A friend sent me an email asking what tips I could give to make this year 2017 the best year ever.

I thought that I could give some encouraging positive thinking kind of tips, but when i thought about it, I realized that every year or any year, no matter what happens to you, can be your best year. You could have what to others would look like the worst year ever because of trials and disasters, but the same could be a best year ever for you with a change of mindset and perspective.

Four years ago to this day, I had just become a widower. At times, the grief was so intense, the thought of driving off the skyway to join my late wife crossed my mind.

But the Lord, like a gust of wind under a wounded eagle, falling and crashing to earth, promised that He would restore me. In fact, He said, “you will love again. I’m going to give you one more great love.”

One of my favourite life verses comes from the Book of James which says that we should consider our times of trials as times of pure joy. He says that trials tests our faith, and that the testing of our faith develops our endurance for this marathon called life.

My encouragement to you is to consider the flipside of a so called “bad year.”

The Lord restores after a trial. Consider this promise:

And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. – 1 Peter 5:10 NIV

HOW was your 2016? If it didn’t turn out too well or as expected, view it as a blessing and learn from it. Look forward now and have a mindset of joy when you face more trials or problems.

Endure.

You are due for some restoration. That’s for sure!

I know, because the Lord has so renewed me.