See You in the New Year
A gentle pause before the next chapter
Beloved Friend,
This is my last newsletter for the year.
The next time you will be reading from me will be the first Sunday in January 2026.
Pause and take that in for a moment.
God has been faithful, has He not?
Through the highs that made you smile and the lows that stretched you, He kept you. He gave you breath. He gave you time. He gave you another chance to give life your best shot and to keep walking out His plans for you.
That alone is worth gratitude.
You can rest a bit now.
Let your hair down.
Breathe.
You have been showing up for an entire year. The few days left before the new year are not meant to be spent sulking over what could have been. They are meant to be held gently.
Scripture says faithful is He who has promised, and He watches over His word to perform it. Not some of it. Not the convenient parts. All of it.
This pause is not an excuse to be careless. It is an invitation to be honest.
Take inventory.
What did you do well this year that you would like to carry into the next?
What did not go so well that needs growth, healing, or better stewardship?
What patterns need to stay?
What habits need to go?
Not from a place of self condemnation. From a place of clarity.
Spend time engaging God about the new He wants to do. Ask Him how He wants you to partner with Him. Ask Him what obedience looks like in your own life, not someone else’s template.
The coming year is not about making resolutions you will try to keep by sheer willpower. It is about receiving a blueprint and holding His hand as He leads. It is about trusting Him enough to hold Him to His word while you walk with Him, one step at a time.
Joy matters here.
Joy is a fetcher.
It is with joy that we draw.
Go into the new year with joy. Regardless of how this year turned out. Joy is not denial. Joy is confidence that God is not done.
Thank you for reading. Thank you for sharing. Thank you for walking with me through these letters. Thank you for letting my words meet you where you are.
I will see you in the new year, by the grace of God.
With thoughts of kindness,
ABBA’s Shofar