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MMB .... IS BACK! Happy 2017

Greetings ... welcome 2017. The new year came fast. 2016 is now gone ==> goodbye.
After a few weeks of a holiday-type break, I am returning to the weekly posting I call MONDAY MORNING BLOG. Can you imagine that 2017 has come in with such a vengence. The results of the 2016 election still top the news. The President-Elect's tweets are still causing a stir. The weather has been crippling in much of the nation. The acts of world-wide terror continue. And the NFL Play-offs have eliminated some would-be hopefuls to go all the way. Just think ... today is only the 9th day of the New Year! Last Friday was the Epiphany (our tree is still up and lit - it's so beautiful). Today the news is filled with the up and coming Cabinet confirmation hearings. The battle lines are being drawn. We've already forgotten Peace on Earth -- Goodwill to Men we spoke and sang about just 2 weeks ago.

Yup. 2017 is here. And it's already proving to be a year of controversy. As America moves farther and farther from the Prince of Peace, the literal acts of hell are increasing. As I write this morning in our living room in the central Florida community of Kissimmee, the news is on special report of the shooting of an Orlando police officer. The officer has died and the suspect is on the run. The 4 major tv stations here are all broadcasting the incident and updates. One station is aking for the public's help in finding the suspect. They've revealed his name and are posting his picture asking anyone who sees him to call 911. This follows a weekend of a tragic killing spree at the Ft. Lauderdale Airport where 5 people lost their lives and many others injured in the attack. And folks, this is just one state of 50 just nine days into the New Year.

Jeremiah the prophet said in Lamentation 3 in the Old Testament ... "If it were not for the Lord's mercies we would be consumed ...". Can't this be a wake-up call to us all. We can prevent killing and acts of violence, but we can turn our hearts to the one who can. 2 Chronicles 7:14 reveals a way for national heartache to become national healing. it tells us to REPENT! Turn from ways of wickness and turn to God in prayer. I remember as a child a plaque hung in our home with the words PRAYER CHANGES THINGS on it. Our nation as well as our world needs prayer. We desperately need changes. Some thought the election (whether how it occured or if it were the other way) would change things. Presidents, Congress or any mere man has no power to do that. But Almighty God, He holds the key to unlock the door to change. We need Him now more than ever.

in 2017, I am asking the God of the Universe to CHANGE ME! I have not been the prayer warrior I should be. I will begin there. I will step up my life of prayer beginning today. i will make prayer a priority every day. Further, I want to begin to fast and pray. So that too will become a weekly thing in my life. For the normal Christ-Follower, each year is a refresher and we want change but life just whooshes by and many fall back to old habits. I speak of myself as well. I want to go higher. I want to gain victory. I renounce the old me and embrace the new me in Christ led by the Holy Spirit. It's time to begin. Will you join me. Feel free to let me know either in a comment below or on Facebook. May God Almighty lead us on the journey! Amen.

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