We're walking into a New Year. Facebook statuses, Tweets, and pulpits are overflowing with New Year's Resolutions and declarations of this year being your year - just like last year, the year before, and the year before that. So I got to thinking...(uh oh!)

Sometimes we wait for the New Year to make the changes we know that we need to make only because we are scared of failing. So we give ourselves plenty of (sometimes too much) time to "get it together" before we commit to change. But the awesome thing about God is that, although He can see tomorrow, He's not looking at your future failures, but the heart with and in which you decided to make the change.

As the New Year approached (more like, 'loomed'), the scripture kept coming to mind, 'TODAY is the day of salvation.'

We are living in a time of grace and serve a merciful God. Every week, every day, every moment is an opportunity to change something. This applies to everything; from rededicating our lives to God or taking that step into ministry to breaking poor habits and making lifestyle adjustments. Ask yourself, What will I do with my moments? Sometimes, to make that change it requires a leap, other times it just means putting those smaller steps in place to reach the height of our ultimate goal. We can do it!

If you do fall off the horse with the changes you want to make in your life, don't be discouraged and let self-condemnation keep you from getting back in the saddle. If God isn't doing that to us, then why should we do it to ourselves? Maybe it's not the falling that makes one a failure, but the refusing to try again (and again and again and again). So keep going. Surround yourself with people who will encourage you as you push toward your goal.

"...we urge you not to receive God's grace in vain. For he says, 'In the time of my favor I hear you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.' I tell you now, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation."

2 Corinthians 6:1-2

Shari Grant is a Registered Nurse in South Florida, where she was raised in a (very!) Jamaican home. Some of the loves of her life are words (both reading and writing them) and missions work. She enjoys spending time with friends and family while living for a good laugh - one that makes her belly ache and her eyes water. Her bottom line goal in life is to make the Lord smile and maybe even serve Him up a chuckle from time to time, too.