Happy 2024 Y’all!

I’m sure I’m not the only one trying to wrap my head around that . . . 2024 . . . almost a quarter of the way into the 21st century. Like so many, I feel as if each year goes by just a little faster. It seems like just as quickly as we’re taking down our Christmas decorations and welcoming the new year, it’s time to put them back up and prepare to say goodbye to the old and usher in yet more new.

If you’ve read any of my past end of year/beginning of the new year musings, you know that I’m not a big fan of resolutions (if you haven’t read them and feel so inclined, they’re easy to find). For years and years, I didn’t like the start of the new year because it signaled the end of the Christmas season, it marked time flying by, and change coming at lightning speed. The past few years have seen a shift in my perception and thinking. I find myself welcoming the turning of the page into the next chapter . . . even if it seems to come all too quickly.

Instead of making resolutions or setting goals, I usually “pick” a scripture and a word to represent each year, and until this morning, I was without either. It’s not that I felt directionless or aimless or didn’t care. It’s actually quite the contrary. I feel like this year brings with it so much hope . . . 2023 was beautiful, full of adventures and fun and memories, but like every year, it also held some pretty profound grief and heartbreak. That’s the blessing of growing older, you know that joy and grief, hard and beautiful, can and do co-exist, and I look forward to continuing right where we left off with this busy, crazy, wonderful, and sometimes, challenging life God has given us. So, this morning I started out wondering if this would be the year with no resolutions, goals, words to live by, and no specific scripture . . . which let’s be real, I have an entire Bible full of specific scriptures. And then it occurred to me, I need to remain steady . . . I need to stay the course and keep on keepin’ on, if you will.

At the beginning of 2022, I landed on the word grace. I realized how desperately I not only needed it myself but needed to extend it to others. With that came the following scriptures:

“And He changes the times and the seasons;
He removes kings and raises up kings;
He gives wisdom to the wise
And knowledge to those who have understanding.
He reveals deep and secret things;
He knows what is in the darkness,
And light dwells with Him.” Daniel 2:21-22

AND

“Trust in the Lord, and do good;
Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.
Delight yourself also in the Lord,
And He shall give you the desires of your heart.

Commit your way to the Lord,
Trust also in Him,
And He shall bring it to pass.
He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light,
And your justice as the noonday.

Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him;
Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way,
Because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass.
Cease from anger, and forsake wrath;
Do not fret—it only causes harm.” Psalm 37:3-8

For 2023 I chose the word flexibility and realized that the quest for grace needed to continue. I also decided that I needed to focus both on Godly contentment and holy discontentment when and where it was appropriate.

“Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:11-13

For 2024, I will be steady. I will continue to work toward being full of grace and flexibility. I will accept that right now, we’re in a very busy season of life, and that’s okay. That someday, in the not-so-distant future there will be major changes and shifts. One day, I will have more time on my hands. But for the moment I will embrace today. I will remember that whether life is calm or chaotic, I find my peace and rest, not in hours or days with nothing on my calendar but in my Savior, my Peace . . . the Holy Spirit, my Counselor and Comforter . . . in my Heavenly Father who loves, guides, and provides through it all.

“For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.” Galatians 6:8-9

May 2024 be filled with joy despite grief, peace in the midst of turmoil, and a steadfastness that only comes from knowing Jesus as Savior.