In this in between time–the days after Christmas but before New Years–a lot of people spend time reflecting on the past year and on what they’d like to accomplish in the next year.

I had a few goals for 2024.

WRITING:

• 5000 words per week
• one book published
• one ebook formatted for print

PERSONAL:

• go sugarless
• exercise 2x per week
• blog weekly
• get off soda
• drink more water
• write Adam (my son)

I wrote Adam faithfully during the time he was away–he’s back sooner than we expected, but God had/has a plan. Other than that, I achieved NONE of my other goals. It makes me incredibly sad.

Although, I did go off soda for a while, and I probably do drink more water, occasionally.

And also, this past year was full of stressors in my life. My husband had a heart attack in January (while we were on a cruise). My youngest went in to and out of the Air Force (one by choice, the other not). My next youngest moved out and got married. My oldest daughter moved out. We bought and moved into a new home (10 days before my aforementioned son’s wedding). We sold our old home. My husband had several hospital visits in relation to his heart to make sure there wasn’t significant damage, etc. My youngest daughter moved two hours farther from home with her husband and my soon-to-come grandchild.

There were also some good things–I got to travel to Italy and Greece and several other small countries, via a cruise in the Mediterranean. I gained the aforementioned daughter-in-law. My daughter is “cooking” a grandbaby. We LOVE our new home, and we SOLD our old one. And many other smaller, more difficult to name blessings.

So as I’m contemplating 2025, I remember my word for 2024. ABIDE-to remain, to stay; to wait for; to remain steadfast or faithful to.

As I type this, I realize–with tears in my eyes–it wasn’t about ME abiding in God. It was about Him abiding with Me during this year. He was steadfast and faithful during every crisis of relationships, of health, of struggle, of self-loathing (yep, I deal with it), of depression (came || this close to forcing a meet and greet with Jesus). He was with me and He remains with me. Even when I wasn’t faithful and railed at Him about stuff, He loved me.

It reminds me of this story: Luke 7:36-47

Then one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to eat with him, and He entered the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. When a sinful woman from that town learned that Jesus was dining there, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume. As she stood behind Him at His feet weeping, she began to wet His feet with her tears and wipe them with her hair. Then she kissed His feet and anointed them with the perfume.

When the Pharisee who had invited Jesus saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, He would know who this is and what kind of woman is touching Him—for she is a sinner!”

But Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.”

“Tell me, Teacher,” he said.

“Two men were debtors to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. When they were unable to repay him, he forgave both of them. Which one, then, will love him more?”

“I suppose the one who was forgiven more,” Simon replied.

“You have judged correctly,” Jesus said.

And turning toward the woman, He said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? When I entered your house, you did not give Me water for My feet, but she wet My feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not greet Me with a kiss, but she has not stopped kissing My feet since I arrived. You did not anoint My head with oil, but she has anointed My feet with perfume. Therefore I tell you, because her many sins have been forgiven, she has loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little.”

I love God so much, because He has forgiven me so much.

We sang this song in church YEARS ago, but it still comes to mind regularly, because I FEEL it.

So for me, 2024 was a rollercoaster of joy and stress. I pray 2025 is less hectic, but I don’t think it will be.

My word for next year is GROWTH. I don’t know what it means or even what to expect, but I am expectant.

I need to grow in my writing and art, self-discipline, eating habits, and exercise. I want to improve my relationships and create new ones. And I want to love God more and sin against Him less.

I pray your 2025 is full of growth, peace, strength, love, joy, hope, and blessings, but also good books, uplifting music, new friends, restored relationships, and renewed faith. May your days be bright even when their cloudy, and may the Light of the world fill your hearts to overflowing so that everyone around you is touched by the abundance of Christ in your life.

Happy New Year,