This time of the year many are reflecting over the past year. The good, the bad, the ugly. Many started 2018 off with New Year's resolutions. Did you? How'd you do?

This coming year, many will make New Years resolutions again. Here are the most popular resolutions (survey of 2000 people from Google stats):

>Diet or eat healthier (71%)

>Exercise more (65%)

>Lose weight (54%)

>Save more and spend less ( 32%)

>Learn a new skill or hobby (26%)

>Quit smoking (21%)

>Read more (17%)

>Find another job (16%)

One thing that I didn’t see on the survey that I think many of us want to do: “a deeper relationship with God.”

Pray more

Worship more

Depend on Him more

To go to church more

To be more dedicated in their faith

To sin less

Tithe more (some...lol)

The amazing thing is, having a stronger faith, a maturing faith, is what God wants’s us to have as well.

Paul opened most of His letters with this thought.

(“Grace and peace be with you…)

He is saying, “May the power of God, in all strength - for every circumstance and moment in life, empower you, encourage you and bring you His presence in such a way that you know and walk in His blessing and in His peace.

So what is stopping you from having a more mature, stronger walk with God? In order to grow something in your garden, you must plant seeds. >God's Word empowered - planted in our hearts

>Watered, Empowered by His Spirit (grace)

>Will grow us, and produce stronger faith, and reveal His love to those around us.

Here's a great seed of truth for us today:

Psalm 34.

As 2019 approaches...

May we, as God’s people, purpose in our herts to praise Him at all times. Look for the moments. There will be many. Some good, some bad.

In the good times, speak of His provision.

In the bad, the hard times, speak of your trust in Him.

Take someone with you on this faith journey.

In Exodus 15:20 we see that Miriam brought here tamborine for the journey that laid ahead. Why? She knew her God. She knew there would be moments to come where she was going to praise Him. Prepare now... pack your praise for the journey ahead...