”

(Acts 9:31as a reference)

Understand that these two elements, the “fear of the Lord” and the “comfort of the Holy Ghost,” are essential to having an impactful ministry that will provide the atmosphere necessary for Jesus to be uplifted and glorified; and for your ministry to be multiplied in order to win many souls into the Kingdom of God.  There are so many people that are craving to experience and know the God in you. Therefore, God truly has need of you and you ministry. You may not feel like, and it may not seem like it, but it’s true. God really does have need of you and all that is within you!

So, here it is in a nutshell: “You Made It!” And guess what, it’s okay to rejoice.  Through Christ Jesus, “You Made It!” Now, here’s the catch. We serve a very purposeful God.  He doesn’t do anything by accident just because.  Therefore, there’s definite purpose in you and in your ministry.  And for that reason, how are you going to walk out your call this year?  What are you going to do different than you did last year?  How will you avoid some of the situations and relationships you got yourself into last year that were not fruitful toward the plan of God concerning you and your ministry? I admonish you to think about those questions.  Write them down. Create a vision statement! Most importantly, walk it out! Remember, “You Made It” for such a time as this!

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