John 15:5 (NJB), “I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me, with me in him, bears fruit in plenty; for cut off from me you can do nothing.”

Hello OTP family! To anyone who is doing a fast/consecration for the month of January, here is some information you may find helpful. We (at my local church) are fasting and consecrating this month. 2025 was an interesting year that was full of challenges, heartbreaks, and upsets. But there was also victory, increase, maturity and fulfillment.

2026 is full of uncertainty, but what remains constant is the faithfulness of God and his provisions and blessings. It is also a year that will require direction from God so that we can navigate it successfully, and not be ambushed by the whims of men.

Week 1 was all about Connection through partnering with Jesus! Scripture focus: John 15:5. “Going Deeper: Partnership with God does not mean equality of authority, but alignment of will. Participation is the lived expression of that alignment, where believers actively cooperate with the work God is already doing in the world. In this sense, discipleship is not about initiating activity for God, but discerning and joining the divine movement already in process.” – Apostle Aaron B. McNair.

• Day 1: Connectivity. Connection is not symbolic; it is spiritual, covenantal, and vital. Jesus invites us into the same union He shares with the Father. Point to ponder: Connection to Christ is not optional – it is oxygen. Point to pray: “Lord, help me to recognize the life flowing through me because I am commented to You.”
• Day 2: Co-laborers. Focus scripture: 1 Corinthians 3:9. Jesus modeled this for us in John 5:19. He said and did nothing independently but worked in total partnership with the Father. Point to ponder: When I work with God, I work at a divine advantage. Point to pray: “Father, thank you for trusting me enough to partner with you in your kingdom work.”
• Day 3: Cooperation. Focus scripture: Philippians 2:13. Jesus cooperated with the Father perfectly. He only acted where the Father led (John 5:30). Point to ponder: The branch does not force fruit – it cooperates with the vine. Point to pray: “Holy Spirit, teach me to cooperate fully with your movements in my heart.”
• Day 4: Cohabitation. Focus scripture: John 14:17. Jesus prepares his disciples for this shift: He is leaving physical so He can return spiritually in a way that is more intimate and transformative. Point to ponder: where I live determines how I live – and Christ lives in me. Point to pray: “Lord, dwell richly in me. Fill every room of my heart.”
• Day 5: Coordination. Focus scripture: John 15:2. The disciples wanted to build an earthly kingdom; Jesus was coordinating them toward a heavenly mission. His pruning brought them into the rhythm of God’s plan. Point to ponder: Pruning doesn’t punish effort – it purifies focus. Point to pray: “Father, align my heart, schedule, and priorities with your mission.”
• Day 6: Collaboration. Focus scripture: Acts 1:14. This prayerfully unity is what births Pentecost. Their connection to Christ becomes collaboration with one another. Point to ponder: Heaven collaborates where believers unify. Point to pray: “Lord, make me a unifier and collaborator in your kingdom work.”
• Day 7: Communion. Focus scripture: John 15:4. Sin broke communion with God; Jesus restores it. Communion is not just a ritual, it is a relational rhythm. Point to ponder: Communion is the daily choice to stay connected to Christ. Point to pray: “Jesus, deepen my communion with you throughout this consecration.”

As with any fast/consecration there should always a time daily for devotion and prayer. We want to pray in alignment with our daily focus as noted above.

This week was a tough one for me. The new year started a Thursday, and I was under attack by Saturday. I praise God for the victory (he always causes us to triumph), but this consecration is right on time for me. You can take the remaining weeks of the month and make the consecration your own. This is a great starting point because it causes us to focus on our relationship with Christ as well as with our fellow laborers. It highlights the fact that we need one another; that we are stronger together.

There are times when you cannot effectively pray for yourself. We need someone to pray for us. I was able to lean on my husband to pray for me during the attack. The beauty – God spoke to me to pray the prayer of faith for myself as well – to rebuke the enemy and cast him out in accordance with His word. We did this together – and I am walking by faith in the victory he has given. During your prayer time, call out the names of those that God places on your heart and pray earnestly for them. Trust me, God is putting you on someone else’s heart too. So let’s all be willing to pray for one another.

