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Happy New Year, everyone!  

I hope you’ve had a wonderful Christmas season: that visits with friends and family have been joy-filled and satisfying; that travels have all been safe and smooth; that you’ve had multiple opportunities to enjoy just the right amount of excellent food; that you’ve slept in, ventured into the outdoors, appreciated good music, connected with neighbors, been delighted with at least some of the gifts you’re received from loved ones, and been drawn into thankfulness and worship for the good gifts our Lord has given. Hopefully, you’re feeling ready to face the New Year, confident that God has more good gifts in store for you, for your loved ones, and for our church family.

When I think about stepping into the new year, my mind goes to a familiar passage from Jeremiah 29. I know many of you have memorized these verses and consider them among your favorites, and rightly so. To His people in exile, God offers this encouragement:

“I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. You will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” (Jer 29:11-13)

God had warned Judah that their sin would result in 70 years of exile. He had also promised to restore them, to fulfill the covenant He made long before with their forefather Abraham, and ultimately to accomplish His plan of redemption for the world through them. Judah didn’t have a great track record for trusting Him, so through the prophet Jeremiah God reaffirmed His purpose again: He would not abandon His people, but would bring them back to their land, prosper them, and ultimately heal their hearts. Read a few chapters further and you will find Him promising a New Covenant that would transform them from the inside out, made possible by the coming of Messiah. (See Jer 31:27-34 and 33:14-16 especially.)

It's a word of encouragement to Judah, but it speaks to us today as well. God always has plans for His people, and ultimately those plans are always good, even if they sometimes take us through shadowy valleys on route to our destination.

 So whatever 2025 holds, we know that our Lord has it firmly in control. He has a good plan in mind, and He will accomplish that plan for us and through us. He will be listening as we pray, and He will draw near to us and allow us to know Him better as we seek Him with undivided, loving hearts.

This gives me a tremendous sense of peace and encouragement as I step into the unknown path that leads through 2025. May it do the same for you. And may God grant us all the grace to truly seek Him with all our hearts and minds this year!

Looking forward to this next phrase of our journey together.

Pastor Ken