I hope your New Year is off to a great start!

I feel like I’ve been in a post-Christmas whirlwind, but I think I’m finding my way back to a more normal rhythm. :)

This week, instead of my normal blog post, I’m sharing an article I wrote that was published in my local newspaper. I’m sharing the first couple paragraphs below, and you can follow the link to read the rest! Hope you find it encouraging!

Holding on to Hope in 2019

For many, the start of a new year is exciting. It’s a time of hope and anticipation, an opportunity for fresh starts and second chances. But it can be a bittersweet time as well.

There may be dreams or goals we’ve been working toward or waiting on for multiple years. The passing of yet another year without their fruition can be painful. Our thoughts may be filled more with what didn’t happen in 2018 than with what we hope will happen in 2019.

Cynicism may start to seep in. We may be tempted to give up on our big dream and settle for the security of a smaller story. We may wonder, Why keep trying? Why keep hoping?

As I reflected on the birth of Jesus this past Christmas, I was reminded of someone who surely felt the sting of passing years. Not long before Jesus’ birth, another child was born—John the Baptist, a relative of Jesus. Unlike Jesus’ mother, Mary, who was very young, John’s parents—Zacharias and Elizabeth—were very old. They never had children, and they had long given up expecting any…

You can read the rest here!

With love,

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I want to hear from you!

Is there something you’ve been praying for? What has helped you hold on to hope while you wait? I'd love to hear about it in the comments below!

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P.S.

I wrote this post because I’m on a mission to encourage and equip women to live the life of faith, passion, and purpose that we were made for. You can help make a difference by sharing this post with a friend (or friends!) who you think would be encouraged or inspired by it (use the buttons on the left!). Thanks!

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