Our journey of transformation is not a one-time event but a continuous pursuit of Christ-likeness. Just as an artist meticulously sculpts a masterpiece, God shapes us to be reflections of His character.

As we stand on the threshold of a new year, our hearts are filled with hopes, desires, and dreams. We long for success, happiness, and fulfillment, and we're eager to set our goals and resolutions for the year to come. It's only natural to aspire to a brighter and better future, but as we do so, let us also remember the importance of surrendering our plans to God's will.

We find ourselves amid the tension of the messy middle - the space that resides between the year we've left behind and the one that is off on the horizon. It is here where we often get caught up in the trap of fixating on our destination or nostalgically holding onto days that have passed. It's precisely in this middle space that God extends a compelling question: "Why are you here?" It's not a rebuke or a judgment; rather, it's a gentle invitation for Him to engage with us, lavishing boundless compassion and grace.

The past year, with all its twists and turns, has been a journey of joy and challenge, victories and defeats. We've danced through the highs and trudged through the lows, and in the midst of it all, God has been weaving a story—a story uniquely ours. In the stillness of reflection, we uncover the hidden treasures of the past. It's like God's way of giving us a spiritual magnifying glass to examine the intricacies of our journey. As we revisit the moments that made our hearts sing and the ones that brought tears, patterns emerge—patterns that reveal God's hand at work.

For as much joy, beauty, and delight that took place over the past twelve months, there are places where we felt the sting that comes from spending our days living in a broken world. The echoes of the past year linger, leaving us with wounds—some visible, some hidden. There are those of us that 2023 served as a year marked by loss, adversity, suffering, and disappointment. In some way, these disappointments can feel like a death; something died within us - a dream, relationship, circumstance, etc.

From the beginning, God gave us a desire for delight and the means to experience it, so it’s no wonder that delight comes naturally to us. As humans, we are led by what we love! So it's not a question of if we delight, but what we delight in. All around us, there are things that spark joy, spur delight, and move us deeply.

In a world that moves at the speed of a swipe, we often allow our digital memories to languish in the cloud. Even though our lives are constantly documented through the lens of our smartphones, we tend to underestimate the powerful spiritual tool that resides right in our pockets. Our phones, with their vast collection of photographs and social media posts, are a digital scrapbook, capturing the moments that define our lives. In a way, they serve as a time machine.

As we stand on the threshold of a new year, it is a natural impulse to hit the pause button, to step back from the whirlwind of life's demands and take a moment to reflect. In the rush of modern existence, we often find ourselves swept away by the relentless currents of productivity and hustle culture, drowning out the quieter, more profound currents that run beneath the surface of our souls.

We often think peace comes from having everything just right—money, health, smooth relationships, a peaceful world. But Jesus flips that idea. He says real peace is found in trusting Him, not in perfect circumstances.

We are always on the go. We are engrained from very young to work faster and harder. Our schedules are jam-packed as we go from one activity to the next. If productivity becomes the marker of success and success is our ultimate goal, then the quicker we produce, the more success we enjoy.

Hallelujah, Jesus is born! It's time to pull out the mobile devices, snap the cutest picture of baby Jesus and Mary, and hit the send button to let the world know the true Messiah has arrived. Well, maybe that's how it would have been done today.

When our kids were younger, our fridge became a winter wonderland decked with jolly art. From glittery ornaments to handprint reindeer, these masterpieces were like little treasures. Displaying them brought us (and them) a daily dose of holiday happiness. 

Our girls would come home from school, often covered in glitter and paint, excited to show us their latest holiday masterpiece, then plead with us to find real estate on the fridge to display it. 

If you ever doubted you’ve been given influence, I present to you Exhibit A: Remy. For those of you who are unfamiliar with this fellow, he is the Elf that resides on our shelf during the holiday season. And, yes, for all you Pixar fans, he was indeed named after the cooking rat from the movie Ratatouille. I figured it was only fitting considering this elf rats out my kids’ bad behavior to the jolly old man living in the North Pole.

At the end of this year, the music streaming service Spotify will send out to its subscribers "Your 2023 Wrapped." It's a fun way to relive your year in music. From how many minutes of music you streamed to your favorite genre, they highlight every stat imaginable. Considering my family of four shares one account, our look back list presents us as if we were the most eclectic music listener ever. We go from teen pop to 90's grunge music and then over to 70's classic rock and finish it off with either gangster rap, electronic, country, or indie folk. 

Watching my child’s joyous reactions when opening up their gifts on Christmas mornings are memories I truly cherish. But, I would be lying if I don’t think fondly of Christmas morning before kids. There was none of this waking up before the crack of dawn nonsense. No one squealing with excitement and hitting you with pillows to jolt you from your slumber. You were able to wake up “early” (somewhere between 9 and 10 a.m.), brew a cup of coffee, open presents at your leisure and then relax in your pajamas all day while you binge-watch “A Christmas Story” marathon happening on TNT.

Decorating the Christmas tree is a special moment for our family. After a home-cooked meal, we get into our flannel pajamas, put on a holiday music playlist, and set the background of our television screen to a crackling fire. With the smell of hot chocolate in the air, I pull down the boxes from the attic.

My consecutive streak is still intact. It happened again today when I braved the crowds and went Christmas shopping at Target. I'm undefeated when it comes to picking the shortest, yet somehow longest, line in the store. No matter which line I stand in an issue always arises. A return. A price check. Someone who doesn't understand how to swipe their card. A person paying in change. The last individual in all of Wilmington who still writes checks (they exist). And if that doesn't fail, the register will inevitably glitch.

With it being December, we find ourselves squarely in the "I-want-itis" season. Scientists say the disease begins to ramp up starting in late fall, with it is peak potency occurring in the last few days leading up to Christmas. The condition seems to spread and gain its strength through television commercials and slick marketing. Researchers haven’t pinpointed its source, but they do note it appears to spread more rapidly in the toy aisles within Target. 

Forgetfulness is one of my spiritual gifts. I lose track of my keys and wallet on the regular. My wife knows that without a list in my hand to jog my memory, I’d wander around the grocery store aimlessly. Before the invention of Facebook, it was a foregone conclusion that I would forget loved ones’ birthdays. My uncanny ability to be absentminded gets me in trouble, especially during the holidays – which reminds me, I forgot to water my Christmas tree… again.

Christmas causes anxiety to well up inside me. Why? Because I’m a horrible gift-giver. I tend to pull my hair out thinking of what to put underneath the Christmas tree for my loved ones. Most holidays I’ll walk around Target like a lost puppy, overwhelmed by the pressure of choosing the ideal gift. After hours of going back and forth over items, I throw up the white flag of surrender and pick up a gift card on my way to the checkout line. Now, some of you will argue that there is nothing wrong with gift cards. After all, the person who receives it can spend it on something they want. But, if you ask me, gift cards are playing it safe.