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A new year has begun. Now…don’t go thinking “New Year, New You”. And, don’t be thinking “Shew, I’m so glad last year’s gone so I don’t have to worry about that mess again.” Look… we’re all old enough to realize that all the issues from last year (or the years before that) didn’t just magically disappear at midnight last Saturday night. Wouldn’t that have been awesome though?!?!?! Woooooo! However, allow me to suggest this as we start a new year: Start over.

Start over. A new year brings the notion, whether true or false, of a fresh start…a reprieve…a mulligan…a do-over…a chance to try again or make things right. So….start over. Start that diet over and see if it can last longer than two weeks this time, but don’t allow that diet to consume you or weigh you down (pun intended). Start that relationship over, but give yourself a cushion to not get used or hurt. Start that activity over, but don’t allow it to consume all your energy and resources or distract you from what’s important.

Start over. Start paying more attention to your significant other. Go on surprise dates. Send random texts saying “hey, I adore you”. Put that sticky note on their steering wheel that says “I hope you have a great day.”

Instead of snapping and yelling back when they swell up on you, stop and ask “how may I help/serve you?”, because it may or may not be you that sent them over the edge. Don’t wait for them to make the first move. Act like you did when y’all first started dating. Make it awkward and fun again.

Start over. Start putting the phone down and pay attention to the kids. Plan a day per month where you have family game night or an ice cream bar or “hide and seek” all their items from their room that you’ve been fussing about them never cleaning and have fun helping them find them in frustration.

Start over. Be the good needed at work. You know those folks who annoy you, push you, test you? Be the good they need in life. If you’ve told them to do something a million times and it still isn’t done, try explaining it a different way because maybe it’s just not clicking. Start being the good needed around you.

Most of all…Start over. Make God the top priority. In Revelation 21, God says He’s “making all things new.” You need His newness more than anything else. Make worshiping with others, devotions, prayer time, quiet time a priority. Spend time with God. It’s needed in order to handle everything else!

Start over.

Rev. J. Cameron Bailey is pastor of Kenbridge Christian Church. He can be reached at jamescameronbailey@gmail.com.