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Happy New Year! ... or ... April Fools!

How are you coming on your New Year's resolutions? You may think that is an outrageous question for the first of April! I find it to be quite valid, actually ... on the first of the year, you "resolved" an issue. You decided to do something positive that had the power to change your life ... to make you into a more productive person in the Kingdom of God. So ... how are you coming on your New Year's Resolution?!

The Bible says "Better is the end of a thing than its beginning." (Ecclesiastes 7:8) That verse has always reminded me that anyone can start strong and possibly make all sorts of impressive resolutions on the first day of the new year.

"I resolve to lose 40 pounds."

"I will read my Bible every day."

"I will write the great American novel."

"I will go to church every Sunday and tithe."

"I will go back to school this year and earn a degree."

"I will complain less and encourage more often."

"I will be kinder to my children and less of a nag to my husband."

But the verse from Ecclesiastes gently reminds us that it is more important to end well than to start strong. Most any person can make all types of presumptuous promises, but it takes a woman of conviction to stay true to her word. It may even take more than conviction ... it will take self-control and perserverence. It will take getting out of bed earlier than you would like to ... it will entail self-control when confronted with your favorite dessert ... it might demand encouraging someone when every muscle in your tongue is fighting for you to lash out!

One secret that I have discovered over the years as I have made thousands of resolutions only to give up by mid-way through January, is that I really do need God's help. I can make no productive progress in any area of my life unless I humbly ask for His intervention. I join the disciples in being corrected by Christ, "The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak." (Mark 16:38)

So - maybe my first resolution should have been simply, "Pray more." If I had resolved to be a woman of prayer ... maybe I would have the power to lose 40 pounds ... write a book ... or be kinder! And that is no April Fool's Day joke!