Happy New Year! Are You Ready to Begin Anew?

1/1/11

The first day of the new year.  2011.  I intended to write more in 2010.  Though I got a "late" start and didn't start blogging until September, I was able to post 36 times.  Two of those (at least) were links to someone else's thoughts and writings that captured my attention.

I desire to continue writing and reflecting in 2011.  We'll see what happens.  For today, I'm going to post something I wrote for the UTC Wesley Center's Advent and Christmas devotional.  It is actually yesterday's devotion, but as today is the first day of the new year, it is still applicable.   

I look forward to many more steps along this adventurous journey. 

Continued happy journeying to you!

~Debra :)
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“Are You Ready to Begin Anew?”

2 Corinthians 5:16-6:2

Today is New Year’s Eve.  How are you going to celebrate this year?  Will you be with friends and/or family?  Will you have to work?  Will you stay up late and bring in 2011 with Times Square?  Beyond the short-lived celebration, what about 2011 will be new for you?

In 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NRSV) we read that “everything old has passed away” and “everything has become new!” Anyone who is in Christ is a new creation.  Because God reconciled us to himself through Christ, we have the ministry of reconciliation.  As a new creation with a ministry of reconciliation we are ambassadors for Christ. 

Have you thought about yourself as an ambassador for Christ before?  If not, try it on for size for a moment.  Fill in your name in the blank:  I, ________, am an ambassador for Christ.  Remember that an ambassador is a spokesperson, a representative.  Whether this is something new to you or something you’ve been doing for years, think about this: how do you represent Christ to those in your realm of influence?  Or, since tomorrow begins a new year, how will you represent Christ in 2011? 

I don’t really like to make New Year’s Resolutions.  In fact, I don’t make them anymore.  There are several reasons for this.  One, I would make too many of them.  Then, I would start off the year strong on as many of them as possible, but then become worn out trying to keep them all going.  I think I could change my old ways of not making any resolutions and try making one this year.  In 2011 I would like to explore how I can become a more effective ambassador for Christ.  How about you? 

Are you ready to begin anew in 2011?  Accept God’s grace for whatever is coming in the upcoming year.  What are you waiting for?  The time is now!

~Debra Dickerson

Jesus, fill now with Thy Spirit

Hearts that full surrender know;

That the streams of living water

From our inner self may flow.

[last verse of “Channels Only”

written by Mary E. Maxwell

music by Ada R. Gibbs, 1900]