GROWTH

Whenever a year comes to an end, it is a good time to reflect on our lives including our successes and failures, challenges and growth, and our obstacles and victories. Many of us do often find ourselves reflecting in this manner. Well, here we are at the end of 2019. The final curtain on 2019 is about to be given and we are on the precipice of the dawn of a new year – 2020.

What are you doing as 2019 draws to a close? What is your focus at this time of the year? Is your focus an inward one (directed at yourself) or an outward one (directed at others or at partying the new year in)? Here’s the thing, self reflection is good for the soul and for setting one’s course ahead. How have you grown this year? Have you grown at all? We are all headed somewhere, moving towards something and reaching for something, and there’s always a need for growth.

Don’t deceive yourself or allow yourself to be deceived into thinking that you have no room for growth. It is also important to understand that growth doesn’t just happen because we desire it; growth requires our effort and involvement. We must be intentional. Speaking of growth and reaching, I can’t help but think about the Apostle Paul’s words in Philippians 3:12, “I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me” and in Philippians 3:14, “I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.” Here’s to growth…Happy New Year!

~Dr. DeShonda Bailey, Lead Pastor