On 1 January 2024, I didn’t know how the year would unfold. 

Sure, I had a couple of signposts that helped me to plan for stages of the journey along with my beloved travel companion, my husband, Ross. The first signpost pointed to six weeks overseas in Greece—associated with our continued volunteer work with Hellenic Ministries. The second beckoned me toward the joy of celebrating my firstborn’s 40th birthday. 

But I didn’t know that I’d need spinal surgery preceded by scans, appointments and procedures; nor did I know I’d be supporting Ross through his urgent prostate surgery and rehabilitation.

I didn’t know about the bleeding disorder that had my haematologist telling me it’s a wonder I’ve lived for my 66 years and, ‘this is very serious, Heather’.

I didn’t know about the wonderful myriad of opportunities I would be offered to nurture and celebrate relationships with family and friends and neighbours-who-are-dear-friends. 

I didn’t know about the wonderful experiences in which I would be able to make new friends at home, in Athens, on Lesvos and Crete, in Liverpool and Enniskillen (Ireland), and through my social media groups! 

I didn’t know just how much this can be true and has been for me: “Courage is moving forward in the face of fear.” (Original author unknown.) Or Corrie Ten Boom’s well-known words: “It is safe to trust an unknown future to a known God.”

I didn’t know just how true were the gently whispered life-giving words into my soul that seemed to come from Father God during a conversation with Him on the first day of 2024, “You treated it as a burden, but I gave it to you as a gift.” (The it being my writing.)

I didn’t know just how much I can procrastinate because of the distant echo of voices demanding that everything—that I—must be perfect… 

But this I do know: through it all, God the Holy Spirit has been helping me to trust more deeply that Father God is good all the time and that His plans, which are actually not all about me, but rather, all about Jesus, are good and right ones designed to promote my wellbeing and freedom to be the real me—who He created me to be.

I might not know what is around the corner—what will happen in my life, in the lives of my family and friends, and in the world in this new year, 2025…

But this I do know: with Holy Spirit’s grace at work in me, I am able to practise the truth in 2025; it is wise, right, life-giving, and an act of worship and loving obedience to God for me to keep hold of the hand of His Son and my beloved Saviour and Lord, Jesus Christ.

And I know, and have experienced, that to remain intimately and vitally connected into the life of Jesus is to agree with Him because God made Him, Jesus; the Word, to be Wisdom itself (Read 1 Corinthians 1:30 and John 15, especially verses 1-17.)

Thankfully I know, and have experienced, that His mercy means that no matter what, the Spirit of Jesus will never leave or forsake me. He will gain my focus and gently woo me back to where I am the most secure—in the centre of His heart!

And so, I will keep going… 

I choose to journey into 2025 with the word, gentle accompanying and guiding me because it comes with peace and hope, and resonates in my soul. I sense that gentle has travelling companions including (but not limited to), Rest. Relax. Go forward slowly and mindfully.

For years now, I’ve been asking God for a word or phrase to serve as a compass point directing me toward Jesus who is True North. I know from the past that I will explore life with all of its adventures as I walk with Jesus, but I will never be lost because I know that this is true: Jesus is “…the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through (Him).” (John 14:6 NLT – paraphrased). And, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8 – NLT)

As I journey gently and mindfully with Jesus into 2025, I see and know that healing will come—transformational healing from the inside out! Let it be, Lord, because this is for your glory and my good. I also know that others who come near will somehow be impacted too! 

The words of Joshua recorded in the Bible say it better than I could ever do: “…be strong and brave, Do not yield to fear nor be discouraged, for I am YAHWEH your God, and I will be with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9; The Passion Translation)

Dear reader, I pray that you will know and experience the truth: you are wonderfully created, deeply loved, and wanted! I pray that you will know that the Father planned for you to be born and that your life, (created by Him) and how you live it, really does matter to Him. God has made a way for you to be in intimate relationship with Him through faith in Jesus, His beloved Son! His Spirit will help you to come to Jesus, or to come back to Him; or to even draw closer into the Father-heart of God to enjoy Him forever—in spirit and in truth.

Reach out to Jesus. There is no valid reason for you to walk the journey of life alone.

It seems to me that Jesus is reaching out to you and says: Come to Me. Come and don’t delay. Test Me and see that I will not fail you. Walk and talk with Me along the way that is the journey of 2025 and beyond. I—who am Love, Truth and Grace—AM faithful and will never leave you or forsake you. Trust Me! I AM trustworthy!

I pray that you and I will feel free to be active and engaged in this part of our life’s journey—2025—a year of peace and increasing freedom in Christ.