A New Year!

Happy New Year, my friends!

I love the beginning of a new year. It’s like a re-set button, a chance to breathe in fresh grace and mercy, the opportunity to dream new dreams, set new goals.

Whatever changes you plan to make this year, know this:

God’s unchanging. Immutable. That’s one of my favorite characteristics of His because it means I can count on Him. He’s stable even when I’m uncertain.

His word is true, even when my emotions say otherwise.

And His heart toward me—toward you—is always good.

We rang in the new year with the Johnsons—a tradition we started four years ago, back when the two began dating. This year, we spent the night in OKC, watching the Thunder and the Mavs play (a little Johnson/Brandenburg rivalry—Go Mavs! :)).

Derek made a statement yesterday about starting and ending the year with the same people, and that comment has stayed with me.

Howell and I faced a lot of changes in 2017, but we are most thankful this year that our relationships with friends and family stayed the same.

What a blessing!

Seasons come and go, circumstances change, and even the work, the stress, the tasks are temporary. But relationships are forever.

Whatever goals you set this year, make your relationships a priority. When you sow and invest in people, you reap a greater blessing.

May your year be full of joy and peace and people who love you!

God has filled my heart with anticipation for this year: "But as for me, I will look expectantly for the Lord and with confidence in Him, I will keep watch; I will wait with confident expectation for the God of my salvation" (Micah 7:7).