Happy Tuesday to you!

This year, we all want to see greatness manifested in our lives. Some of you are hoping for career advancements. Some of you are hoping to start a family. Some of you have other personal desires that may even be difficult to define with words. By now you’ve read numerous posts on planning, establishing an agenda, creating goals, etc. There really is an endless amount of great advice being shared on and offline. If you deem it necessary to follow any of the shared advice, go for it! Setting goals and implementing strategies are vital to success. Nonetheless, the Lord shared with me a few timeless steps to make 2015 a rewarding year for us all. These steps may not follow the status quo, but they remain the perfect guideline for success in all centuries. For the aforementioned reason, this post is definitely one you should bookmark. Be sure to share this post with all of your social media followers, friends, and family members.

Stay in the word of God. Study it daily. If you do not own a bible, this link (click here) has multiple languages and versions for you to choose from. I enjoy reading the English Standard Version, as well as the King James Version.
Pray fervently. Talk to God as often as you can (silently or aloud). Also, be sure to listen when He speaks to you. Remember, God’s thoughts are not our thoughts. God’s ways are not our ways. God never tempts us to sin. God never tempts us to harm ourselves or others. God is love.
Stay connected to the body of Christ. If you have not joined a church yet, do some research on what a quality church provides (e.g. studying what the church was like in the Bible and talking to wise counselors who are actively involved in the Church). Then, become a faithful and active member of a church.
Apply God’s instructions to each area of your life. Reading and studying the word of God isn’t enough. Praying incessantly isn’t enough. Actively participating in church isn’t enough. You actually have to do the challenging work of loving God, loving others, and loving yourself. If you aren’t living according to God’s counsel, you are missing out on the best life has to offer you.

Love,

CompassionateLee

James 1:19 Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; 20 for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. 21 Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. 22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. 24 For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. 25 But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing. 26 If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless. 27 Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.