Sunset. 

Closing.

Ending.

Seemingly final.

Until…

Sunrise. 

Sacred beauty.

Fresh start.

New life!

I wrote this as the New Year literally draws to an end in a beautiful sunset, and was looking forward to the sunrise the next day in 2026.

Sunset, sunrise, and the New Year have come! While walking dog number two this morning and chatting with God a bit, I was stopped in my tracks, looking up into the sky. There was a beautifully orchestrated message there for me! Two contrails from a plane formed a perfect cross right before me. I couldn’t help but think, ‘I see you, God! This sunrise and new year are a blessing to be with You, God, more!’ Well, being God, He didn’t stop there, y’all. I turned the corner and saw another contrail in the same cross shape, so I turned around to see if I was thrown off somehow, but nope, God was showing me that He is BEFORE me and BEHIND me always. 

I’ve never been a big New Year’s Resolution person, but I do make a point to reflect on how I want and need to draw closer to God daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly. This sign in the sky this morning, from God, paired with the holy splendor of a sunset last night, left me awestruck, as if God were whispering to me how to do just that.

I’ll be leaving some things in 2025. From choices I’ve made to things that happened to me, looking back now, they were all actually beautiful, even when they were painful at the time, because they were part of God’s plan. Here are the things I’m leaving in 2025:

1. Leaving putting too much of my identity in my job and not where it belongs, my true identity as God’s child. In 2025, I had a job that I had a passion for and thought I could ‘work my way up’ financially to help take care of myself and my family better. After being laid off from that job and looking back now, I see how God was showing me I am made for more (Ephesians 2:10). My new job as Associate Director of Student Ministry is not only a job I love and have a deeper passion for, but it also allows me to focus on my true identity in Jesus Christ.
2. Leaving stress and worry specifically about finances in 2025. Paired with number one up there, I was stressed and worried before the lay of and more so after, of course, but I know that God has got me. So I’m surrendering my stress of finances to God more now and will definitely be leaving the worry of it all back in 2025. (Philippians 4:6-7)
3. Leaving alcohol and any hold it used to have on me firmly in the past, with 2025 marking year one of sobriety! As I had this major milestone in 2025, I am leaving all the whispers I used to have in 2025, including: ‘having one drink will be okay’ or ‘everyone else can have just a little, surely you can too.’ After a full year of no alcohol and a whole lot more Jesus, I don’t crave or want it like I used to. That is absolutely all God, and I’m excited to leave that in my past for good now.

While I leave these and more behind there are other things I am bringing with me into 2026:

1. Most importantly, I’m bringing my growing relationship with God into 2026! Reflecting on how I spent not only New Year’s Eve but also this New Year’s Day this early morning, and what I’m doing versus what I have in the past alone says it all. Last night I enjoyed a night with my pups, trying to calm them from the fireworks, watching The Chosen, and chatting with God. I crave spending time with God every day, and I look forward to drawing nearer to God in this new year.
2. Bringing and clinging closely to my loving, supportive relationships with my family, church family, and close friends. I love my family so much, and I love how close we have gotten just over the past year. My church family continues to grow, and I love having deeper relationships there finally (Looking back, it had a lot to do with me holding on too tight to take this long, honestly.) My circle of friends has grown a little smaller over the past year, but I look forward to deepening the relationships I still have and loving them all well. 
3. Bringing peace to 2026. I have found peace in handing more of my fears and anxious thoughts to God this past year. Peace in relationships with others, peace in my job at my church, and peace within myself. That is all coming with me for sure in 2026.

I’m beyond blessed to see sunset after sunset in my life, both literally and metaphorically. As the sunsets on 2025, I pray that anyone reading this will see the beauty in the sunsets and the hope that God brings with each sunrise. 

See ya in the next post, with

✝️Lots of Faith & Lil’ Bit of Fur 🐾,