Month: January 2023

As we welcome 2023, almost everyone we know is expressing new-year resolutions.  The word “resolution” is defined as – the action of solving a problem; a firm decision to do or not do something.  More exercise and better eating habits seem to be the standards as we’ve felt less energetic and have watched the numbers on the scale rise over the past year.

But what about personal, relational, and spiritual changes?  How do we know if it’s time to change?  And more importantly, once we identify the need, we have to ask ourselves…are we willing to change?

So, how do we know if it’s time to change?  Simply put –

• Things don’t seem to work anymore
• We put on a happy face and go through the motions, but there’s no satisfaction inside
• We feel like an actor in a lousy role in a bad production that just won’t close

I remember the Ed Sullivan Show when I was a kid.  It was a weekly variety program that provided a stage for groundbreaking performances in the arenas of rock-n-roll, comedy, sports, politics, and novelty acts. 

One such novelty act was the “plate spinner”.  One man setting multiple plates in motion, spinning them on tall sticks and hurriedly moving from one to another to ensure no plate lost its momentum and came crashing to the ground. 

Sometimes life becomes a bit like plate spinning.  We’ve taken on more than we should, we’ve incorporated elements into our lives that shouldn’t be there, or we find ourselves trying to please and appease everyone else at the expense of our own well-being.

While the plate spinning was fascinating to watch on TV, the act was meant for entertainment purposes, not for real life.  When it takes too much energy and emotion to balance the plates we’ve added to our life’s performance, when we’ve spread ourselves too thin and are not effectively managing our life’s stage, then we know it’s time to change.

God’s perspective on life is always the truest guide for necessary changes.  Because of His love for us, He knows what is required for us to enjoy healthier lives – personally, relationally, and spiritually.  To assist us, He’s given us the ability to recognize right from wrong, good choices from bad, risky behaviors, and unhealthy patterns.  But it’s up to us to respond with a willing heart to His clearer vision and guidance.

As we embark on 2023, let us take an honest inventory of our lives and thoughtfully evaluate whether changes are needed.  If the answer to the assessment is “yes”, then Psalm 51:10 provides a perfect prayer for the desire to change – “Create in me a new, clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit with me.”   It’s the first step toward the life God intends for each of us.

For more on this topic, visit the Whimspiration Youtube channel “Faith Hope & Friends”.

Episode 6- Is It Time To Change? – YouTube

It is in the heart of every human to find a perfect match – a “soul mate”.  The “one” who understands, accepts, and believes in you no matter what.  The one you share a strong and special connection with; the one you will always carry in your heart.

When I was about 8-years-old, I found my soul mate. His name was Gary.  I met him one Sunday evening when my parents hosted dessert for a few couples after church.  I remember walking down the hallway into the living room and quietly sitting on the fireplace in my pajamas.  Being quite the tomboy, I had carried a prized fire truck under my arm, hoping someone would notice my really cool toy.

After a few minutes, Gary – probably in his twenties – sat down beside me and began asking questions about the truck.  His interest and attention won me over, and in my young mind, Gary was now my boyfriend.  I remember before I was sent to bed that evening, Gary said he would come back to see more of my toys, and I was excited by the promise of more attention. 

Sadly, I never saw Gary again.  Several weeks after his visit we got the news that Gary had drowned in a fishing accident.  My little girl heart was broken.  Even though our meeting was so brief, Gary had left a strong and lasting impression on my young heart.  And some 55 years later, I still recall with great fondness how important and special I felt in those moments together.              

In the spiritual realm, we have a “perfect match”, a “soul mate” – One who desires to be intimately involved in our lives.  He wants to support us, invest in us, and love us unconditionally.  He longs to develop a strong and special connection with us that will last all of our days.

In the account of creation, God created night and day, land, sea, sky, vegetation, trees, animals, and birds.  And He saw that His creations were “good”.  Then God made man and woman and he “blessed” them, declaring them sacred and connected to Himself.

God is a personal being and it gives Him pleasure to have genuine relationships with us.  Through His love and wisdom He created us to “connect” with Him, so that He could compliment and complete us. But in order to recognize Him as a “match”, we have to spend time together, learn about each other, and share our hearts.

Be challenged today to pursue a lifelong connection with your Creator.  Allow Him to show His supreme interest in you.  Allow His love to become a beautiful part of your heart fabric.   

To hear more on this topic, please visit the Whimspiration Youtube channel “Faith Hope & Friends”. Episode 4- A Match Made In Heaven – YouTube

To discover God’s relational commitment to us, visit www.biblegateway.com and enter Psalm 139:1-18.