Rohrer It's 2009 and we can hardly believe it! Ready or not a new year has begun. It's tradition to say "out with the old and in with the new." We begin thinking of things we'd like to change, begin or try. We think of a new year like a freshly cleansed chalkboard. Once again we have been given a new slate.

That, my friends, is the way it is with God. The only difference is we do not have to wait a whole year to start over! God is ready to cleanse us and make us new any and every time we come to Him. The blood of Jesus Christ not only cleans our slate but also purifies our souls. There's nothing in the world like the feeling of being freshly forgiven, cleansed and set free! That is the awesome work of God's grace. Now is the time to start anew.

John 8:36 says this, "If the Son sets you free, you are free indeed."

My prayer for you is that you experience that deep truth of God's grace in your lives not just at the start of a new year, but every moment of every day.

Sheri Rohrer is pastor of Connections and Outreach at the Delphi United Methodist Church.