Every "New Year" brings new things, but we must transform our minds and hearts to let go of the old and embrace the new. Once a door is closed in the spirit, it cannot be opened, yet we hold on to the past that keeps our minds trapped to something that is debilitating rather than enlightening. Thoughts and words have power, and scripture tells us in Proverbs 18:21, "Death and Life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof." It has been studied that words of encouragement brings confidence in a person, good mental health, they believe in themselves to do well in life, they have better physical health, are more resilient, have good coping methods, know they are loved, and have a calm spirit. Negative words are harsh and cause anger in a person, stress, they lose confidence and self-worth, they give up and feel there is no hope for them in anything they do, and no one loves them; in addition they are prone to depression and a...