A new year invites us to return to the heart and to a “lessening” that strips away excess so we can rediscover who we are becoming in Christ rather than what we achieve. Drawing on Ephesians and Galatians, it centers on grace as the core of the gospel—being loved exactly as we are—and calls us to interpret what God is like through the life of Jesus, in whom salvation means union with God; to heal, preserve, do well, make whole, rescue, deliver, protect. From that place we are saved to do good works, becoming God’s artwork in the world and displaying creative kindness through lives that are restored, connected, and fully human.

SLIDE GEORGE READ IN OUR GATHERING

New Year's resolutions often wither within a month because your nervous system doesn't thrive by willpower and your soul doesn't shine under the thumb of shame. The remedy isn’t passivity, though. It’s desire.Your longings are a homing beacon, designed to work with body and soul to set you on a sustainable path of flourishing. The invitation of the new year is to return and retune to your heart.  

Chuck DeGroat