New Year and a Renewed Mindset

Transcript

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Coming up on Renewed Mindsets, our special New Year's Day episode.

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As we step into the new year, let's get ready to embrace new beginnings and the power of transformation.

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Let's kick off this year with fresh insights, god's eternal truths and a renewed commitment to align our hearts and minds with His perfect will.

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Let's go, boys.

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Hey, welcome to Renewed Mindsets, bringing you God's truth from a Gen X perspective, with a mix of humor and a dash of nostalgia.

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Remember when life was simpler and all we needed was a good mixtape?

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Well, we're here to make your spiritual playlist even better.

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Join us as we explore scripture, laugh a little and rediscover the power of a renewed mindset.

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Don't conform transform.

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Welcome back to Renewed Mindsets.

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I'm Rick and I'm so glad you're here as we step into a new year.

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New years is a time filled with hope, fresh starts and lots of resolutions.

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Some stick and, let's be honest, some don't.

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Today, we're going to talk about how we can approach the new year with a mindset rooted in God's truth.

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Now, before we jump in here, let me share a quick story about one of my more ambitious New Year's resolutions.

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A few years ago, I was inspired by my brother, mind you.

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I decided I was going to jog every day, rain or shine.

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On January 1st, I laced up my new Nikes, I went out for a really brisk jog and I thought man, this is great, I'm going to do this all year.

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By January 3rd, I was curled up on the couch with a bowl of popcorn watching TV.

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Clearly, my resolve wasn't enough to sustain me.

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That's the problem with resolutions, though, isn't it?

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They rely on our strength alone, but lasting change, real transformation, comes from God working in us, and that's what we're going to focus on today.

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Section 1, Renewing your Mind for the New Year.

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My absolute favorite verse in the Bible is Romans 12.2.

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It says Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

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Now you've heard this from me before.

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This verse is foundational to renewed mindsets.

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It reminds us that our transformation begins in our minds and our hearts, not with external resolutions or with willpower.

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So how do we renew our minds?

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It starts with immersing ourselves in God's Word.

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Daily Bible reading or even committing to memorizing one verse each week can make a huge difference.

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Think about it Just one verse a week means 52 verses.

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At the end of the year, those words become a part of who you are, shaping your thoughts and your actions.

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Now, right now, today, I'm struggling with anxiety about the future.

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I've decided to focus on Philippians, chapter 4, verses 6 and 7.

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Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your request be made known to God.

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Now, I've done it before and I'll meditate on that verse daily, along with praising him.

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Through the pain, and slowly but surely, god is replacing my anxiety and hurt with his peace.

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Now here's where I got to the point where Philippians 4, 6, and 7 stuck with me all the time.

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I would write that scripture on sticky notes and put them everywhere, put them on the bathroom mirror in my car, on the dashboard, on my desk at work, and over time that verse became my anchor.

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God replaced my worry with his peace.

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So here's a challenge for you this week pick one verse that speaks to you and write it down.

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Share it with a friend or post it where you'll see it daily.

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Let that verse guide your thoughts.

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That's the power of renewing your mind.

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When we let God's truth take root, it transforms how we see the world.

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Section 2.

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The God of New Beginnings.

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Do you know what I love about our God?

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He's the God of new beginnings.

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The Bible is full of stories that remind us about this truth.

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Think about Noah After the flood, God gave humanity a fresh start.

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Or Ruth she went from being a grieving widow to part of the lineage of Christ.

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And then there's Paul, who went from persecuting Christians to being one of the greatest apostles.

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These stories show us that no matter where we are in life, God can give us a fresh start.

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Now, maybe this past year was hard for you.

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Maybe you feel like you've failed in some way.

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Let me encourage you with Revelation 21.5.

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Behold, I am making all things new.

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God's mercies are new every morning, just like we hear in Lamentations 3, verses 22 and 23.

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That means every day, not just January 1st.

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Every day is an opportunity to start fresh with God.

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Don't let the weight of yesterday hold you back from the joy and hope of today.

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Now take a moment to think about one area of your life where you need a fresh start.

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Pray and ask God to guide you as you step into that new beginning Section 3, Trusting God's Plan for the Year Ahead.

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Another verse I want to share is Jeremiah 29 11.

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For I know the plans that I have for you, declares the Lord.

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Plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

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This is a verse that we often hear at the start of the new year, and for good reason.

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It's a beautiful reminder of God's sovereignty.

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But trusting God's plan isn't always easy, is it?

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Especially when things don't go like we expect.

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The one thing that's helped me is keeping a journal of prayer requests and answered prayers and pretty much my thoughts on God, prayer requests and answered prayers and pretty much my thoughts on God.

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It's incredible to look back and see how God has been faithful, even when His timing or methods didn't match my expectations.

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Now, just as an example, there was a time and it's in my journal that I was praying specifically for something to come about in my life, something that dealt with my future, and when it didn't happen, I wasn't just disappointed, but I was destroyed, it seemed like.

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But just a few months later, god opened a different door that was so much better than anything I could have ever imagined.

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Trusting God means surrendering our plans and letting Him lead.

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It's not always comfortable, but it's always worth it.

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So here's some good practical tips for trusting God.

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One I said it keep a prayer journal.

