Dearest Readers,

Happy Epiphany Day! 🌟This is the day we celebrate the Wise Men’s arrival in Bethlehem to celebrate the birth of Jesus.  May the light of the star that guided them fill you with hope, joy, and peace that lasts throughout the year.

Did you make a New Year’s resolution this year? I have to admit that I’ve never kept one for more than a week. I only made them because everyone else did, and I wanted to have an answer if they asked me what mine was.  But the spirit of Advent has inspired me to make one this year.

Why do we make New Year’s resolutions? The beginning of a new year is a fresh start, so some people make them to put challenges or failures behind them. Others want to improve their health and fitness, or life and career goals. Whatever the reason, people make resolutions because they’re hoping for something better in the future.

Last year was a rough year, and my one true hope is for all of us to live in a kinder world—the kind of world that God created in the Garden of Eden, where there was no fear, anger, or sadness. God didn’t choose for us to have a life filled with wars or hunger; those are things caused by human decisions. One of the reasons Jesus came down from Heaven was to show us how to do things better!  So, to honor Jesus, my resolution is to master one of the Beatitudes—being a peacemaker.

If you’re not yet familiar with the Beatitudes, they come from Jesus’ first major teaching called the Sermon on the Mount. He gave us 8 ways to live by God’s values so we can love and trust God at all times, and love and take care of one another—values we would still live by if man had chosen to stay in the Garden of Eden.

The hardest Beatitude for me is being a peacemaker. I’m too quick to be offended and too quick to be upset when I hear of an injustice. I’m also not very good at comforting someone who’s hurt and helping them to find a peaceful resolution because I want to be mad right along with them. But that’s not how God created us to be, and not what Jesus wants from us, so I’m going to make peacemaking a year-long effort.

I encourage each of you to also take one of the Beatitudes as a New Year’s resolution. You’ll find them below. Look over the list and let God put it on your heart what you’d like to work on for greater peace and joy in your life.  I’m going to post a monthly update on my progress —good or bad — and I hope you do the same. That’s what our community is all about—encouraging, inspiring, and supporting each other.  God doesn’t expect perfection, and He is happy when we try.

Have a wonderful week ahead! Remember daily that God loves you!

The Beatitudes

• Poor is Spirit: recognizing our deep need for God and relying on His grace and provision for everything.
• Sorry for Our Sins: genuine sorrow for our sins, heartfelt repentance, and comforted by God’s mercy.
• Meek: having a quiet inner strength by trusting God and being at peace with His will.
• Hunger and Thirst for Righteousness: strong spiritual desire to live a life that reflects God’s character in all aspects of life.
• Merciful: having a heart that is open to giving and receiving mercy, to achieve a more compassionate and loving world.
• Pure in heart: striving to be sincere, free from deceit, and focused on God.
• Peacemakers: actively seeking harmony to reflect God’s character, and His desire for unity and peace among His children.
• Willing to be persecuted for God’s kingdom: committed to standing firm in our faith despite knowing we may face challenges.