I know that they are just dates on the calendar, but there is something cathartic about saying “goodbye” to one year on December 31st and “hello” to a new one on January 1. When I glance in the rearview mirror of 2023, I am reminded that there were so many things I never saw coming last year. It’s probably a good thing – not knowing everything ahead of time. I never saw some painful family circumstances coming. I never saw health challenges, matters of life and death, coming. I never saw medical bills coming. I never saw time away from my church family coming. But God did. God saw it all.
God saw the support and care that He would provide to me, some of it through you! God saw the procedures and surgery coming that would bring about subsequent healing. And when Donna and I gave by faith our First Fruits offering last year at this time, God saw how He was going to provide for us to pay for the portion of the medical expenses that we were responsible for after insurance – $10,000 and counting. This was significantly more than we gave for our First Fruits offering last year. But somehow He has covered it! He saw it coming!
Looking Back
As I look back at 2023, I am not looking to run it back, but I am grateful beyond words that God allowed it and brought me through it. When I said that looking back was cathartic, I didn’t realize how literal the use of that word was.
- God allowed me to go through open heart surgery. He took me through a time of realization that I had a problem. He was with me as He provided a remedy through surgery.
- He afforded me time to consider what He might have for me in the next leg of my life’s journey.
- He was with me during my many days of recovery which allowed me time to contemplate my life as it has been, as well as what it could be in the future.
- He was with me – and still is with me – in my physical rehabilitation. He’s given me the strength and fortitude to press on and work my heart in a way that makes it stronger than it has been in years.
- He’s given me the courage to no longer accept my obesity, but to put away shame, believe I can change, get coaching and a plan, and keep my mouth shut so that I could lose weight and cast off the spirit of defeat.
These are just some of the things that God did for me in 2023. What did He do for you?
Looking Forward
The turning of the calendar page to a new year is not only cathartic, it is catalytic. It ignites a hope for change, for initiative, for a rebooting or factory reset. For me, it gives me renewed energy to carry over the things I need to continue from last year so I don’t lose any ground, and it creates an enthused anticipation to see what God has in store for 2024.
What will God do as we give our First Fruits offering by faith this year?
As I return to my ministry leadership post as campus pastor at our Owings Mills/Reisterstown campus, what does He want from me? What does God want from us?
What will I discover about myself? My family? My church?
What opportunities lie before us to worship with more passion?
How can we continue to grow in knowledge and depth of insight into His person, His will and His ways as we study His Word together?
Will we lean into caring for each other more deeply and laughing with each other more freely?
What can we do to serve our community with even more of the Holy Spirit’s demeanor?
What prayers will we pray together? What answers to those prayers will we celebrate together?
The possibilities are endless. You never know what a year holds. How exciting is that?
As you glance back on last year and look forward to this year, here are some key questions to ask yourself:
What happened last year?
Where did you see God working? Maybe it was something that you didn’t see coming, but God did. What did you start last year that you need to continue in this new year?
What’s holding you back this year?
What do you need to stop doing this year? What fear do you need to face with your faith? What shame or past failures do you need to evict from your heart and mind? What excuses do you need to call out? What plans will you put in place? What community will you embrace?
Who or what will you rely on?
God is always up to something, and we’re all going through something. The Apostle Paul wrote to his church folks in Philippi, “I can do everything through him (Christ) who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:13 NIV). I confess that I did not get through 2023 by mustering up my strength from within myself. I’m not that strong. It was Christ who gave me strength.
We can get through anything with God and each other. I sure can’t face 2024 by myself either because you never know what a year holds, but we know who holds the year – and US!
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