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Write down your prayers and revisit them to see how God answers.

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Two embrace patience.

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Oh, I know about this.

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One God's timing is perfect, even when it doesn't align with ours.

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Just remember that.

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And three surround yourself with encouragers.

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Find friends or mentors who remind you to keep trusting in God.

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This week, ask yourself where in your life do you need to trust God more?

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Take that area to Him in prayer.

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You'll be surprised.

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Section 4, Building a Strong Foundation for the New Year.

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As we step into this new year, let's talk about building a strong foundation.

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That foundation starts with gratitude.

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Psalm 100, verse 4, says Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise.

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Let's start each day by thanking God for at least one thing.

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It shifts your focus from what you're lacking to the abundance of his blessings.

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Next, let's talk about setting God-honoring goals.

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Instead of resolutions like I want to lose weight, think about goals like I want to honor God with how I take care of my body.

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It's about aligning our desires with His will.

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Finally, let's consider using Scripture-based affirmations.

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For example, I am fearfully and wonderfully made, psalm 139.14.

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Or I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me Philippians 4.13.

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These truths help anchor us when life feels uncertain.

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And on top of prayer and gratitude for that foundation, make sure you add obedience.

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Jesus says in John 14, 15, if you love me, you'll keep my commandments.

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Obedience isn't about perfection, but about a heart willing to follow God.

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Now think of this year as a building project.

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Your foundation is God's Word.

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What you build on that foundation your habits, choices and actions well, they'll determine how strong you stand when challenges come.

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This week, take a moment to reflect on what kind of foundation you're building.

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Ask God to help you strengthen it.

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Closing Thoughts as we wrap up, I want to challenge you to take some time this week to reflect on how you can put God first this year.

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Maybe it's committing to daily prayer, or finding a Bible reading plan, or serving in your community or in your church.

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Whatever it is, write it down and share it with someone who can encourage you along the way.

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Let's pray together.

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Heavenly Father, we thank you for the gift of a new year.

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We ask that you guide our steps, renew our minds and transform our hearts.

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Help us to trust you in every situation and to glorify you in all that we do.

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Thank you for your mercies that were new every morning.

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We give this year to you and ask you for your blessing In Jesus' precious name, amen.

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Thank you so much for joining me today on renewed mindsets.

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Don't forget to subscribe and share this episode with a friend and start your year with God at the center.

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We'll be back.

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I'm so excited about this year.

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We'll be back next week.

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We'll probably have Lauren.

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I know some of y'all are excited about that because you're tired of listening to me by myself, but that's okay.

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Have a blessed new year and I'll see you next time.

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Have you ever seen the pictures online where they show where the Atlantic and the Pacific Oceans meet and you see a visible line where the two bodies of water appear to clash but they don't fully mix.

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Well, that happens because the waters have different levels of salt and temperature and density.

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They create a gradient making it hard for the waters to blend and it results in a noticeable contrast on the surface.

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It happens all over the world.

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Cape Horn at the tip of South America is one spot that it does that.

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Well, when the Pacific and the Atlantic Oceans meet, they keep those characteristics for a while.

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That's like showing us God's wisdom and purpose in nature.

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The differences in their saltiness and their temperature and their density create that line and it demonstrates the harmony and balance that God created.

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The harmony and balance that God created that separation affected by the strong currents, like the Antarctic circumpolar current.

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It highlights the detailed design in God's creation, or even the waters have specific places to be.

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Now, this meeting point symbolizes the boundary between two large ecosystems and each one flourishes under God's care.

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The different marine life in both the oceans, each suited to its environment, it shows the diversity and the creativity of God's work.

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And while that natural boundary poses challenges for sailors, it showcases the incredible power and majesty of God's creation.

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Now we think of this natural phenomenon, let's remember Romans 1, verse 20, that says For since the creation of the world, god's invisible qualities, his eternal power and His divine nature have been clearly seen, being understood from what's been made, so that people are without excuse.

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The visible line where these two oceans meet is not just a physical occurrence.

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It's a testament to the divine creator who designed the earth with purpose and precision, and he invites us to marvel at his greatness and seek him in the beauty of his creation.

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Well, that's all for this week's show.

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You know the name of this show speaks my hope for you.

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It's taken from the words of Romans, chapter 12, verse 2.

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Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind that, by testing, you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

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If you enjoyed what you heard, do me a favor, please, and tell someone you know about it.

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Send them a link and a text you know.

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You may even need to download it to their phone and show them what a podcast is.

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If it was valuable to you, it will be to them.

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Visit renewedmindsetscom to hear past episodes, read the blog and check out the new merch and, as always, while you're there, send me a voicemail by clicking the button at the bottom right corner of the main page.

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Tell me what you think about this show.

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I just might play it on a future episode.

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Until next week.

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I'm Rick.

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I love you, see ya.

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The intro and outro music for the Renewed Mindsets podcast is Are you Ready?

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By Floodgate From the album Are you Ready?

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Copyright 2002, offbeat Ministries Incorporated.

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Floodgate can be found on Apple Music and iTunes.

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Music used with permission.

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But what happened to the baby New Year?

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He ran away.

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You see, little Happy was anything but happy here and I didn't know a thing about it.

New Year and a Renewed Mindset

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