By Doug Creamer

Was Christmas cold enough for you? It looks like New Year’s Day will be mild. The weather in N.C. is constantly changing. Friends have asked when we might see some snow. There is nothing on the immediate horizon, but you can be sure that I am watching for any chance.

It’s hard to believe that we are putting 2022 to bed. It seems the year passed by so quickly. It was one of the busiest years that I can remember, and I am partially retired. Much like any year, there were moments that I will treasure, especially those spent with family and friends.

There were some new experiences that created some great memories, like starting my new job at the community college. The most treasured moments were those when students succeeded and earned their GED. Hopefully, we have all had some moments that were great, moments we will remember many years from now.

Conversely, I can easily imagine that we have all had moments in 2022 that we would rather forget. Every year brings with it trials and struggles that challenge us. Some are designed for our growth as humans and others are sad, even tragic, creating scars that we will carry with us the rest of our lives. It’s those moments that we would rather forget and leave behind.

Whatever 2022 held for us doesn’t define what we will experience in 2023. That will only be defined by time and how we interpret the experiences we have in the coming year. Our attitude has a profound effect on the coming year. If we perceive the year negatively then we are setting up a self-fulfilling prophecy. The year will be what we imagine it.

I believe we need to enter the year believing and expecting good things to come our way. I am realistic and know that there will be some tough and difficult moments in the coming year. Every year has them. But I am choosing to believe that God is planning some good things for me in the coming year. I believe God is excited, almost like a little child at Christmas, to bring me into the things He has planned for the coming year.

So we have to turn our eyes on God in faith. We have to trust Him with a future we can’t see. God, who is not bound by time, already knows all that is going to happen. He has gone before us to prepare the way for us. He knows about the challenges that we will face and has already put things in motion to help us through those situations.

He is also planning many blessings along the way for us. Pray that our eyes will be open to see them and appreciate them. I hope we aren’t distracted and miss the great things. God has also hidden some treasures along the way for us. I hope we take time to discover them. He loves to see us unearth His love and kindness.

There is often one thing we fail to consider as we gaze into the new year. God is busy planning opportunities for us to be a blessing to others. Your story and scars might be just the thing that encourages another to keep pressing on. You have a testimony of God’s goodness in your life and He wants you to share it with others. When you share your story with someone who is struggling it’s a great blessing. God is delighted when we share His goodness.

The coming year is going to be filled with great things for all of us. There will be good things filled with God’s blessings. There will be hidden treasures waiting for you. There will be opportunities to be used by God for blessing others. There will be opportunities for us to grow our faith and become stronger. This year is going to be a good year. We must believe it, proclaim it and trust God with all the details.

I want to encourage you to enter 2023 with hope in your heart. Hope that God will reveal His love to you in new and wonderful ways. Hope that your faith will not waiver but grow stronger and deeper. Hope that you will see brighter days filled with God’s blessings. Hope that you can be a blessing to others. Hope in a God of the impossible who will intervene in your daily life to reveal His unfailing love for you. I declare that 2023 is going to be a year of unstoppable faith, irrepressible hope and overflowing love. Welcome 2023, a year of faith, hope and love.

Contact Doug Creamer at PO Box 777, Faith, NC 28041 or doug@dougcreamer.com.