Saying goodbye to one year and preparing to embrace a New Year is always a time for pause, reflection, planning and, yes, dreaming, for the days ahead in my life.  There’s just something about new beginnings and fresh starts, represented in the start of a brand new year, that causes my expectations to soar.  Each new day, week, and month can (and should) invoke the same, but somehow a whole new year gets my attention like none other and rekindles every hope and dream within me, along with a commitment for improvement and personal growth in every area of my life.

I believe God designed it this way for exactly that reason.  Just think about it: He could have allowed time to exist without any punctuation or sense of starts, seasons or periods.  But, instead, in keeping with His gracious and merciful nature, He allows His creation the opportunity to begin–and begin again and again and again–laced with new motivations for living and being and doing and fulfilling His plans and purposes for our lives.

So with the start of this New Year, I’m so very thankful for all God has done in, through, and for me in the year gone by–and I’m even more expectant for brighter, greater and more blessed days ahead.  Not only for me, however, but for my family, friends, community, nation–and, of course, you.

In the coming year expect the best out of life, yourself and from the Lord.  And when it seems as though the best is the last thing coming your way, remember this: Jesus loves you and His grace is sufficient for you.  That’s all we’ll ever need to win in this life.

So here’s to a happy, healthy, prosperous and supremely blessed New Year–and to expecting (and receiving God’s best).