Happy New Year! It seems that 2016 is being remembered as one of the worst years ever. Celebrities dying, Brexit, the election... How do we, as Christians, respond to this cynical attitude? There will always be sin in the world until Jesus returns to restore all things. So, will next year really be better? We need to find hope in something more than the events and circumstances of the times. We spend some time contrasting the foolishness of the world with the kingdom work that is happening every day. While we can appreciate the contributions of people like Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds, we need to keep them in perspective. Their impact will fade away, but the impact of a man devoted to the Lord will have impact that lasts for eternity. We talk about our friend J.L. Williams, who passed away this week, and the faithful life he lived that impacted many for the Lord. We also talk about our goals and planning practices for the 2017. Shawn talks briefly about his reading goals. Micah shares how he and his wife plan a yearly overnight getaway to look at their goals in the areas of finance, ministry & spiritual disciples, child training & marriage, homeschooling, and health. Mark also recommends a list of questions from Don Whitney to prayerfully consider at the beginning of each new year. Finally, we announced a giveaway we have planned, beginning January 4th. More details coming tomorrow!