I am looking forward to everything God has for me (and his people as a whole) during this time of consecration. Jesus came so that we may have life more abundantly and I am decreeing that abundant life for myself and the people of God. I encourage you to join me in doing the same.

Week 1 is in the books already and today is the first day of week 2. I am excited for a deeper connection to God and deeper understanding of his will for my life. Trusting Him to provide direction as we step fully into this new year.

I pray God’s blessings continue to be upon you this year. Have a blessed day.

Matthew 7:7-8, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you shall find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks received; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” (NIV).

James 2:17, “In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” (NIV).

Happy New Year 2026 OTP Family!!

As we are now in day 4 of the New Year, I wanted to share some information to inspire and encourage you as you develop and navigate your plan for this year. 2026 is a year of opportunity. We need to not just seek the next level, but to take action – make proactive steps in reaching our goals. The time for being idol is long past.

New Year Resolutions

January is well known for a time of make positive statements of the changes we would like to see in our lives. But the determination to actually see them through to completion usually falls through by March’s end. But this year we cannot afford to fail in our mission to achieve our goals. Matthew 7 promises that if we ask, seek and knock, we will receive just what we need. James 2 warns us that if we do not act upon our faith, we are not actually exhibiting faith at all. Faith is an action word – always has been. Otherwise faith dies when it is idol.

Good Advice in Navigating the New Year

“Tomorrow is the first blank page of a 365-page book. Write a good one.” – Brad Paisley.

This quote encourages us to be move in purpose and to be intentional. Take time to pray about this new year, get direction from God, then set a plan of attack. Remember God has already promised if you ask, seek, and knock you will get what you need. But also remember the warning to put your faith in action. So you have to develop a plan. Then break the plan down into small manageable steps.

Then, take the quote literally – get a journal, and start to write. Write down the vision God gave you for this year. Look at this journal daily and continue to write. Write the things that went wrong, and write the things that went right. Make adjustments to the plan as needed, but with a focus to stay in the will of God. This will serve as a reminder during those times when it seems like everything is going wrong.

“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” – Eleanor Roosevelt.

This quote paints a beautiful picture of faith. You must have faith in the God who gave you the vision or dream. God has a way of breathing life into the things he shows us. They may be small visions – things that we only see small glimpses of (not the full picture at all), but they are full of life and powerful enough to keep us moving forward. They are crucial for creating the future we want and propel us toward personal growth (spiritually and naturally). Most importantly, they move us beyond fear and doubt. We have to maintain our faith in the vision God has given us. We must know (remember and understand) what God has promised, he is able also to perform. (Romans 4:21).

“The secret of getting ahead is getting started” – Mark Twain.

Starting is often the hardest part of the journey. We cannot allow fear, laziness, or waiting for more_____ (you can fill in the blank), stop us from making that first step. Let’s flip back to our journal. If we have complied with the advice, we have already developed our plan and broken that down into manageable steps. Now, let us focus on making that first step a completed reality. This is called applying it – just begin. Stop planning and start doing – even if it is imperfect. You can always make corrections. This is part of the journal as well. We logging what worked and what did not. Then get then next step ready and put that in action too. Keep moving forward. Focus on taking action, not on perfection.

“You don’t get what you wish for. You get what you work for.” – (Quora).

Remember – achieving goals requires consistent effort, action, and persistence, not just hoping or desiring something to happen. It is effort over intention: your outcomes are determined by your actions, not your aspirations. You have a responsibility that cannot be ignored. True success comes from putting in the necessary work, over coming challenges, and making tangible progress. Again, we cannot stand idol. We cannot afford to be slothful or lazy either. It is time for faith in action.

Happy 2026 – A year of turning opportunity into success

Let us lean into Matthew 7 and James 2. Let us seek God and move in faith.

Actionable steps: Dreams become reality through small, consistent steps, dedication, and discipline. We just cannot think about it, we need to be about it.

Responsibility: We must take control and work on self-improvement (spiritually speaking, but also mental, emotional and physical). It’s going to take hard work, but it is not impossible work.

Embrace challenges: view failures as stepping stones and keep working through difficulties. Do not give up. Don’t give in. Keep faith in action.

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Happy new year and strap on your boots – it’s time to get to work.