As we begin the new year of 2018, we instinctively begin to think of making resolutions. I mean, who hasn’t? I know I have, and still do each year, whether it’s a mental or written list.

But this year, I want to share with you one of the best choices I believe you or I could ever make to have a good life:  Having strong relationships in your life.

Dr. Robert Waldinger is the director of the Harvard Study of Adult Development, which has tracked the lives of men for 80 years. He loves to share surprising findings about what makes people healthy and happy. One of his discoveries is the importance of the quality of your relationships. He says that the quality of your relationships at age 50 is a better predictor of your future health than your cholesterol levels. And while alcoholism and smoking are top health threats, loneliness ranks nearly as high.

This doesn’t mean you have to have tons of friends – just have some close connections. It could be one or two close relationships.

Let me ask you this: Who would you call in the middle of the night if you were sick or scared? That’s a close relationship. Who can you sit down with and share about something you’re worried about? That’s a good relationship. Did you know that when you do this your body literally calms down and your blood pressure comes down along with your stress hormones?

Even if you had a terrible childhood, if you have good, healing relationships all through life, you can do well.

Yes, good health stems from strong connections. I pray you have a circle of loved ones around you this new year!

Manna from Heaven

The most important relationship you will ever have is the one with the Lord Jesus, God the Father and the Holy Spirit. He created you to yearn for Him and when we surrender totally to His will, His Spirit comes in and creates in us a totally new person!

“Therefore, if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature: the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.” 2 Corinthians 5:17

When you ask Christ into your life, God then gives you the tools and the desire to love others and to do for others which in turn, brings a circle of true friends into your life.

And yes, God heals any of you who are brokenhearted over your sins, your life or where you are right now. He just wants you to be a part of His family.

I pray with all my heart that each one of you will reach out to others as well as let others reach out to you.

Action Plan

You might feel that staying connected or even getting close friends is hard and unattainable for you. My suggestion? Go through your phone list and just start calling the friends you do have. Whether they reach out or not, be the one who does! Get together for coffee or dinner. Open up your home and invite people over. Be active in your local church and become part of a Sunday School class or small group; join a sports group, book club, or political group. Look for areas you can volunteer. Even if you are ill, find one person you could minister to and they to you. And of course: pray and ask God to bring you a circle of loved ones. 

Final Note: I have missed writing for you in this blog! My website has gotten hacked two more times and it’s very costly to repair. Please pray that it won’t happen again!