Happy New Year everybody! Welcome to 2007! Here’s wishing the best to you and yours. May you be given the opportunities to grow intellectually, emotionally, physically, and spiritually this year.

If you’re looking for something to make your own in terms of a New Year’s resolution, I would like to suggest learning more about your faith: its origins, its history, how it has changed since its origin, and how it can be made more real and affect your life and actions during this coming year. If you’re NOT religious, maybe you could pick one to learn about this year, whether or not you choose to accept it for yourself. Or maybe you can do the same thing that I’m suggesting, examining the history and development of your non-religion.

My reason: too many people live day to day as Christians (or followers of other religions) taking things as they’re given them, without delving deeper into not just the reasons why they believe what they do, but the history of their beliefs. I’ve spent much of 2006 learning more about what kind of Church Christ actually left us, learning more about the Early Church Fathers, reading what they wrote, and learning more about what the early Christians believed and practiced and how they worshipped. I plan to continue this in 2007. There is a lot to be learned and there can even be some surprises as you get to the roots of your religion.

If you haven’t made any New Year’s resolution, I encourage you to consider this for yourself.