What Is Your Best Asset?

Looking forward

Most vehicles normally can go forward as well as backward. We've seen trains travel in reverse in order to either switch tracks or connect with a different car or caboose. But they most certainly do this quickly in order to go forward which is their main purpose to get to a new destination. 

Obviously, our cars go forward and backward so we can maneuver properly in and out of garages, parking spaces, and so forth. Yet both trains and cars constantly deal with the danger of traveling backward and avoiding an accident. Amazingly, planes have no way to move in reverse! They can only go forward on the ground. And believe it or not, crash statistics show flying is the safest way to travel. Now there is something to remember in the New Year!

Happy New Year 2020
This is a brand new year and we are tempted to look back over 2019 to reminisce about things that have happened to us. True, we do need to learn lessons from yesterday, but constantly dwelling on every regrettable past event is a danger to our future and like a train traveling backward unable to stop!

We can imagine what would happen if that occurred. Derailment. An alarm should go off in our heads right about now. We simply cannot move forward with our new lives while we are simultaneously stumbling backward. It's so much more exciting to travel ahead and see the sites!

This is perhaps the best chance we will get this year. A chance to celebrate and then make plans for a better future. Why wouldn’t we want all that? In fact, we may already have vague plans in the back of our minds that we wish to activate but are not quite sure how to go about it. Or maybe we haven't found the time yet to think about plans. (Careful. Don't look backward!)

With five days already into 2020 (and a new decade!), it's time to start our newly acquired single-again life or at least another year into our single-again life. Whatever we choose to do, let’s not just sit there until we hear the radio announcer say, “Only 23 days until Christmas!” Grab a pen and notebook or journal and make some notes—we’re in this together. Here we go:

You think you have problems?

Clear thinking is an asset. Avoid vagueness in making plans. Instead, be specific and strive for developed ideas. Write down just one specific sentence or short paragraph that describes an ideal situation. I want to work in the business world (vague). I am going to apply for the digital marketing position at ExploreTech this week (specific). This gets the idea out of our brains and onto paper where we can see it and start planning. 

Something new. Be open to new possibilities. Working at jobs we did not enjoy in our past gives us a clue what not to do if we want to be happy. List three ideas to try even if it means accepting a temporary entry-level position. More satisfaction, less stress until that promotion comes along.

Build relationships. It may be time for a few new friends (while hanging on to some good, loyal friends), especially those in the same situation. They are out there if we look for them! We might discover someone who likes what we like at a new job, a friendly neighbor, or supportive Christian friends. 

Face Forward
Looking back into our past keeps God from moving us forward. Repeat that sentence out loud! Write it on the refrigerator. Even before we were born, God made good plans for us, not plans for disaster (that was human error). He's just been waiting for us to face forward and listen. With God all things are possible. Nothing is too difficult for him even miracles to help us recover from our messy lives. Therefore, we need him in our corner, especially now. Just ask him—he loves helping us! 

"May he grant your heart's desires and make all your plans succeed" (Psalm 20:4 NLT).

How Will You Make 2019 a Happy New Year?

VW Bug

Most vehicles with wheels normally have the ability to go forward as well as backward. We've seen trains travel in reverse in order to either switch tracks or connect with a different car or caboose. But they most certainly do this quickly in order to go forward which is their main purpose to get to a new destination. 

Obviously, our cars go forward and backward so we can maneuver properly in and out of garages, parking spaces, and so forth. Yet both trains and cars constantly deal with the danger of traveling backward and avoiding an accident. Amazingly, planes have no way to move in reverse! They can only go forward on the ground. And believe it or not, crash statistics show flying is the safest way to travel. Now there is something to remember!

Making 2019 a Happy New Year
This is the New Year and we are tempted to look back over 2018 to reminisce about things that have happened to us. True, we do need to learn lessons from yesterday, but constantly dwelling on every regrettable past event is a danger to our future and similar to a train traveling backward unable to stop!

We can imagine what would happen if that occurred. Derailment. An alarm should go off in our heads right about now. We simply cannot move forward with our new lives while we are simultaneously going backward. It's so much more exciting to travel ahead and see the sites!

This is our chance. We have a New Year to celebrate and are able to make plans for a better future. You may already have vague plans in the back of your mind that you wish to activate but are not quite sure how to go about it. Or maybe you haven't found the time yet to think about plans. (Careful. Don't look backward!)

