Today is the first day of the rest of your life. So will tomorrow be and the next day and so forth. 

How did you begin the day? Were you thankful and joyful or were you negative and grumpy. How you start your day makes a big difference in how that day will go. Don’t believe it; then pay attention to how you begin each day and see what a difference it makes to begin it being grateful.

Last year, personally, was a year of challenges but I’m not going to complain because it could have been much worse. We had a home, food and more comforts than we should. Blessed is how I look at it.

This new year will also have its challenges but we will face them by the grace of God and in the strength He provides for us.

Whether you make resolutions, set goals or whatever, it is always good to have an idea in mind of things you want to accomplish. Personally, I don’t do resolutions as I feel they are self-defeating. They usually have fallen by the wayside before March rolls around. If you dwell on it, you can become depressed if you didn’t accomplish all that you planned.

I remind myself that God is actually the one in control and He has a plan for my life. That plan will come to fruition and will come sooner when I get out of His way and let Him have His way. 

We tend to get frustrated and impatient and may even think we can do something to hurry up the plan. We can’t. It’s all in His timing.

He also has a plan for the world and all that’s going on around us. It too, will come to fruition and therefore we have to rely on Him and not become frustrated or concerned about the politics of today.

It is my prayer that we become more of a united people this year. We have got to stand together if we are to overcome the evil of the world. God is shining His light to expose some of that evil in the world, but some people will not see or listen.

This year will be year of gigantic proportion, one way or the other. Our way of life, our country stands at a crossroads like never before, yet we cannot be afraid. We can let our voices be heard at the ballot box and we can stay on our knees in prayer daily. God hears those prayers.

Check your circle of friends and be involved with those who share your values and who help you become closer to God this year. Those who are negative, constantly complain and steal your peace should not really be in your close circle. 

That is sometimes a hard pill to swallow, but when you truly sit down and think about it you will see it’s absolutely the truth. Some people are not supposed to be in that circle and we need to ask God to reveal those. When you do that, be prepared to get your heart hurt because some of them you may never have thought weren’t supposed to be there. Sometimes that is even family members.

It’s up to you to choose joy and peace. Joy of the Lord can be your strength and I pray that you find that this year. I pray that in our own community, a spirit of unity will surround us. We have to quit caring who gets the credit and just get the job done. Working together is a necessity for progress, moreso now than ever.

May this year be your year and may you seek God to guide you. Bless you.

VICTORIA SIMMONS Is a columnist, author, motivational speaker, minister and publisher of The Georgia Post/Byron Buzz. Contact her at: vsimmons54@gmail.com