By Paula Friedrichsen

A new year is upon us and we can’t let this opportunity for a fresh start and new beginning pass us by. 2008 stretches out before us full of possibilities. I believe this could be the year you experience a breakthrough in your marriage. Your whole life could change this year! But it’s up to you to seize the day. It’s up to you to call upon the Living God.

A close walk with Christ is the single most important component to a protected, committed, and joyful marriage. Spending time in His presence will bring us healing and restoration. And when we embrace life as a restored, healed Christian (or one who’s in the process of being healed and restored), we become easier to live with. We become more forgiving, more insightful, and more loving. As God’s transforming Word enters our hearts and minds, we find it easier to trust His plan for our marriages. “Let go and let God” becomes so much more than a catch phrase; it becomes an actuality in our lives.

As you step over the threshold of this New Year, know that you don’t go alone. Your friend, helper, comforter, counselor, and Lord steps into 2008 with you. He knows all that awaits you and your family in this New Year, and He stands ready to help you, guide you, and inspire you. So pluck up your faith, ask God for His blessing, and go boldly where no man has gone before; 2008.

Paula Friedrichsen Guest blogger Paula Friedrichsen is a conference speaker and the author of “The Man You Always Wanted is The One You Already Have” (Multnomah 2007). She lives in Northern California with her husband and teenaged daughter. www.pfministries.com