It’s a natural tendency toward the end of December and the beginning of January to take stock of our successes and failures, goals met and missed, dreams realized and dreams still brewing from the past year and begin to consider how we’d like the new year to be different. Pam Farrel and I recently had a conversation on Your Hope-Filled Perspective podcast about ways to start your new year off right. Pam shared about her tradition of choosing a Word of the Year, and I talked about helping our minds stay focused on God’s promises and shared an invite with you to join our 7-Day Today is Going to be a Good Day Challenge. What if I told you that every day can be a good day despite our feelings or circumstances?

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The first “Today is going to be a good day” post

I remember the day I pressed “post” on my first “Today is going to be a good day” social media post. I was home alone on a five-month medically prescribed bed rest, unable to serve my patients as their doctor, and dependent on my family for care. Kept alive on IV hydration and nutrition, I had dwindled from 113 pounds to a skeletal 74 pounds. I had recently undergone one surgery and had another scheduled for the next day. My circumstances depressed me terribly and left me unsure I wanted to continue life in this manner.

Spending too much time alone with your thoughts can cause a downward spiral into a pit so deep you can’t escape alone. I looked around me and it seemed, through my skewed perspective that everyone else was joyful, and nothing I tried brought me joy. So I concluded I was “joy-immune.” I knew I needed a reason to keep fighting and a way to positively impact my outlook on life. I needed God to throw me a lifeline!

Then a friend with a heart for me and for the Lord texted me Psalm 30:5, which says, “For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime! Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning.”

I had read that verse at least a hundred times in my lifetime. But this time, I sensed in my spirit that God was saying, “If I promise that my joy comes in the morning, then it is impossible for you to be joy-immune. When you fully believe my promises, you will have that joy you’ve been wanting, despite how you feel and despite your circumstances.”

God has never broken a promise; we can count on his promises coming true in our lives. Standing on any of his promises gives us a reason why today—or any day—despite our circumstances, is a good day for a good day.

That first “Today is going to be a good day” post was a simple thought: “Today is going to be a good day because God has promised his joy will come in the morning.” Apparently, others were struggling as well, because that post seemed to resonate with many of my readers.

A few weeks later, my circumstances had not changed dramatically, but my desire to get back to a normal life had heightened significantly. I was tired of the four walls that surrounded my sickbed. I longed for glimmers of hope in what felt like a hopeless situation. And I needed motivation to keep fighting.

I diligently searched and found another reason to believe that day could be considered good even though my circumstances were not: “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:19 KJV).

The positive responses I received to that second “good day” post surprised me. Clearly, others needed the encouragement too. A couple of weeks later I posted a third, then a fourth a few weeks after that. I can’t tell you exactly when the change occurred, but over time I realized I needed to be intentional about deciding my outlook and choosing to appreciate each day.

I look back in amazement that what started as somewhat of a pep talk to myself (and those who follow my social media posts) turned into more than six years of daily encouragement straight from God’s Word to my social media friends and acquaintances.

It was then that the publisher came to me and asked me to consider writing an entirely original book with new and expanded content for my readers. That led to publishing my latest book, Today is Going to Be a Good Day: 90 Promises to Start Your Day Off Right (Baker Revell, 2022).

Each entry in that book is brand-new, never before published, and includes not only the thought for the day and the related Scripture but also a reflection question to help you apply it to your life, a prayer, and a recommended playlist song. When I was in that pit of despair, I struggled to praise God. Yet, when I played praise and worship music, I invariably sang along and praised God through song. So I’m sharing those songs with you as the recommended playlist song for each day.

Perhaps you are going through a difficult time, maybe you struggle to find the good in the day, or maybe you have a friend who is grieving, has cancer, has lost a job, or is going through some other trial and needs daily encouragement. Then you might consider picking up a copy of Today is Going to Be a Good Day: 90 Promises to Start Your Day Off Right.

Join the Free Challenge

Every day, I still have to challenge myself to change my mindset and focus less on my feelings and my problems and turn my focus to The Problem Solver and His promises! I’m still a work in progress and some days are harder than others. That’s why I’ve decided to challenge myself and you through the free 7-Day Today Is Going to be a Good Day Challenge beginning TODAY January 2, 2023.

We’ll send you a daily encouraging email, short encouraging video with tips for helping you to have a good day, the offer to participate in a Facebook group for accountability and support if you desire, as well as freebies and giveaways. I hope you’ll join us: 7-Day Today Is Going to be a Good Day Challenge

Because his promises never fail, today is a good day for a good day!

Believing his promises for you today,
Dr. Michelle