There is something about the new year that gets me excited! I get that same excitement when I crack open a brand new journal. There is something about all those blank pages waiting to be filled. Such possibilities!

I know for others a new year represents the possibility of doing something different, or even awesome. Perhaps it is setting a goal to lose weight, kick a bad habit, read the bible cover to cover, get into shape, or run a marathon!

I have no interest in running a marathon, but one day I would love to walk the Camino de Santiago. The Camino de Santiago (the Way of St. James) is a large network of ancient pilgrim routes stretching from France to the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in north-west Spain. The only problem is that I have never walked continuously for 10, 20 or possibly 30 days (depending on where one begins the walk).

Yes, I like to set big goals, but what I have discovered about myself is that small goals coupled with faithfulness and discipline produce the biggest results.

I know that I won’t be able wake up tomorrow and start walking for 10 days, much less 30 days, but I can walk 10 minutes, maybe even 30 minutes a few times a week. If I do a little bit, faithfully, in time I can prepare for the big walk in 2018 (God willing)!

Being faithful in the little areas can have wonderful long term results. I think we can all agree that we’ve seen this to be true.

For example, the more consistently I read my Bible, the more I grow in my walk with God. Or the more consistently we eat properly and exercise the better we feel. We can be faithful in the little things! What’s so awesome is that God honours faithfulness, even to little things.

Look at what Jesus said in Luke 16:10:

One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much.

In Proverbs 13:4 it says:

The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied.

Over and over scripture emphasizes the value of diligence and discipline.

God rewards our diligence, discipline, faithfulness and hard work. We may not see the results immediately, but over time we will.

Don’t be discouraged. Take the first little step. Be disciplined, not in your own strength but in the power of the Holy spirit and watch. As you are faithful in the little things, big things happen!

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Join us this week as we conclude our series entitled “Little things, BIG difference”. It will be a great service of worship as we gather around the table. Please be sure to join us and, as always, invite a friend.

Save the date:

Please mark Sunday, February 12th on your calendar. This will be an important Sunday for those of you who have served in ministry, in any capacity at Amberlea. On this special Sunday we will celebrate YOU and your faithfulness to GOD! I promise you will want to be there!!