2024

“Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.” Romans 12:12

New Year’s resolutions. Who can really keep them? Definitely not me! I have a difficult enough time keeping to an eating plan for 2 days, let alone a whole year. The beginning and quick ending to goals gets overwhelming and it can be easy to feel defeated.

That’s been 2023 for me. To be honest, it’s difficult to even put a finger on exactly where I fell off the side of…everything. I’m ending the year feeling lost and so unsure of so many things. I wish that I could be a person with a more positive outlook all the time. While I try to be that for others, my gosh, is it hard, really hard, to do that for myself.

This year has been the culmination of the lessons God has been teaching me over the past two decades. What is that? That He, and He alone needs to be my source of HOPE. That it must be in Him where I find my value and identity.

This year there has been one difficulty after another. Anger and frustration with people and circumstances that were all out of my control. There’s been concern about finances and health. Again, circumstances out of MY control. But not out of His.

God is now and will always be in control.

Friend, I don’t know where 2023 has brought you, but I pray that it is a place that brings you faithfully to the feet of Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. There is a reason He is our shepherd. As I sit here typing I am listening to the words of song, praising Him as the ‘shepherd of my soul.’ (Phil Whickham) He is the one that knows the way we need to go and He never leaves our side on that journey.

I hope you’ll join me this year as I focus on the HOPE that we can find in Jesus.

Join me in Rejoicing (be full of cheer/happy) in the HOPE (in expectation/confidence) that we have in the midst of tribulation (pressure/anguish/burdens/persecution) and being constant (be earnest/diligent/continually) in prayer (PRAISE!).

We have an awesome God! Let’s study His Word together this year and share the HOPE that we have because of our faith in our Lord & Savior Jesus Christ!