As one year closes and another is about to dawn upon us, many of us are looking ahead with resolutions, dreams, and plans.

Some people are naturally more future-oriented, others prefer stay focused in the present, and others look back often on the past. May I recommend that in heading into a New Year, each of us take a cue from all three perspectives?

To enhance your present and future joy, before diving into dreaming and planning ahead, glance back over your shoulder – not just at the year that is closing – but at that long and winding road that brought you to this time and place.

Something beautiful happens when you do…

Take a few moments to let your mind wander down the road of your life, thinking back on your mountain-top experiences, as well as all the valleys you’ve traversed through.

As you think on these things, you realize that God has been there for you all along. And has guided you each step of the way with such faithfulness, provision, love and care. Even in those times when you were in the wilderness of your life (and we’ve all had those).

Allow an attitude of gratitude to release praise and thanksgiving from your heart. Take some time to truly thank God. There may be a few tears that flow also. If so, let ’em roll. Thank Him for all the good times and for all the character-shaping hard times also.

Thank Him for the people you’ve met on your journey, and for those you’ve yet to meet; for the experiences you’ve had, for where you are right now, and for experiences still to come.

The beauty in looking back before you look forward is that it gives you a fresh perspective: you think differently about the past, the present, and the future.

You realize that there is a reason for your life and a master plan that God has just for you.

This is reason enough to be filled with hope, peace, and joy for the future.

But there’s more:

With this perspective of meaning, you will find yourself inclined to dream and create more fulfilling plans and resolutions for this coming year that affect you, of course, but also that affect others in a positive way.

This kind of journey in life has been shown to the most satisfying to the soul and will leave you with a smile on your face during, and at the end, of your life.

So enhance your joy today, take some time this end-of-year to look back on the road of your life before you look forward.

Then prepare to experience the exciting things that God has in store for you in 2017.

Here’s to a wonderful year ahead for you!

Kim