What
comes
to
mind
when
you
think
about
a
New
Year?
Are
you
glad
that
the
old
one
is
(almost)
past
or
do
you
wish
it
could
last
just
a
bit
longer?
Did
you
grow
in
your
relationships
in
the
past
year,
or
did
they
all
seem
to
fall
apart?
Did
you
grow
as a
believer
in
Jesus?
Was
there
something
that
you
wish
you
could
redo
and
live
over
again,
or
perhaps
something
you
would
want
to
respond
to
differently?
Whatever
the
past
year
may
have
held
for
you,
the
important
thing
is
to
reflect
honestly
and
learn
from
the
joys,
mistakes,
trials
and
triumphs
you
encountered.
Reflection
is
“a
fixing
of
thoughts
on
something;
careful
consideration”.1
It
takes
time
and
effort
to
reflect
but
the
rewards
are
numerous.
Honest
reflection
will
cause
us
to
draw
closer
to
the
One
who
created
us,
because
we
realize
how
big
He
is
and
how
incredibly
tiny
we
are.
Honest
reflection
causes
us
to
acknowledge
that
there
are
things
that
we
need
to
take
responsibility
for,
people
we
need
to
forgive
or
perhaps
ask
for
their
forgiveness.
We
will
remember
blessings
received
and
miracles
witnessed.
We
will
be
amazed
and
delighted
at
the
goodness
of
an
everlasting
God
who
never
leaves
or
forsakes
us
in
this
journey
of
life
and
we
will
find
ourselves
growing
from
our
reflecting.
Sometimes
it
is
hard
to
remember
things
from
one
day
to
the
next
much
less
trying
to
remember
things
that
have
happened
over
the
course
of a
year,
but
I
challenge
you
to
make
time
to
grab
a
notebook
or
journal
and
spend
some
time
reflecting
and
writing
down
those
things
that
have
happened
in
the
past
year.
Be
truthful
even
if
it
hurts
and
work
through
things
that
will
only
drag
you
down
if
you
continue
to
hold
on
to
them.
If
you
are
a
journal
writer,
take
your
journal
and
go
through
the
past
year’s
entries.
However
you
do
it,
spend
time
in
honest
reflection
and
surrender
those
things
that
are
beyond
your
control
to
God
and
give
praise
and
thanks
for
all
the
good
things
that
you
have
experienced
throughout
the
last
year.
You
may
be
surprised
at
which
list
is
the
longest
when
you
are
finished.
In
Philippians
3,
Paul
tells
the
church
at
Philippi
to
rejoice
and
to
count
everything
else
as
rubbish
in
light
of
knowing
God
and
walking
with
Him.
He
knows
he
has
not
yet
arrived
“but
one
thing
I
do;
forgetting
what
lies
behind,
and
reaching
forward
to
what
lies
ahead,
I
press
on
toward
the
goal
for
the
prize
of
the
upward
call
of
God
in
Christ
Jesus”(Phil
3:13-14).
This
should
be
our
goal
for
the
New
Year.
We
need
to
forget
what
lies
behind
us
(work
through
it
and
then
leave
it
where
it
belongs—in
the
past!)
and
reach
forward,
(take
a
risk,
do
that
impossible
thing,
dream
big,
step
out
of
your
comfort
zone)
looking
for
God
in
all
we
do
and
all
that
happens
to
us.
We
need
to
press
on
and
keep
going,
never
giving
up
because
we
serve
a
God
who
is
much
bigger
than
we
are
and
who
is
found
during
times
of
reflecting
and
listening
for
Him.
As
you
take
down
the
old
calendar
and
replace
it
with
a
new
one,
may
you
pause
to
remember
the
old
but
look
forward
with
anticipation
to
the
new.
Work
to
develop
a
habit
of
spending
time
reflecting
and
thanking
God
as
you
"press
on
toward
the
goal
for
the
prize
of
the
upward
call
of
God".
The
benefits
will
outweigh
the
sacrifice
and
discipline
it
takes
to
get
started
and
you
will
be
on
your
way
to
an
incredible
new
year.
About the Author:
Eileen Hershberger is a
full-time student pursuing a
degree in Early Childhood
Education, and a part-time
server. She enjoys reading,
music, travel and baseball when
not working or studying.