In this first episode of the new year, Let’s Talk: Truth in Love asks a question we all hear—and hope for—every January: Can we really have a Happy New Year? For Christians, the answer is a confident yes—but not for the reasons our culture usually suggests. Happiness is not found in better circumstances, stronger resolutions, or greater control over life. It is found in understanding our true circumstances as children of God.

In this conversation, we begin by redefining two important words: happy and new. Biblically, happiness is the union of peace and joy—peace that brings wholeness and freedom from fear, and joy that causes our hearts to laugh even when life is hard. “New” doesn’t mean simply repeating the same patterns with fresh effort; it means new and improved—the kind of transformation God brings through a renewed mind (Romans 12:2).

From there, we explore the divine circumstances every believer already lives in. Scripture tells us that God has already given us every spiritual blessing we need for life and godliness (Ephesians 1:3; 2 Peter 1:3–4). Through the Bible, we know God’s character and promises. Through Jesus, our Savior and Lord, we have peace with God, forgiveness of sins, eternal life, and victory over evil. Through the Holy Spirit dwelling within us, we are empowered, transformed, and held in intimate fellowship with the Father and the Son.

This episode reminds us that God’s peace and joy are not merely despite our circumstances—they flow from the far greater, unchanging reality of who God is and who we are in Him. Even as we walk through a broken world, “He who is in us is greater than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4). When we open the gifts God has already given us, we discover that a truly Happy New Year is not something we achieve—it’s something we receive.

Looking for more? Dive deeper into the truth in love with these three insightful books:
• Moon in the Darkness
• Be with Jesus, Be like Jesus, Be for Jesus
• Christ in Us is the Hope of Glory

These books are available online. To learn more, visit
https://friendsofthekingministries.org, where you can also read columns written for the Kingsport Times-News over the last eighteen years.

God bless, and we look forward to having you join us for the next episode.