A new beginning. This is what millions of people will be searching for today. A fresh new start, another chance, they want to get rid of the old and start with the new. They want to stop being a victim and turn into a victor. They wanna get over the hill of their past mistakes. Today, more than any other day of the year, the world is filled with self-inspired hope and enthusiasm. January 1st, 2013, is the start of a new beginning for many many MANY people. The hang-ups and failures of everyone, hang in the balance of our hearts, starting today. Whatever it is that you are gonna begin today, whatever you plan to start or stop; I want to pray for you, bless you, and encourage you. YOU CAN DO IT. You are not defined by your past, you have simply been prepared by it. Each past failure has strengthened you for this very day. God was still working on you, using your struggles for something much greater than you can understand. Your character was being developed. Your vision for a better you was being enlarged. Your faith skills were being honed. And maybe you've had unfair things happen to you, things you couldn't control, you've allowed bitterness to set in. Maybe you think that these things have set you back from becoming who you thought you should be. Or maybe you've made some very poor choices and you've brought trouble on yourself, and it's hard to forgive, not just others, but yourself. I'm here to tell you, YOUR PAST DOES NOT DEFINE YOU. YOUR PAST PREPARES YOU FOR A BETTER FUTURE. God had a reason for it. He used it, maybe He is still using it, but YOU are not a victim or a failure. You are a beloved child of God. He still has a great purpose for your life, and it starts today. Maybe you struggle with forgiving. You've held onto a grudge for so long, it's embedded in your heart like a nasty tick, and it's just sucking the life out of you. Forgive AND forget, so that you can be who God longs for you to be this year. Maybe you want to get healthy in 2013, the first thing you have to do is begin. And then tomorrow, begin. The next day, begin. If you simply begin each day, you will always be on the journey of your life-long quest for good health. Get up earlier if that's what it takes. You are never gonna "find" time, you gotta make time. Dedicate yourself to better health by realizing that there is no end to this journey until you are in heaven. There is no race to win. It's good to have a goal of where you want to get to, but there is never a final destination. The road to good health never ends, it's not a race, there is no finish line - it is a lifelong journey. So give yourself a break, and simply begin each day. Results will come, don't worry about that, just begin and begin. If you want to be healthier, begin, daily. And don't let a bad day turn into a bad week, a bad week turn into a bad month, and so on. Forgive yourself and begin again. Because until God is done with His work though your human body, your temple, your health will matter. What about addictions? Ridding yourself of addictions is a huge new year's resolution. And if you struggle with an addiction, first, you gotta forgive yourself. God does, and so should you. If you are harder on yourself than God is, you are gonna be stuck. Your value in God's eyes is not defined by your addiction. His mercy and grace are bigger than anything you are suffering with. GOD LOVES YOU, NO MATTER WHAT. You are worth a new beginning today. God STILL has an awesome plan for your life. I don't care who has said what about you, or if you believed it, YOU ARE LOVED AND CHERISHED BY YOUR CREATOR. Your addiction is not you. It does not define you. And most of all, you must remember this: Always be at battle with your vice. Never agree that it is just part of you, or who you are - because IT'S NOT. Jesus Christ can break the chains of death, so He sure as heck can break your chains of addiction as well. It sounds cliche', but today really is the first day of the rest of your life. You are still alive, so God still has a plan for you, no matter what you've done. Your changed life, begins 1-1-2013. So if you don't wanna slip, don't go to slippery places. God will continually speak to your heart, leading you in the right direction. You will feel it and you will know it. Whatever you are fighting with today, stop fighting the battle yourself, let God fight it. You will win, through Him. 2012 may have been a struggle, but in 2013, You WILL overcome. My friends, your past challenges have helped you get to where you are today. Allow God to use them for His glory and your new life. He wouldn't of allowed adversity to come into your life if He didn't already have a plan of good to come from it. Nothing you have faced has been an accident, all things work together for your good. And it may not always seem like it, it may take longer than you want, but if you trust God, and ask Him for help, ask Him to show you how to become who He wants you to be, He will. He will use your past adversities for your future advantages. So today, my friends, whatever new dream you are about to chase, know that YOU CAN DO IT, through Christ. Start making Him #1 in your life. Allow Him to change your heart, your words, and your actions. And if you fall, get back up. If you fall again, get back up. You can ALWAYS get back up by simply reaching out for the hand of Jesus Christ. He is always there. He will never leave you. So right now, I pray that all of you have a new found joy in your life, a new feeling of cleanliness, happiness, wholeness, a brand-new sense of motivation. I know that the feeling of accomplishment is gonna take root in your hearts, each and every day, because today, you are beginning a life resurrected. In ALL THINGS you are gonna be more than a conqueror. You are gonna do great and wonderful things in 2013, through Jesus Christ. God bless all of you, your families, loved ones, and new endeavors of self-betterment for this brand new year. Have a blessed year & God is Good! -Matt  {Facebook post from Alarm Security}