It’s time to hang the new calendar on the wall! it’s a good time to briefly celebrate the victories, recall the blessings, forgive those who have hurt us, forgive ourselves as necessary, and move on to 2018.
For the new year, I have adopted three values that I want to focus on in my writing, and my life.
A real faith
- It has been challenged by difficult circumstances, doubts, and questions.
- It is different than a hand-me-down, institutional-oriented, politicized way of believing.
People
- Love the outsider. They often have the greater insight.
- Avoid hurting and overlooking people in the pursuit of needs and goals, rather personal, institutional, or programs.
Bridge building
- Look for ways to bring people together in respectful dialogue.
- Reject tribalism.
The next twelve months will bring new opportunities and challenges that will further mold us and make us. My prayer for each of us, including myself, is to stay encouraged because we have a loving and forging God, to stay in the game contributing to people’s lives because we each have something special to offer, and do our best to love people we brush shoulders with, especially those who may seem outwardly different from us.
May God bless you in 2018!
I hope I can follow those three values also.