God, we begin this year knowing that we are not in control. We’ve made our plans, dreamed our dreams, and written our resolutions, but only You know what tomorrow holds. You are sovereign – the Keeper of time, the Holder of this moment, the Writer of tomorrow.

As we near the end of the year and look ahead to 2017, the buzz of resolutions will inevitably find its way into conversations, commercials will advertise for diets and healthy trends, and we will find ourselves on one of two sides: eager, ready and excited for the challenge – or defeated, tired and so over the “r-word” before New Years’ Eve.

2016 didn’t turn out at all like I expected it to. I entered January 1st with big expectations and well thought out plans, but I quickly realized that the coming year wasn’t following my ideas. If I am being completely honest, I feel like when January 1, 2017 comes, I will breathe a big sigh of relief that 2016 is finished. This past year was hard, and in many ways disappointing.

For years, I have read books my recent and older authors that have shaped my walk with Jesus. Having a mentor in my life has always been important in my spiritual growth, but there are several “mentors” that I have never met and will never meet. These people have mentored me through their writing and through their fervent love for Christ. Most people would define themselves as either an “avid reader” or “I never pick up a book non-existent reader.” I used to be the latter. But during college I began to pick up books out of my hunger to know God more and ever since then I haven’t been able to stop reading. When I don’t read books, the fire in my heart starts to fizzle. There is a great stir of the fire in our hearts when we read other’s passions, lessons, and wisdom!