The Old Year is almost gone... But a spanking New Year ahead.

Happy New Year's Eve!



This picture taken in Missouri of an old gate hanging open and the plot of ground in disarray kinda reminds me of the past year.

A lot of things left undone, some mistakes but many happy memories and gracious gifts from God in the Spiritual realm with all needs perfectly met.

The picture depicts the fact that someone used to live there but nature has healed the land with beautiful flowers and foliage. How like our lives; God graciously forgives our sins of omission, and commission and fills our 'space' with His matchless love and gives us a yearning for the coming year with a clean slate... to do His will and fulfill His plan for our lives.

It's interesting that he doesn't erase our memories of the past but leaves them for us to be reminded of our insufficiencies and human faults. "It's Just Like His Great Love", as the song goes, to help the memories of our failures cause us to lean on Him more and to seek His will for our every thought and action.


This is a picture of the sunrise from our apartment and is the promise of a new day.

May it also be a reminder of the New Year which will dawn tomorrow if the Lord so wills.

All fresh and new with so many opportunities for service to our King. May we be ready to 'listen' to the still small voice of the Holy Spirit within us.


It may mean we have to leave our Comfort Zone and go out there in the cold world where we do not feel cozy and warm but didn't we just celebrate our Lord's birth and entrance into this cold and harsh world? Didn't He willingly leave His Comfort Zone?

We have a mission and we do not have to accomplish it alone. What a great God we serve. Jesus promised that although He was leaving this world when he went back to the Father, He said, "Lo I am with you always." Matthew 28:20b. NIV.

With that thought in mind... 'Leaving our comfort zone', let's look at some Scripture for help in whatever we face tomorrow.

Isaiah 51:7 "Hear me, you who know what is right, you people who have my law in your hearts:

Do not fear the reproach of men or be terrified by their insults." and vs. 15. "For I am the Lord your God, who churns up the sea so that its waves roar- the Lord Almighty is his name.", 16. I have put my words in your mouth and covered you with the shadow of my hand-- I who set the heavens in place, who laid the foundations of the earth, and who say to Zion, 'you are my people."

Then in Matthew 9:37,38 Jesus Words.. "The harvest is plentiful but workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field."

We are not necessarily called to Africa or China.. but to the Lost period. It may be over seas but what about our own back yard? If we look around us the lost are everywhere we turn. For John and I it is right where we live.

Forget the longing to go back to Africa or some other needy field.. since we've 'been there, done that' -- for now it's The Vintage. (The picture of our Apartment building at the top of this column.) Right where we live. Opportunities left and right. At the beginning of this New Year 2008 I challenge those of you who are reading this, as well as, myself as I write...

Let's get out of our comfort zone

and let our 'light shine' in the darkness around us.

"It's never too late

Let's do it 'n 2008"

May God richly bless you in the New Year with a strengthened

heart and new resolve.