I love the New Year—the hope, the possibilities spread out before me like the blank pages of a journal. I love to dream, set goals, imagine what could be.
But this year, we’re almost to the end of January and I haven’t made a single resolution. I’ve not come up with grand visions. I’m letting one page of the calendar gently turn to the next without forcing anything.
It’s strangely freeing.
It’s also hard for me to accept.
At breakfast this morning I said to Mark, “Let’s talk about the year ahead.” It felt like I was still missing something. But we both came to the same conclusion: our focus for this year is just to keep moving forward.
We have projects in the works, people we love who need extra support, a handful of commitments to fulfill. These aren’t about flashy goals, big dreams, or new, brave things. But they are worthwhile. They are good. They are what loving well looks like in this season.
January can come with a lot of pressure. If you’re feeling that too, I hope this little post will be a relief—that it helps you set down anything that feels heavy, release expectations that don’t fit, and embrace what (or who) is right in front of you.
At the end of our lives, it will not be the BIG things that matter most. It will be everyday life, little moments, quiet faithfulness, strung together like beads on a necklace—small things that together become something beautiful.
“Well done, good and faithful servant,” says the Master in the Gospels.
Not “Well done, great and famous servant.”
Not “Well done, go-getter and fast-mover servant.”
Not “Well done, gorgeous and flawless servant.”
What are we asking of ourselves that God has never required of us?
The truest thing about you is that you are beloved. This is your eternal identity, not something you have to earn or prove this year.
It is enough to simply do what you can, with what you have, wherever you are, for whoever is in front of you each day. It is enough to keep moving forward.
I’m cheering you on as you do!
Gratefully,
Holley
MORE FOR YOU
If we’re unclear about our purpose, it can create pressure because we end up doing what everyone else wants us to do—only to feel exhausted and overwhelmed. Who’s been there? (Raising my hand.)
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