We are a little over a week into the new year and the memes, tweets, quotes, articles, puns and plays on words about 2020 are ubiquitous! From references to the roaring 20’s to having “2020 vision” there is no shortage of clever ways this 2020 year is being proclaimed. But why all the hype. Is there really anything special about this year? It is a new decade, so maybe that is something pretty cool to celebrate. It is a double number year; the last one was 1919 and very few people are still alive to talk about that, so that’s something kinda special. Or maybe it’s just all of the cool movies, books and/or history lessons about the 20’s that give us a better than normal new year’s theme to focus on. Yet, when it comes down to it, we are still faced with the cold, hard facts: most people, about 80% according to one study, will end up giving up their attempts to keep their New Years’ Resolutions by Jan. 12th if not before. 

As mentioned in my previous blog, this reality is one of the reasons why I have decided to focus more on the truths of who I am in Christ rather than allowing my failed attempts at keeping goals define me. However, I am not advocating for a defeatist attitude. I am not saying “I am doomed to fail” so I shouldn’t even try! Quite the contrary! What I think is a healthier way to move forward into 2020 is to discover the “secret” to making this year the best year ever! In the spirit of this cool year, here is my take on how to make 2020 ROAR!

R – READ GOD’S WORD (more than you ever have before)! While this may be an obvious statement for believers, the reality is that many Christ followers do not always make reading God’s word a regular habit. Because of this, we are often ill-equipped to live the Christian life to its fullest! But Jesus couldn’t be more forthright: “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” Truth and freedom are ours when we dedicate ourselves to connecting with God through His word! John 8:31-32, 

O – OBEY GOD’S TRUTH! So often we wonder why we are still struggling in certain areas of our life, but the question is, are we doing what we know to do? We want to change; we want victory, yet God has given us guidance and direction that can always lead us to success if we will just trust and obey! Matthew 7:24-27  “… everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” Jesus makes it crystal clear, if you want this year to be a solid one, OBEY! 

A – ASK FOR GOD’S HELP! – Before you make a major decision, ask GOD. Before you talk to someone else about a problem, ask GOD. Before you throw in the towel, ask GOD. Before you lose hope, ask GOD! In other words, PRAY! Pray regularly; pray often; pray without ceasing!  Mark 11:24, James 1:5-6, I Timothy 2:1-3, I Thessalonians 5:17 

R – RELY ON GOD’S POWER! – Recognize that you can’t do anything without God, but you can do everything with Him! Phil. 4:13 -A popular phrase that is a good rule to live by is “attempt something so impossible that it is doomed to fail unless God is in it!” In other words, if you want to see BIG things happen in your life this year, give God total reign of your life. “Now to Him who is able to do above and beyond all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us…” Eph. 3:20

Read, Obey, Ask and Rely

A simple formula for a fabulous 2020.