The year 2020 was a rough.  A pandemic swept the world causing problems for us on many levels.  Multiple people died, countless became very ill, economic chaos engulfed every corner of the earth, people were isolated from their family and friends, the political divisiveness was front and center and mother nature wreaked havoc on our world with flooding, wild fires, tornadoes, hurricanes and earth quakes.  Most of us were happy when that year ended and had high hopes for a better 2021.  Instead, it brought more of the same and as I write this, perhaps we can’t envision 2022 being any brighter.

Cicero wrote, “Let us not go over the old ground but rather prepare for what is to come.”

January is named after the two-faced Roman god Janus (one facing forward and one backward) perhaps suggesting we should simultaneously look forwards and backwards at the start of a new year. Maybe after two years like we have had, it is just better to look forward.  We can’t change the past. We can learn from it, but we can also leave it behind and hopefully set new goals for our futures. We of course don’t know what is coming.  After all, who could have ever anticipated the past two years we have endured? But we can be forward thinking and try to make our futures brighter.  We need to ask the Lord to help us with our plans and resolutions. It is very difficult, but we can try to give up our own will and submit completely to the will of God and see what He has in store for us. After all, He loves us unconditionally and has only our best interest in His heart.

In Isaiah 43: 18-19 NIV we read these words. Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you do not perceive it!  I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.

Fortunately, humans are a resilient species and we continue to hope for better times.  Let’s pray that 2022 is a year filled with good news, many blessings, new opportunities, healing and love.  Amen

Patty