I pray that you have had a prosperous 2017. This has been a very busy year for us and for that we are grateful to the Lord and His people. This is an appropriate time to reflect on just how good the Lord has been to us, our family, and our ministry. Surely we do that on a regular basis anyway, but there is just something about another year passing that gives us pause to look back while planning ahead. As you consider 2017 did it turn out as you had planned? If it did not, what could you do to make things better in 2018? Give some time to consider your prayer time, Bible study, witnessing, and family time. Even if the past year was all that we wanted it to be, it should only be a step forward to help us grow in the year before us.
Sometimes failure will motivate us to press on to be victorious. Don’t permit discouragement to stop you, but rather commit yourself from this day forward to strive with more conviction to give God your best. Also, success can, at times, make us so satisfied that our dreams for the future are diminished. It could very easily cause us to rest in the past instead of pressing ahead expecting greater things from the Lord. Success could also cause us to think we have reached the apex of God working in and through us without considering that He can reach beyond anything that we can ask or think. May we press on for God’s glory and the good of those we minister to.
It is my sincere prayer that you will have a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Enjoy some special time with your family during the holiday season. This time of year would be no more special for us than any other month, but this is the time that we set aside to thank the Father for sending Jesus Christ to die for our sins. He can easily be buried under an avalanche of activity if we are not careful and mindful of the significance of these very special days.
May your ministry in 2018 be as fresh and wonderful for you as it was when you first dreamed of following the Lord into it. The days ahead of you were unknown, but with fear and excitement, you pressed forward. You certainly understand more now than you did then. Ask the Lord to give width and depth to your vision for the future and dream beyond what you can see.
In His Service,
Danny A. Whetstone
If this article has been an encouragement to you, you can email Bro. Whetstone here to let him know.