Chances are, you don't have the right thing in mind for January 1.

Not that you don't want to. It's just the way of the world. And if you aren't intentional about going upstream, you'll float away in the wrong direction.

Maybe you plan to take it easy to recover from Christmas festivities. Or, you plan to finally tackle all those long-awaited home projects.

You might even be planning to hit the gym for the first time in a long time.

Don't do any of that. What we do first matters more than you realize.

Firstfuits. Firstborn. Seek God first. God pays attention to what we do first.

It would serve you well to set aside the entire day to honor God through prayer and fasting.

Set all the projects aside. Turn off your to-do list. Eat nothing from sunup to sundown.

Keep your focus on God the entire day. Embrace the uncomfortable quiet. Talk to Him. Read His Word.

Just imagine how much better your year will be, starting it off the right way.