Crossing Over into a New Year – Part 1

A Glance At the Past

I don’t know about you, but I’m always recharged and hopeful whenever we cross over into a new year. It’s a chance to start fresh, to put the past year behind us, and make hopeful plans for the future. I just know this year is going to be great!

What are you hopeful for? Leave a comment and let me know.

A year ago, I was very excited, hopeful, and expectant about 2023. I had just begun my Doctor of Ministry program and I loved my schoolwork — yes — even writing research papers! I must be a nerd. I had done well my first semester with my GPA (4.0) and I expected to do well my second semester. When I learned that everything I did would have application to my D.Min. project, it seemed like a giant relief to know that what I did connected with everything else in the coursework.

My biggest adventure for 2023 was going to Brazil in the summertime. I had to get my passport renewed, and I looked so forward to going. It was a different kind of ministry trip in that it was a seminary-only trip. Only students and professors of Global Awakening Theological Seminary were on the trip, and the first dibs were for doctoral students. I jumped at the chance and I was accepted to go. I’d always heard that these kinds of ministry trips were life-changing. They stretched you, encouraged you, and blessed you in so many ways. I was expectant and, in some ways, I could hardly wait.

However, in the middle of May, I got the flu and it lasted a month. That left me only two weeks to try to get into some sort of condition for Brazil. You can read all about my trip in nine parts from last year.

There were some permanent consequences to my trip that I would never have foreseen. I forget I’m getting older. I have a milestone birthday this year. My husband, who is a runner, loves milestone birthdays because it puts him at the bottom of a new age category and gives him a slight edge in races. For me, though, I’m never as excited. I was OK at 30, 40, 50, and sort of OK at 60. But this year, I don’t know. We’ll see.

I suffered loss last year. I’ll speak more of that in the next post.

But I am still excited about 2024! Stay tuned to discover why.

#amwriting #GATS #2024 #newyear #hope #faith #God