
Did you do it? Did you stay up until midnight and greet the New Year?
Were you able to see the first sunrise of 2023?
The beautiful start of a new year means 365 days of possibilities and opportunities.
It’s a clean slate, the beginning of new things.
Are you on board?
I wanted to be, but at 5:45 this morning, I struggled to pull my body out from under the warm covers and head up to the peak to experience the first sunrise of the new year.
Tony and I hiked to the highest point with jackets, beanies, gloves, and hot coffee to sip on. I was happy to be there with him.
Without hesitation, the burnt orange ball of heat appeared through the cloud-laden sky, and it was glorious. It was changing the atmosphere into a water-colored masterpiece. I was so glad that I refused to give in to my slumber.
I leaned over to ask Tony if he was just as excited as I was to be there.
“I’m weary,” he spoke. My heart shifted. “Weary? What do you mean?” He was silent.
My almost always happy guy was feeling weary.
I searched my brain for the definition because what I heard was, I don’t want to be here.
But that’s not at all what he was saying. He was feeling tired and lacked joy in this early morning experience. But he did it because it made me happy. I was grateful. But I knew he needed this day to rest and be refreshed. So, I planned the rest of our day with that in mind.
Three hundred and sixty-five days of possibilities make it a year of exploring new things or getting better at something we already know.
I hope to embrace all of it.
I want to be sensitive to the people close to me and hear their hearts when they speak. And help in whatever way I can.
I want to know God more deeply. I was proud to have read through the entire Bible in 2022 for the first time. I have often tried to follow along with a yearly bible reading plan, and by March, I’d fall behind and give up. Last year I asked the Lord to help me stay the course, and He did.
The things I knew about God’s word became more evident as I read. His devotion to us is never based on our abilities but solely on His love for us. I finally understood how the Bible interprets itself, needing no other book to explain the before, during, or after. It was life changing.
This year I want to be more inviting.
Welcoming those I don’t know so well into my life, and home like I used to when I was younger and less tired.
I want to be fearless.
When moments present themselves, I don’t want to greet them with the usual doubtful narratives of the what-ifs but welcome them with a hearty yes!
I love the beginning of a New Year and want to encourage all of you to reach for the best possible year and not let the bumps in the road throw you off course.
Look for occasions to draw closer to God and boldly share your faith.
Spend time caring for the people you love in a new way.
Speak the truth of God’s word in love, and never give up.
Ask God to give you wisdom and walk in obedience to his word.
I’m praying blessings over you this year.
God bless you and Happy New Year,
Jamie
January 1, 2023