With seven days already into 2019, it's time to start your new single-again life. Grab a pen and notebook or journal and make some notes. Here we go:

My Journal

Clear Thinking. Avoid vagueness in your plans. Instead, strive for developed ideas. Write down just one specific sentence or short paragraph that describes what you wish would happen now. This gets the idea out of your head and onto paper where you can see it and start planning. 

Something New. If you've had jobs before that you didn't enjoy, list three ideas to try that you are good at even if it means accepting an entry-level position. You'll be much happier!

Building Relationships. It may be time for some new friends (while hanging on to some really good friends), especially those in your same situation. They are there. You have to look for them. This could be at a new job, a friendly neighbor, or supportive Christian friends. 

Face Forward
Looking back into your past keeps God from moving you forward. Repeat that out loud! Write it on your refrigerator. Even before you were born, God made good plans for you. Not plans for disaster (that was human error). He's just been waiting for you to face forward and listen. With God absolutely nothing is impossible. This is why you need Him in your corner, especially now. Just ask Him! 

"May he grant your heart's desires and make all your plans succeed" Psalm 20:4 (NLT).

Determining Your Own Direction

Our choices determine our direction

Thankfully, we’ve been given the intelligence to know and decide how to act in any situation. In other words, we inherently know right from wrong. But is it easy to make good decisions? Absolutely not! We know this by how long it took us to change our own lives for the better. But we finally did it when we had the best information.

One of the uncontrolled parts of our previously married life is that some of us, or we could say most of us, were “commanded” on a daily basis by our significant other to do some things we knew were not right at the time. But because we were pushed emotionally and, sometimes, physically until we complied, we resisted and didn’t act on our own decision. A very uncomfortable position, indeed.   

Considering Decisions

Now that we are on our own, we can strive to live in peace and harmony with others without giving up our common sense and moral values. Sometimes it's very difficult to lean in that direction, especially when certain questionable activities make us cringe and even doubt our beliefs because of the popularity of it all. This week on October 31st is one of those misunderstood occasions that can tend to rub us the wrong way. Not everyone believes or celebrates Halloween. We want to do what we know is right for us, but how do we do that?

First, let’s remember we are each free to determine how we should act and why. There is absolutely no judgment here. Celebrating or not is our decision alone, but to do that, we need knowledge of the subject: some pertinent information and historical facts to consider that will help us make an informed decision along the way. Amazingly, God has a lot to say about this particular subject. So it is important for us to settle now how we want to reflect our Christian lives to others.

Secondly, we would be correct in saying the Bible does not mention the actual word Halloween. And perhaps for some, there is nothing evil about children’s “happy” costumes in general. But we should at least ask, is Halloween anti-Christian? When talking about the “darker” aspects of this day, absolutely! So, we have to figure out exactly how we feel about this “celebration” and how we want to handle it.   

Keeping Our Head Out of the Sand

Thinking about the sandbox?

God, however, didn’t leave us to figure it all out by ourselves. He’s good that way. He has our backs! God has definite instructions for us about certain evil practices, no matter what day it is! Here are some eye-opening facts we previously may not have even thought much about:

Considered innocent by some people, these activities are extremely harmful to us according to God’s Word (look up the corresponding verses to discover why):

• witchcraft and fortune-telling (Lev 19:26)
• occult (Acts 8:9-24)
• sorcery (Acts 13:6-11)
• magic (Acts 19:19)
• mediums and necromancers (Lev 19:31, 20:6)
• divination, casting spells, seances, channeling (Deut 18:9-12)

As if those customs were not enough, the Bible speaks in general about these unexplored subjects:

• there are no such thing as ghosts (of deceased persons) (2 Cor 11:14-15)
• but there are good angels (Isa 6:2-6)
• and there are evil demons (Lk 8:2)

The result: in addition to the above, demons deceive and convince us to use the following practices: psychics, seances, tarot cards, Ouija boards, crystal balls, and horoscopes to mislead, corrupt, and destroy us! This shows the importance of staying in the Bible daily.

Amazing Truth

“Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them” (Ephesians 5:11 NLT).

“Cultivate your own relationship with God, but don’t impose it on others. You’re fortunate if your behavior and your belief are coherent. But if you’re not sure, if you notice that you are acting in ways inconsistent with what you believe--some days trying to impose your opinions on others, other days just trying to please them--then you know that you’re out of line. If the way you live isn’t consistent with what you believe, then it’s wrong” (Romans: 14:22-23 MSG).