Church Chronicles: Ep 3: Embracing New Beginnings: A Faithful Approach to New Year's Traditions

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Welcome back to the Church Chronicles with Diary of a Black Woman.

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I'm your host, Connie Morris, and today we're just going to conclude the series

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of Janice, the real story behind New Year's traditions.

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In our previous episodes, we explored the pagan organs of New Year's Day,

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its secularization, and how traditions have influenced the celebration.

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Today, we're going to dive deeper into the modern customs of New Year's Day,

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reflecting on how these practices has evolved and how we as Christians can approach

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this holiday in a way that honors God.

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We're first going to tackle the evolution of New Year's resolutions.

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You ever wonder how that got started? I don't know. I'm just always a curious

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person. How did New Year's resolution get started?

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Sorry about that. One of the most enduring customs associated with New Year's

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Day is a tradition of making resolutions.

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For many, the New Year's represent a fresh start, a time to set goals and make

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promises to improve various aspects of their lives.

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But where did this tradition come from and how can we approach it with a faith-based perspective?

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The practice of making resolutions date back to ancient civilization.

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The Babylonians over 4,000 years ago, are believed to have been the first to

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make New Year's resolutions.

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They will promise their God, small case G, to repay debts and return borrow

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items, believing that if they kept their promises, the gods will favor them in the coming years.

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The Romans also made promises to Janice, the small case G of beginnings,

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small case G, God's of beginnings at the start of the year, hoping for a favorable outcome.

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These early resolutions were

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rooted in the belief that one's action could influence the favor of God's.

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Give a sip of water here. As Christianity spreads, the concept of making resolution

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was adapted to reflect Christian values.

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Rather than seeking the favor of God's, Christians began to use New Year's resolution

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as a time for self-reflection, repentance, and renewal.

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The idea was to set spiritual goals, such as improving one's character,

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deepening one's relationship with God, or serving others more faithfully.

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In today's world, many of us use New Year's resolution as a time to organize

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our lives by writing budgets, daily planners, and prayer journals.

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These tools can be incredibly helpful in guiding us through the year and keeping

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our focus on what truly matters.

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However, it is important to remember that while planning is good,

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we do nothing out of fear.

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Instead, we walk by faith, trusting that God will guide our steps.

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So let's turn to scripture to understand how we can make resolutions that are rooted in faith.

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Philippians 3, 13 to 14, it reads, brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself

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yet to have taken hold of it.

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But one thing I do, forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,

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I press on towards the goal to win the prize, which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

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This passage encouraged us to focus on the future with a mindset of growth and perseverance.

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As we make resolutions, we do so with intention of pressing towards the goal

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of living a life that honors God.

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That's powerful, right? So we make this resolution and it's not like the end

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product, but the whole goal is that we do that to honor God.

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Our goal is to get to the prize. The prize is Jesus.

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James 4, 13, 15. Now listen, you who say today or tomorrow we will go this city

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or that city, spend a year there, carry on business, make money.

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Why do you even know what will happen tomorrow?

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What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.

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Instead, you ought to say, if it is the Lord's will, we will do this or that.

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Wow. The passage reminds us to hold our plans loosely, recognizing that our

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lives are ultimately in God's hand.

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When making resolutions, we will seek God's will and remain open to his guidance.

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So even though you might have a resolution, you might have a plan,

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leave room for God to work. Amen.

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2 Corinthians 5, 17, for we walk by faith and not by sight.

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This verse reminds us that our plans of resolution should be driven by faith and not fear.

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As we plan for the new year, we must trust that God is leading us,

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even when we cannot see the whole picture.

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And then finally, Hebrews 11, Now faith is a substance of things hoped for,

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the evidence of things not seen.

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Faith is the foundation of our hope and the confidence in God's promises.

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As we set goals and make plans, we do so with the assurance that God is in control,

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that he will bring about his purposes in our life.

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While resolutions are significant part of New Year's tradition.

