Because He Lives, I Can Face Today AND Tomorrow

The hullabaloo about New Year’s Eve celebrations has ended for another year….well, except for many of us who are still sharing how we commemorated 2017’s debut. Unlike so many that entered into 2017 with a gnarly hangover, I heard about New Year’s Eve church services where those in attendance heard messages about the possibilities that await us all in this new year, and then they celebrated the new year in by praying and praising God for the lessons of the past and the hopes for the future. Now, that's getting the new year off to a great start!

How beautiful that sounded compared to those who are still ranting in the news and social media about Mariah Carey’s performance (or the lack thereof) on “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve" It seems she was lip syncing her songs – which isn’t unusual because technical issues are an enormous challenge in an outdoor concert anyway, but the technical difficulties with her earpiece has now dubbed her performance as “disastrous”, “the diva strikes out again”, and so many other hurtful words spoken by folks who could stand some “oil of kindness” in their little light lanterns.

Honestly, my heart went out to Mariah, after all, she was one of my young daughter's voice role models. But more importantly, she is one of God's kids, who, like so many of us, have made some mistakes, and maybe it’s not always our fault, but we, too, get crushed for failing at something that we really hoped to have succeeded at.

Mariah can decide whether to let what now is her past, define her…..and so can we. It’s so easy to fixate on yesterdays and yesteryears and the guilts associated with mistakes we may have made. Mistakes can be as little as an “oopsie” or as big as a huge blunder -- an “ouchie" or a devastating "OMG" catastrophe that alters the course of our lives. No matter what kind of mistake we made or make, there is always a solution for restitution. It comes in the form of grace. God’s grace that heals and restores, and He exchanges our tarnished and warped slate, for a fresh, clean slate so we can begin again.

Mistakes are inevitable, but the good news, as God’s repentant kids, all our mistakes are forgiveable. That kind of grace is literally so amazing, that God can even turn those mistakes to something good. Romans 8:28 "All things work together for good to those who love God and are called according to His purposes." Most importantly, it reminds me that my God is bigger than my faults and weaknesses and He can turn anything around for His glory!

Here’s the deal…..the past is gone and this day and this year are before us like the birth of a newborn baby with so much possibility and potential in his future.

I say this to you AND to Mariah today. Maybe all the stuff that is being thrown at you today from the media, your friends and family seem just too much to handle and it seems there's no hope for tomorrow. I have such good news for you. You are not alone. The ONE who created you and loves you and wants your life to be full of joy, peace and happiness.....HE LIVES. He holds your todays and tomorrows! That means, BECAUSE HE LIVES, your life is worth living!!! Go ahead -- tell tomorrow -- "I'm alive, I'm still here, God's not done with me -- and I'm going to be resilient, unstoppable and determined to MAKE IT!