TOUGH YEAR?

Having that question in mind, along with some thoughts and major reflections on the last 364 days, pondering on all my plans, my hopes, my goals, my petitions, my works, my decisions, my actions, my inactions for 2017,....I reached out for my phone and saw a message from an ex colleague that said:-

In that moment, I realized that however the year 2017 may have been, good, bad, ugly, fair, unfair, rough, unarchieving, wasted, stunted, challenging, stagnant, hopeless, fruitless, reckless, toxic,....what really matters is this "You are still here and there is still hope"

"For I know the plans I have for you" declares the lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future Jeremiah 29:11

You may have had a tough year, it may have been just another wasted year, you may have failed in archiving your goals, you may have had your dreams come crushing down on you, you may have failed on every genuine effort, you may have lost a lot, you may have backslided or made bad decisions that cost you a fortune, you may have given up entirely but guess what? God is not done with you yet. How do I know this? Honey, proverbs 4:18 says:

"The path of the righteous is as a shinny light. It shines brighter and brighter unto the perfect day"

This means that your past was designed to be a shade darker than your future. This also means that, according to God's mastery and jurisdiction, your past shall by no means be brighter than your future. For if your past is brightest, then what light you got left for your future?

It is easy to talk and think about the things that went wrong, it is easy to say it didn't work out, so I give up, it is easy to say well I tried and did my best, its easy to complain and look at the negatives but we forget that where we are isn't where we used to be. We forget that the very thing we reject today was our greatest desire yesterday, we forget that 2017 was once the year we looked forward to. And so we hang unto those negatives.. 2017 was a waste!!.


Sweety, What about your health? What about your life? What about the job that annoys you but puts food on the table? What about the family that scolds and naggs you but still has your back any day? what about the amazing man who cant clean up after himself, or help you out with your constant neediness and tantrumps but supports you, stands by you no matter what, prays for and with you, then comes home to you as wife? What about the beautiful hearted woman who constantly gets on your nerves with words or calls you out on your crap but shows you love by actions, stays loyal, supports your dreams and vision, encourages you, loves nd cares for you, manages and maintains your home and family? Did I mention Grace? Yeah! What about that too? What about the love of God? What about that night you was drunk driving but he kept you anyways? What about the test you failed to prep for but you passed anyways? How about the news darling? What about the fights, the accidents, the extortions, the killings, the kidnaps, the bomblasts that made it to your eyes and ears as "Stories that touch"? How about the battles that were fought while you closed your eyes to sleep? How about the numerous trips that were successful?And the days you had food enough to feed your dog? What about the cross? What about the mistakes we make that constantly nail him back to the cross but he shows us Mercy anyways? What about his promises? What about the lessons?

Love, before you conclude on your 2017, remember that there is so much to be thankful for and there's much more to look forward to in 2018 if only we can focus on God and trust him with the wheels.

I may not have had the best year but I know better years are ahead and just as my colleague said, 2018 is gonna be fun! I know this! But guess what? It will come with its challenges and obstacles too but that's why we walk by faith and not by sight. I'm excited for the new year..more so because, I've got God as my Hope....and so have you.

Happy new year guys!