It seems that we were just welcoming 2016, but here we are hitting the reset button with fresh, new 2017. Whether last year was a banner year for you or one that was full of challenges, it’s always good to revisit what happened and decide how to move forward from where you are right now.

Isaiah 43:19 is one of my favorite verses. It reminds me that nothing is too hard for God:

See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” NIV

This verse reminds us that we are never beyond God ‘s help if we are submitted to Him and seeking His best for us. The following five questions will help you greet this new year with purpose and hope. Work prayerfully through each one, being open to how the Holy Spirit wants to work in your life.

5 Questions to Ask Yourself

1. What are your top priorities for 2017? Set at least one goal in each of the following four areas:
   • Spiritual
   • Physical
   • Soul (your soul is comprised of your mind, your emotions, your will, and your conscience). Pick one of those areas and set a goal.
   • Business
2. What pattern or habit do you need to break this year? Is there something you know that should be out of your life? Perhaps smoking. Maybe too much shopping. Or it could be an attitude that you need to give the boot to.
3. Which relationships should you focus on this year? Who are the people you want to invest in for the next year? Make a list and then brainstorm ways that you will make them a priority. Perhaps you need to meet on a regular basis with a friend or family member. Or date night with your spouse needs to be added to your schedule.
4. What one word or theme is God putting on your heart for 2017? Two years ago my word was focus.  In 2016 it was believe. Ask God to show you what your word is for this year. Then let it affect your decision making for the year.
5. Is there something you have been putting off that you need to take on this year? Perhaps you’re stuck and stagnant and you need to make some forward progress in one area of your life. Get specific about what you are going to do.

Journal Your Answers

Sit down with a journal and work through the questions sometime this week. Don’t rush the process. Take as much time as you need. Then you use your answers to set an agenda and priorities for 2017. Actually schedule some plans, projects, and appointments based on your answers. Be as specific as possible because if you’re vague, you won’t move forward.

Feel free to share any of your dreams for 2017 in the comment section below.

Happy New Year!

i pray

short podcasts to bring the sacred into your everyday

Do you only have a few minutes for prayer today? You’re in the right place! Try one of our new i pray podcasts. A few minutes is all you need to pray God’s word into any situation by interceding for friends, family, and yourself. 

Show Notes

Today we are praying about new life. Jesus is the only one, the only Savior who beat death and rose again. He is the difference. When we accept His sacrifice on the cross, taking the penalty of our sins upon Himself, then we also get to experience eternal life! When we die, we have the assurance that we will be with Him in heaven.

Abundant Life Today

But this promise is also for abundant life right now. God wants to do something new in us and through us. Today let’s pray through Isaiah 43:18-19 for this new thing to spring up within us. Feel free to add your prayers or ask for prayer in the comment section.

Pray on!

Click on the arrow to listen below: