I’ve seen the meme’s all over the internet. 2016 was the year from hell! I get it… a lot of bad stuff happened (mainly Trump became President) and a lot of cool people passed away. In all honesty, for me 2016 was a pretty awesome year. First of all, my beautiful baby daughter, Shiloh Grace Woznicki, was born! My wife was a champ! Second, I started my PhD program at Fuller. That was such a blessing, and I really enjoy it. I get to study with and work alongside of some awesome people. Ministry was great too, I transitioned out of a leadership role and have successfully passed it on to someone else. And finally, I really started Spartan racing. I’ve been getting better and better. My goals for next year are to finish in the top 5% of at least one race. If you want to see some highlights from my 2017 check out my Top Nine from Instagram.
Having said all that, I know many of you are looking forward to the new year, it’s a chance, essentially to hit the reset button. I commend your optimism! And to you I would recommend you make one resolution:
BE YOURSELF! You know, “do you baby boo!” Be true to who you are and no one else. Follow your heart’s desires! Let your inner-self come out of that cacoon! Most of all, BE AUTHENTIC!
But before you dismiss me and think I’ve gone off the rails with some new agey, self-help, self-fulfillment pseudo-evangelical Christian style gobbledy gook. Here me out. Or better yet, hear out what Pastor Kevin DeYoung has to say…
If I had to summarize New Testament ethics in one sentence, here’s how I would put it: be who you are. That may sound strange, almost heretical, given our culture’s emphasis on being true to yourself. But like so many of the worst errors in the world, this one represents a truth powerfully perverted. When people say, “Relax, you were born that way.” Or “Quit trying to be something you’re not and just be the real you,” they are stumbling upon something very biblical. God does want you to be the real you. He does want you to be true to yourself. But the “you” he’s talking about is the “you” that you are by grace, not by nature. You may want to read through that last sentence again because the difference between living in sin and living in righteousness depends on getting that sentence right. God doesn’t say, “Relax, you were born this way.” But he does say “Good news, you were reborn another way.” (The Hole in our Holiness, 100)
He’s right….
In 2017 dare to be yourself. Dare to be the true you. The one who was reborn by God’s grace. Cuz if you are in Christ. That is the real you. That is who you are being made to be.
CWoznicki Think Out Loud 