After Christmas song and celebration. Days before a new year dawns.
Welcome stillness. In your chair. On a porch. In the woods. At a coffee shop.
And take time for remembrance.
Practice a simple scroll through the past year’s calendar. Or go on a longer walk through your journals.
Wait. Listen.
Reflection
Reflection prepares the heart. Recalibrates where needed.
Looking back, we name the joys. Fears.
Recognize places where uncertainty prolonged decisions. Or darkness whispered the unknown.
We acknowledge disappointments. And victories, large and small.
Stillness
Over all of these we speak what is firm and true. By faith.
Recounting Who He is. In all of His glorious strength and tender compassion.
Declaring what He does. In creation and every day life.
Sovereign Designer. Savior. Shepherding His sheep. Seeking the lost.
In stillness, wait. Wait upon the Lord. And with open hands, simply surrender the new year to Him.
What about you?
Where do you go to find stillness after the celebrations? How do you prepare for the new year?
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4 replies on “Stillness”
Reading my journal and making notes about the year is a practice I began in 2020. It was much more hopeful than I expected and encouraged me to face 2021 with continuing restrictions.
Yes, hopeful! I repeated “His love endures forever” after each note on my list one year. And helpful for remembrance of His teaching through His Word each year.
A yearly time I look forward to reflecting on the faithfulness of God and where I need to focus on growing in my walk and obedience with him in the new year. Will I change my reading the word plan? Start a new study? Start a new prayer journal? This year I will go back to seminary after 25 years. Looking forward to all He will show me this year. I pray that I will faithfully abide in him and bear much fruit for his glory.
Thanks for sharing—and congrats on going back to seminary!