Barreling into 2019

The Christmas decorations have been all been tucked away for another year……. fall grades have been submitted, Betty has finished all the 2018 sales & expense reports for Joe Beans and the year ended with very special family times that we will cherish forever.

Today is the Saturday after New Year’s Day. After some extended devotional time, Betty and I are settling down and preparing to watch our favorite hoops teams today battle it out on the court (Liberty, UVA and Va. Tech). Levi is asleep on the floor; the fire is crackling in the fire place and Betty and I both are in the “whew” …… mood. 😊

For the last few days my thoughts have been on what 2019 might bring for us. I have semi-retired from pastoral ministry except for a few already scheduled preaching dates but the excitement for ministry has never been as strong as it is today. I love the atmosphere where God has placed us with family, neighbors, friends, students and work colleagues. We are truly experiencing love and acceptance which is grace in action.

We want our lives in 2019 to be characterized by authentic trust. We want to be real, believing in God’s truth and His leadership in our lives. We want to continue to live in an environment of love and grace in total confidence of God and each other with no hiddenness. Trust is the only way we ever access our relationship with God—for example, “The just shall live by faith [trust]” (Romans 1:17 NKJV)—and will always be the basis for our relationship.

So, trusting God and others in an environment of grace will be our goal for 2019.