The most awaited holiday across the globe has just gone by, and naturally, we all look forward to the New Year. Excitement and expectations fill the air, as we recount the losses and the gains of the, just ending year.
For Christians, and other religions as well, it is time to reflect on the blessings of the year and lessons learned from failures associated with 2011, as well as tragedies encountered in the course of the year. In my personal life, I can confidently claim that the year of 2011 was a year of growth, increased wisdom and knowledge in reference to the previous year, all attributed to the blessings of the Lord. I have witnessed the increase of the Lord’s blessings on my marriage and my family, my finances, my job, my close friends, His ministry at Laborers in Christ, Birmingham, Al…. and the list can go on and on.
While many predicted a difficult year, I had envisioned a progressive year in 2011, coming from the heart of economic nightmare; the economy has gradually improved month by month. The Job market has gradually increased, as the number of unemployment claims continued to sink lower. This growth would not have been possible if it was not for the steadfast prayers by the Church across the nation. It is without doubt that pressure was felt by every American, who faced the danger of foreclosure or failing to provide for his family.
However, as the pressure mounted, Americans become resilient and persistently prayerful, that what was meant for bad, God turned it for good. The country was faced with record breaking tragedies as well. The Joplin Tornado, the Tuscaloosa tornadoes, the flooding in mid-west, and the raging wildfires, all of which raked up damages adding up to tens of billions, not to mention the loss of life. But above all, they formed the stage for national unity and togetherness, as the nation rose up to the challenge to support one another in those difficult times. On the global scene, the country saw the end of the world’s most wanted terrorist, Osama Bin Laden, the fall of tyrants in the Arab world, in an era known as Arab Spring, and that is just to mention a few.
The year 2012 has a measure of its expectations as well. It been an election year, the hopefuls are optimistic to win the most powerful seat in the oval office. It is with no doubt that politics will dominate the airwaves, as elections approach, with the unfortunate dominance of negative TV ads. The economy is expected to get even better and the Job market to continue to regain its strength.
It is the year for Americans to realize their expectations, and prosper in their goals and objectives. I learned four easy steps to success, not only in the business world, but in your personal life as well. These steps are;
Plan purposefully Prepare prayerfully Proceed positively Pursue persistently
These four steps applied diligently will see anyone through, be it in school, be in with finances or family, they are proven to work 100 percent of the time. I refer to them as (The 4 double Ps). Let 2012 be a year to apply the 4 double Ps in your entire life, no matter what comes your way.
Have a blessed year everybody.