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The celebration itself, whether it's a quiet evening at home or a lively party

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with friends, is also central in how many of us mark the occasion.

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But let's explore how these traditions fit into the Christian worldview.

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Celebration is a natural part of human life. The Bible is filled with examples

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of people celebrating essential events. From the feast of the Old Testament

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to the wedding in Cana, where Jesus performed his first miracle.

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The celebration has a place in our faith.

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Ecclesiastes 3 verses 1 and 4. There's a time for everything and a season for

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every activity under the heavens.

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A time to week, a time to laugh, a time to mourn, a time to dance.

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This verse reminds us that there is a time for celebration, laughter, and dancing.

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New Year's can be a time for joy and fellowship where we gather with loved ones

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to reflect on the past year and look forward to what God has in store.

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However, celebrations should be balanced with reflection.

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The New Year's provide an opportunity not only to celebrate,

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but also to reflect on your spiritual journey and to seek God's guidance for the year ahead.

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So there's always space to seek God's guidance.

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Psalms 90, 12 reads, it says, teach us to number our days that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

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This verse encouraged us to use our time wisely, recognizing the brevity of life.

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As we celebrate, we should also take time to reflect on how we're using the

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time God has given us and how we can live more fully for him.

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Here are a few ways we can incorporate faith into our New Year celebration.

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Whether you're celebrating with families or friends or on your own,

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begin evening with prayer of gratitude for the past year and request for God's

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guidance and for the new year.

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So a lot of times people attend church on New Year's Eve or New Year's Day.

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I mean, take that time as a faith celebration, just as a time of reflection and prayer.

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Share your reflections. If you're with others, take a moment to share reflection

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how God has worked in your life over the past year.

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This would be a powerful way to bring spiritual focus into your life.

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Set intentions together. If you're making resolutions, consider setting spiritual goals as a group.

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You might choose a Bible verse to meditate on throughout the year or commit

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to a regular prayer or study group together.

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So number one, you want to start with prayer, share your reflection,

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set an intention. If you have a group or a prayer partner, what's going to be

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our theme for the year? It's always good.

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And then what that does is to keep you accountable.

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When things get shaky, you go, this is what God said. This is our prayer for

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the year. And you hold on to that.

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That's your faith. You want to hold on to that.

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My new year celebration can be filled with joy and spiritual reflection.

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They can also include elements that may not align with our Christian values.

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The secular aspect of New Year's Eve, such as excessive drinking,

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materialism, or focusing solely on self-improvement, can sometimes overshadow

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the deeper meaning of the occasion.

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As Christians, essentially mindful of how we participate in these celebrations,

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here are some tips to navigate the secular aspects of New Year's.

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New Year, make a conscious effort to keep Christ at the center of your celebrations,

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whether you're at a party or spending time with family.

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Remember that your ultimate goal is to honor God in all that you do.

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The Bible teaches us that the importance of moderation says if you find honey, eat just enough.

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Too much of it, you will vomit. That's so true.

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This principle applies to all aspects of life, including how we celebrate.

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Instead of making New Year's all about yourself, consider how you can serve others.

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This might mean helping someone in need, offering a listening ear,

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or simply being present for those all around you.

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Glory to God. Do not conform to the patterns of this world, but be transformed

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by the renewing of your mind.

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Then you'll be able to test and improve what God's will is, his good,

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pleasing, and perfect will.

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This is so powerful because as I'm thinking, I'm thinking soberly because when

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you're in the world, you do as the world does.

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The world brings celebrate, bring the New Year's in.

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You're using having a cocktail as a party

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and it starts early and it ends late

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and you're just celebrating the new year's end and you

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bring it in with a big bang right but as a christian usually you're doing it

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totally different you're bringing it in with fasting and prayer usually you're

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at church or you're at home i'm bringing it in in a quiet somber state and praying

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so it's two different things are happening in the world.

