I loved all the “Happy New Year” posts on social media! There is so much more hope in our country than some would have us believe. People are ready for a new start. 2016 was tough in a lot of ways for a lot of people, for sure. It was a tough year for our country and none of us know what the future holds. But then again, we never do.

The Best News of the New Year

The best news of this new year is that we can always have hope.

Hope has been built into our DNA. Human beings are incredibly resilient. We bounce back. We build back up. We tackle new goals. We make things better. We find reasons to smile. We remember that we are happiest when we are thankful.

Hope has been built into creation. The sun rises every morning. The seasons change. Spring will come again. New life continually breaks out. Babies are born and a child’s laugh brings joy. One of our favorite words is clearly, “NEW.”

The Source of Hope

Our greatest hope is found when we look to the One who built this cycle of hope into us and everything around us. The Lord is the Author of Life and He knew from the beginning that we would need hope. He knew we would live in a fallen world and be daily affected by the weight of the sin nature at work in us and those around us. He knew we needed to be Redeemed, so He came as our Redeemer. He knew we needed to be set free from sin, so Jesus died on the cross for us, breaking the power of sin. He knew we would need new life, so He rose from the dead, bringing resurrection life to us all. He is Hope.

And in case we’ve forgotten, He is coming again. For us. He will come for us and take us to be with Him. Some are already in His Presence and one day, we will all be there. One day this world will be redeemed in a dramatic, death-and-resurrection way. There is much before us.

In the meantime, we daily have hope because we personally know the Giver of all Hope.

What Do You Need for 2017?

If you need a fresh start, if you need a comforted heart, if you need new light on your path, if you need joy to give you a new view, look to the Lord. Ask Him to take over and to show you HIS plan for you this year. His plan is always full of Hope!

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11