We are a little excited around here!

I just love a new year, don't you? Even though some things carry over from the previous year, January always marks a new beginning for me. Maybe it is because I don't have kids at home any more and aren't tied to the school calendar. Or maybe I'm just glad to have gotten through Christmas yet again! Whatever the reason, I like me some January!

And around the office we are just a little bit excited right now! As announced on Sunday, we are looking forward to sharing The Story in the fall with our church family, but especially with our community. It will be a comprehensive look at God's story throughout scripture, from beginning to end, amen. And a great opportunity to reach out to those around us who don't know God's story...or may not know how they fit into God's story...or maybe just got lost along the way.

Our shepherds have also started off the new year with a bang by challenging us to step up our generosity game to accomplish some goals they have set for us for the next couple of years. And that ain't just a resolution that will be forgotten before we even flip the calendar page over to February!

Starting off the new year this way has inspired me. It's kinda like a fresh new notebook with all blank pages that stirs up all kinds of imaginings about what will come this year (yeah, I'm an office supply nerd too!).

A couple of Sundays ago, before praying over communion, I read out of Isaiah 43 where God says, "Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland." I love that God is about the new stuff too. He wants to do something new in all of us. Why? So that we "may proclaim His praise."

We already feel His leading in the new things planned for our church family this year. He wants to do new things in each of us as individuals too...which will help us get to the places He is leading us as a church. Funny how it all intertwines like that, huh? 

So what new things does God want to do in your life this year? I'm pretty sure I know where He's leading me and hope that you know the same for yourself. Let's look forward to the year, what God will accomplish in each of us and in our church family and then let's proclaim His praise!