New Year, Same God

I could not be more excited to jump head first into 2025! “New Year, New Me” right?! Well not exactly. There is a lot of good to take from 2024 and bring into 2025! A lot of new friendships, some wisdom gained along the way, and a new love and appreciation for others! As I look forward to a new year of possibilities and opportunities, I cannot help but first reflect on the goodness of God this past year.

Each year I try to choose a word that will be my mindset and motivation for the next 365 days. I got this inspiration from Sadie Robertson on one of her podcasts a while back. My word for 2024 was Discipline. That sounds scary, but it was quite the opposite. Being disciplined in certain areas of my life has created new habits that I am so thankful for. My first test of discipline was linked to my time in the Word- God’s Word! I had a goal to complete the Old and New Testament of the Bible in a year. These daily readings re-shaped my thinking entirely. Starting my day with a cup of coffee and time with the Lord gave me a steadiness and readiness for whatever the day ahead had in store for me. I learned so much about Jesus’s character and that really helped me know myself a little more. After all- Imago dei! I am Made in the Image of God! Though I have not quite finished the entire Bible yet, I am so close and have a newfound eagerness to walk with Jesus daily. So I am calling that a win!

My second focused area for discipline was health and fitness. My best friend Emma and I have a college goal of running a half marathon. Which ~get excited~ is less than one month away! This past year we started slow and steady. We ran in the Georgia Southern Homecoming 5k and then later tackled the Gate River run which is a 15k in Jacksonville. We then found ourselves in the gym working out and maybe hanging out a little too (we’re just girls) haha! On days when both running and working out felt like a daunting task I reminded myself not only of my “discipline” mantra, but I also reminded myself of some wise words from scripture.

God tells us in 1 Corinthians that my “our is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in us, whom we  have received from God? We are not our own; we were bought at a price. Therefore we should honor God with our bodies." This may sound crazy but on days we have nothing to offer our Maker, the least we can do is move our body. Our body is a gift to us and in return our walking, running, singing, dancing, and even our sweat can be an offering back to our Heavenly Father.

As I continue my reflection on 2024, although I did not choose a verse at the beginning of the year, God so evidently poured Ephesians 3:20-21 over my life. “Now to Him Who is able to do exceedingly, abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” Wow. There have been some hard “No’s” in 2024 but always with a greater “Yes” on the other side. This year I have truly lived out some of my very own prayers. I prayed for a sorority that loves me- God gave me ADPI. A group of girls that love me AND Him. I prayed for a college best friend- God gave me too many friends to count AND I have a friend in Him. I prayed for girls to lead in a Bible study weekly- God gave me six girls to lead weekly AND they lead me to the feet of Jesus. I prayed for a good Little in ADPI- God sent me Anna Kate AND she is now one of my very best friends. I prayed for a leadership role in ADPI- God has allowed me to be on exec this year AND I get to serve alongside the best and most faithful girls. I could sit here and do this forever. I say all of that to get to the point that neither me nor you can out-imagine God. We ask for little and He gives much.

As I step into this new year my word that I choose to pour over my life is “still”. This word spoke to me at a YoungLife Camp I attended to ring in the New Year. At the camp I was reminded of Jesus’s lifestyle. Like myself, Jesus was busy. He always had somewhere to go, someone to meet. But never do we see Jesus in a hurry. Instead, we see Him intentionally making time for those around Him. He sat at the table a little longer, He walked a little slower, He loved a little deeper.

At camp a lady spoke and said “never be in such a hurry that you don’t have time for God to surprise you.” That’ll preach! I will be the first to tell you, I think busy is good! But let us not pair busyness with hurriedness. After all, I am reminded of the scripture in Psalms 46:10 when God tells His people to “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” How can we know that He is good and He is God without first being still? Now, after this revelation, one of my favorite prayers to pray is “God, let me be reminded of the stillness that knowing you requires.” I challenge you to try that as well this year. Pray that the God of peace and rest will quiet your heart and still your soul.

I know for many of us there are some trials and hard moments that we will be happy to leave behind in 2024, but let me encourage you to bring some of the good things into 2025. Recline at the table, pull up a seat for someone new, slow down, and be present. I am hoping 2025 has some good surprises in store for us all. Remember, God has been faithful before and He WILL be faithful again.

Love, Natalee Griffin (AC ‘23)