As I get older, I find myself reliving or being reminded of things that occurred to me when I was younger. High School girl friends, dating my Lisa (40 years ago this April) and the car accident in Illinois that brought us together. In December of 1983 I hit a car broadside because the drunken driver ran a red light. My car was totaled, my girlfriend hit her head on the windshield and as it turned out, I broke a vertebra in my neck. I was in a hard neck brace for 3 months, on leave from the fire department and I decided to visit my brother in Phoenix to rest and recuperate. It was the worst time in my life that led to meeting Lisa and changed my life forever.

The verse today describes how most of us feel on a regular basis – hard pressed. Since we just started a new year, I’d suggest that we all should focus on the opportunities of the new beginning and not dwell on the past. Not every bad situation is the worst thing possible nor are the great things that happen, the greatest ever. So ask yourself, are you looking forward to what is possible or are you looking behind at what could have been? Our son designed his first tattoo that represents – be positive and keep moving forward, period! Two bent lines and a dot in the center (the period). When he looked up similar symbols, he found that it is almost identical to the Viking symbol for create your own destiny. As they say, “out of the mouths of babes”, some great advice from “a 19 year old kid” who is chose to see the rest of his life with great optimism. Many of us may not be young but we can all look to the new year with a positive view.

“We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed” 2 Corinthians 4:8

My guess is that this verse describes most of our lives – hard pressed, perplexed, persecuted and struck down. We are however, not crushed, not in despair, not abandoned and not destroyed. We have God to thank for that. Life can be hard and challenging but God is right next to us, helping navigate the troubles of our lives. I can’t imagine if I let all of the negative things that happen in my life gain the advantage, how miserable I would be. I’m not always the most positive person but I rarely let negativity take it control of me. God is where my strength comes from.  

God is in control of our lives and He has a plan for us. While we can’t create our own destiny, we do have the ability to influence the things that affect that plan. We can choose to ignore God’s plan or we can choose to follow it. Our son’s tattoo is really a symbol of what God’s wants for us – stay positive and keep moving forward. We will not be destroyed by this life or by the sin of our lives. God sent us a Savior to make sure that we would be close to Him; forgiven of all sin and innocent in His eyes. This is enough reason to keep moving forward and to stay positive.