Given all that you’ve suffered through this year, you deserve an extreme home makeover; one that involves construction on the interior, exterior and landscaping of your physiological house – your spirit, soul and mind. As 2009 draws to a close, leave that old house with its cracks, creaks and leaks. A new dawn breaks just over the 2010 horizon. It’s time to start feeling good again because God’s got some great things in store for you. Get ready to move into your newly expanded home.

Not all fairy tales end happily, not all days are sunny, and not all efforts result in success. Just like we are conditioned to prepare for the weatherman’s prediction of “a chance of rain” by carrying an umbrella, we need to prepare for life’s prediction of “a chance of failure” by preparing a contingency plan.

Recognize what is best for you. Forget about the negative things others say to and about you. Stop associating yourself with those who don’t have your best interest at heart and/or who will tear you down to make themselves look and feel good. They are cowards. They don’t have the courage or ability to stand out, to be amazing or to be extraordinary. Don’t allow your talents, skills and abilities to be restricted by their opinions. What do they know anyway?

Challenges come to test your mettle. Brutal and scorching, they force you to be strong so that you can bear fruit. You can’t wallow in self pity and aggrandize about the emotional strain you feel. You haven’t time. The orange seed has timeframe for which it must grow into an orange tree and a season in which it must produce fruit. You, too, have a timeframe for which you must grow and develop and a season in which you must bear fruit.