My desk calendar offers an inspirational quote for each month. I’m looking at January: “You have to dream before your dreams can come true.” I’ve been thinking about those words.

Today we watch the inauguration of a new President. Ordinarily this would be a day of celebration and joy with parades and cheering. Unfortunately recent events have left us shattered with fear and anxiety. Where is our dream? Where is our dream that our nation can be a better place? Where is our dream that our citizens can live in peace and mutual respect? Where is our dream that discrimination can be erased?

Martin Luther King Jr. expressed his dream for our country in these famous words. “I have a dream today. I have a dream that one day every valley shall be engulfed, every hill shall be exalted and every mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plains and the crooked places will be made straight and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together.”

Don’t give up on your dream for our nation. Raise them to the Lord, pray fervently. Your prayers will be heard. Yes, we face “rough places” and “crooked places.” The days ahead are not easy. But our awesome God is all-powerful! Our Lord in his unconditional love will be with us on this journey, on the good days and on the bad days, everyday! Alone we are lost. Remember “I can’t, but God can.”

Let the pure voices of these children remind us of our dream.

Judy