“For like a shaft, clear and cold, the thought pierced him that in the end the Shadow was only a small and passing thing: there was light and high beauty for ever beyond its reach.”
MALACHI
JOURNAL
As another year closes and a new one begins, I am reminded that hope is what fuels the days ahead. The real question of life is whether we are being transformed, and if so, into what. True transformation does not happen through our effort alone, but through surrender to all that God intends for us. We surrender to His future reality, and in doing so we surrender to truth, love, and discipline, the very heart of 2 Timothy 1:7, the verse that has shaped my life.
We are called to worship God and to live in faith and hope. When we do, we learn to live in love. Love is the defining characteristic of God. It is what gives hope its meaning, and it is why we follow Him.
It is interesting to look back at how we came to mark the ending of a year and the beginning of another. Over time, different systems arose, but eventually the Julian calendar introduced by Julius Caesar became the standard, leading to the Gregorian calendar we use today. In one sense, the turning of the year is simply another day, but it also gives us a moment to pause and reflect as the earth completes another circle around the sun.
As I say goodbye to another year, Scripture continues to remind me of my purpose and the purpose of every human life. Every life matters to God. There is not one person He does not treasure. This is why Jesus tells the stories of the prodigal son and the lost sheep, to remind us that each soul is infinitely loved and pursued. Our purpose is to love one another and, in doing so, to honor our Creator. In obedience to Him we find hope, faith, joy, and love. Love is the defining nature of God. It is what our hearts long for most deeply, and its power is what makes this life worth living.
As another year closes and a new one begins, I am reminded that hope is what fuels the days ahead. The real question of life is whether we are being transformed, and if so, into what. True transformation does not happen through our effort alone, but through surrender to all that God intends for us. We surrender to His future reality, and in doing so we surrender to truth, love, and discipline, the very heart of 2 Timothy 1:7, the verse that has shaped my life.
We are called to worship God and to live in faith and hope. When we do, we learn to live in love. Love is the defining characteristic of God. It is what gives hope its meaning, and it is why we follow Him.
It is interesting to look back at how we came to mark the ending of a year and the beginning of another. Over time, different systems arose, but eventually the Julian calendar introduced by Julius Caesar became the standard, leading to the Gregorian calendar we use today. In one sense, the turning of the year is simply another day, but it also gives us a moment to pause and reflect as the earth completes another circle around the sun.
As I say goodbye to another year, Scripture continues to remind me of my purpose and the purpose of every human life. Every life matters to God. There is not one person He does not treasure. This is why Jesus tells the stories of the prodigal son and the lost sheep, to remind us that each soul is infinitely loved and pursued. Our purpose is to love one another and, in doing so, to honor our Creator. In obedience to Him we find hope, faith, joy, and love. Love is the defining nature of God. It is what our hearts long for most deeply, and its power is what makes this life worth living.
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