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And if you've been part of that party world and you've been part of the Christian

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world, it's two different things happening at the same time.

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Even the time when you had the ball dropping world where you're up,

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your whole goal was to stay up until midnight.

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Now, I don't know if I ever been up to midnight after a while because I'll go to bed.

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New Year's is coming regardless if I stay up or not. So I'm usually asleep. leave.

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Church get out about 10 o'clock and I'll go to bed and I'll wake up and guess

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what? Happy New Year begins.

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But it begins different for each group of people.

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So my main thing about this, I believe, is just a set of priority.

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And remember, even as we celebrate, it's not against celebrating having this New Year's party.

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I mean, no one's against celebrating it.

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It's just, It's not an anti-party message.

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So as we celebrate New Year's Eve, remember that we were called to live differently from the world.

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We can enjoy the festivities.

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We should do it in a way that reflects our transformed minds and heart,

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seeking God's will above all else.

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So a good party is all right. You know, you got the hors d'oeuvres and just

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having a good, fun time among friends and celebrating what you've been through

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as a family, what you've been through as your work colleagues.

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You know, just that is just a relief.

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And then to bring that New Year's in together will be just a fun event.

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It just balance is always good.

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So as we have explored for the past couple episodes, New Year's tradition,

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how it has evolved over time, learning secular and Christian practices,

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whether you're making resolutions, celebrating with a party,

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reflecting on the past year.

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The key is to approach these customs with a heart that seeks to honor God.

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God is not a party pooper, right? He loves celebrations. He loves celebrations,

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but you do it in the honor and glory of God, right?

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New Year's Day is more than just a time for parties and resolutions,

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an opportunity to start fresh with focus on what truly matters.

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So as we step into this new year, let's commit to living lives that reflect

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our faith, prioritizing our relationship with God and our service to others.

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Amen. This is our final episode. So, and it's been a good time.

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It's just, I love, I don't know, you write these and then when you begin to

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speak those out for podcasts, it does affect you in a whole different way.

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Understanding that Janice started out as kind of a superstition,

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a fear of new beginnings.

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So you worship, you worship this superstition, but then you realize God is a

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God of the doors, the God of the keys. and then that your focus begin to focus on him opening doors.

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And then you understand that he's the God of the whole year.

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So don't just get stuck on that one month or that one day, but just begin to

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focus on Jesus the whole year.

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Develop that relationship all year. So at the end of that year,

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you'll say, dang, I had a good learning time with the Lord. You know,

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this year has been prosperous for me.

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I think I'm at 191 devotionals. Now they're including dreams too.

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And so just saying like God has a lot to say.

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And when you actually take that time to write it down, he gives you more and

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more like he's a God of more than enough.

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So I'm looking forward to just a different year of 2025 for me.

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And so in our final episode of this series, it's good.

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I hope you learned something and you understand these practical suggestions.

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I like to balance it out with like, this is pagan, this is God,

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this is pagan, this is God.

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But a lot of times you understand that towards the end, it starts to blend.

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Pagan dropped off, but yet we picked it up into secularization of the holiday.

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We will take it and it don't be the devil bringing it back.

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It's the people bringing it back. So devil don't get all that credit,

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be the people like, what are we going to do on this day?

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And we'll just, we'll reinvent the wheel.

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We're not reinventing. We'll just bring it back and make that thing another

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idol and call it by another name.

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And then we will remove God from that idol. So let's pay attention to some things, right?

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But I also want to just wish you a happy new year again.

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And we'll continue this Church Chronicles series. We got some new things in

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February and March and April. We'll just keep it going.

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But I also want to thank you for joining me on this episode of Church Chronicles

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with the Diary of Black Women.

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I pray that today's discussion is giving you new insights and how to approach

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New Year's Day with a focus on faith.

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If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a message,

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share it with others who might be interested in exploring these topics.

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Until next time, like I always say, stay curious, stay faithful,

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and remember, the truth is more surprising than we expect.