“Following Jesus into the New Year”

“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.” Ecclesiastes 3:1

In one of our recent conversations, my spiritual director asked me three questions:

1. What are the things that you would like to bring with you to the new year?
2. What are the things that you would like to leave behind?
3. How open are you to new things and possibilities?

I wrote down the questions in my journal and used them to reflect on God’s direction for me as a new year (and for me a new decade) was about to begin. In my times of prayer I recalled verse one of Ecclesiastes 3, “For everything there is a season.” It also reminded me about the call of Jesus to all would-be disciples: “Follow me.”

 On a personal level, I continue to discern who I am becoming in this new season of my life, a year after Pastor Dave’s death. I strive to focus on one of his last words to me and Isaac: “God is with us.” In very real and concrete ways, these words have come alive to comfort and strengthen Isaac and me as we continue to go through this difficult time of our lives. Those among us who have lost someone we deeply love know something about the pain that we are going through. I greatly appreciate your prayers, words of encouragement and at times your non-prescriptive but compassionate silence. We are not out of the woods yet, so to speak – but, by God’s grace, I believe that we are making progress towards healing and growth.

Moving from the personal to our American Baptist denominational family, I would like us to join our American Baptist brothers and sisters in reflecting on the theme of “Following Jesus” as faithful disciples and let it serve as a guide in our ministry journey through 2024. In reflecting on the three questions and the 2024 American Baptist ministry theme, I invite you to join me in a prayer I wrote down on December 22, 2023 while I was pondering these three questions that I just shared with you.

Dear God, who in Jesus, is Emmanuel, God-with-Us,

May my life be the soil where seeds of possibilities are sown.

May your Spirit fall afresh on me and water the ground of my becoming.

May I wait patiently in the darkness of winter for the springtime of new life,

where faith, hope and love sprout towards the light of growth

… to honor you

… to celebrate your goodness and grace

… and to rejoice in the fruitful harvest of transformed lives, surrendered to You,

for the praise and glory of your name. Amen.

Have a Blessed New Year!

In Christ’s peace,

Pastor Carla