Beauty Among Thorns: New year, new promises

BLT Challenge: Go find a quiet spot and be still until you feel peace

The hustle and bustle of Christmas is over. I love Christmas and the hard truth staring me in the face and the beautiful reminder of my need for Jesus, I also hate being sucked into the hustle and bustle of materialism. It's a struggle every year and then there's this lull between Christmas and New year, a kind of peace slowly moves in and it's God's promises we can cling to for a fresh start. It might seem like I hate a lot but here goes another hate,

I hate new year's resolutions. They never last a week.

God's promises stay true through every season.

There's so much build up and hype to the holidays and then the inevitable letdown, but I went out to our wedding spot in the woods right after a fresh snow and there was peace.

Immanuel. God is with us. He is WITH me.

Through every season.

God promises that He will be with us. He will never leave or forsake.

So if you're a list maker or picture drawer, do something to remind you of that promise and the promise of a new year. I LOVE a new year. There's something really exciting to me about the unknown future and what this next year could hold. It feels more real when Christmas is over. A new year is about to begin. Buckle up. So much can happen in a year, can't it? We've been praying and fasting the first weeks of the new year and it's been so fun to look back on the prayer requests from January and see how God answered throughout the year. It makes me want to dream bigger for next year and see the hand of God move in even bigger ways and my faith to grow even deeper.

Almost 5 years ago, on a hot July day, this was our wedding "aisle" and now it's a peaceful, snow covered pathway for my family of (almost) 5 to enjoy on a snowmobile. So much happens in 5 years and so much possibility for the future and hope when we put our trust in Jesus.