My thoughts at this time of the year, as I think for many of us, are about the year ahead. What are our hopes? A return to a more normal pattern of life, returning to our churches free of restrictions. socialising over coffee and a biscuit. What is it we are looking forward too? holidays, meeting family and friends, trips and days out. Whatever our hopes the start of a new year is always an opportunity to reflect and think about our life and faith journey. Where we have come from and where is our walk with God taking us. 

Our Gospel readings each Sunday in church since the beginning of January have seen Jesus on His journey through life. From his Birth at Christmas, his presentation in the Temple as a baby, His baptism in the river Jordan as a young man, the start of his ministry of healing and teaching, showing us something of who God His father is. 

So our journey through this year will be one of highs and lows, of hopes and fears, joys and sadness, events and people remembered, times of parting and of celebration. It will, however, be a year that as we journey, we must remember we are never alone, Christ is always walking beside us, whether we feel his presence or not. A journey when we can always call upon Christ when we are feeling lost in the busyness or the trials of life. Christ is there, waiting for us to turn to Him knowing that we will be found and he will rejoice when we call upon him for support. 

So when we think about the year ahead take the opportunity also to reflect upon your journey , your spiritual journey with God.

Our home groups have just completed a period of study when we focussed upon the Bible. Our final session asked us to think about the ways we engage with the Bible. Did we have a daily pattern of reading, do we turn to the Bible when seeking guidance or reassurance? 

So as part of your spiritual reflection think about your Bible reading, or how you engage with the Word of God. Perhaps consider using daily Bible reading notes or taking up the challenge of reading the Bible completely, in a year. Consider also your prayer life, do you have a regular time when you pray? That need not be formally sitting down but perhaps a prayer walk, spending time with God in the quiet of our lovely churchyard. 

No matter where we are on our faith journey, whether we are new christians or been part of a faith community for many years, it is always good to reflect and refresh ourselves in our prayer life, our reading of the Bible or other books that will help us in that process. 

God wants us to come to him in a spirit of humility so that in Him we can learn who he wants us to be, who we are, in our strengths and weaknesses. Ready to live our life in the light of Christ and so whatever happens in the year ahead, with hopes realised or hopes not fulfilled, we shall always know that we are totally and completely loved by God. 

Glenn