“The old things passed away; behold new things have come.”
2 Corinthians 5:17

New Beginnings: Here it is, the New Year already. It seems like just yesterday we were in the throws of the Y2K scare and now here we are 10 years past it! Time sure seems to go faster and faster each year.

One thing remains the same though. Each New Year brings the same reflection over the old year and its blessings and struggles. And if you are anything like me, this reflection leads me to create a list of “resolutions” for the coming year that will hopefully make my reflections next year more positive. I want to lose weight, exercise, grow closer to God, pray more, etc. Then, by Valentine’s Day, life has gotten busy and those promises to myself have fallen by the wayside.

This year, as you are reflecting and making plans for changes during 2010, let me encourage you to take a new approach. Make it your top priority for 2010 to get involved in a small home group Bible study. These groups provide an intimate atmosphere where you can grow closer to God and to other believers. But it also gives you a place where you can share the other goals you have for the year and the rest of your life and have some support and encouragement to keep pressing on towards them. If we rely on one another, we are much more likely to achieve our goals. God created us with a need for community and small groups are the perfect way to live life together.

At Valley, we have small groups that meet almost every day of the week, so you don’t have any excuses! Get involved and let “your old things pass away” and usher in the “new things that have come”.