Changing Your Life – One Thing at a Time

From now on I will tell you of new things,
of hidden things unknown to you. (Isaiah 48:6)


My friend Anne in Chicago told me recently that she’d had an epiphany. A few years ago, this kind friend quit her job to take care of her ailing parents. Her mom “got promoted” to heaven and her dad is now in a nursing home. Her job for the last couple of years has been to clean the house her parents lived in and get repairs done. Just before Christmas she was just standing in the kitchen when, in a moment of clarity, she knew exactly what she needed to do—sell the house. It was over 40 years old, the repairs were coming faster than hurricane winds on the Texas coast, and it was time for a change. Instantly, freedom and peace came over her.

An epiphany.

Have you had one? Today’s a good day to talk about that because January 6th is the celebration of the Epiphany—the revelation of Christ to the world as fully God and fully man. Hard to comprehend, but totally true. Another definition for “epiphany” according to Dictionary.com is “a sudden, intuitive perception of or insight…”

It’s a sudden, “aha” moment of knowing. Clarity. Perception. Discernment. A light bulb goes on and there is hope, joy, and vision for your future.

What area of your life needs insight and change? It’s a brand new year, so let’s ask God to reveal His good purposes to us in clear ways. Let’s make changes that will change our lives and the lives of those around us. What do you want to change in 2009?

Think of one thing. Just one thing…

Ask God to reveal to you an area of your life that can be different, better, healed, more whole than you ever imagined. Here are a few ideas to get started:

• I want to (finally) get in shape so I have the strength and energy for a better life.

• I want to start saving money (or increase what I save already).

• I want to put God first and be a person of wisdom, worth and wonderfulness.

• I want to remember those who don’t have—people who are hungry, people who need a warm blanket, people who need love and help.

• I want to go someplace tropical for a vacation.

• I want to be nicer to that woman at work who drives me crazy.

• I want to connect more with my family since we don’t see each other very often.

• I want to make time for close friendships.

• I want to pray more and change the world—and my own life.

Here’s to a new year of "suddenlies" and epiphanies-—and an amazing life.