In our fast-paced world of instant notifications, endless scrolling, and constant distractions, the idea of meaningful change can feel overwhelming. We often find ourselves making the same resolutions, setting similar goals, or promising ourselves "This time will be different," only to find ourselves back in familiar patterns weeks or months later. Why does lasting change seem so elusive?

Wake up, coffee, work, dinner, sleep, repeat. Our routines can become so deeply ingrained that we practically operate on autopilot, barely noticing the days as they blend into weeks and months. While routines provide structure and stability, they can also become spiritual straightjackets, limiting our growth and dulling our sensitivity to God's presence.

Have you ever found yourself stuck in a cycle of regret, replaying past mistakes like a video on a loop? I certainly have. There's something almost comforting about regret – it's familiar, predictable, and requires nothing more from us than to sit in our disappointment. Unlike the challenging work of transformation, regret asks little of us beyond acknowledging what went wrong.

My car is the best car ever manufactured. I may be a bit biased, but I adore my Kia Soul. Though those around me often scoff at my “hot rod,” I love everything about my girl Kiki. Unfortunately, driving is not one of my spiritual gifts. Consequently, Kiki isn’t perfect; but I love her all the same. Her left bumper has a few scratches. Her driver’s-side door has been dented and damaged. Kiki’s substandard condition is also partly due to my laziness. Dirty aprons from my waitressing side-gig are strewn across the floor. I’ve yet to replace the windshield wipers, which are growing thin. And, admittedly, I haven’t gotten her washed in ages. 

Have you ever felt that nagging sensation deep within—the one that whispers you were meant for more? That feeling isn't just restlessness; it's recognition of a profound truth: you were created by God and for God.

This devotion is long overdue. Several months ago, God impressed a message onto my heart. So why has it taken me so much time to write it down? If I am honest, I feel like the last person who should be communicating this idea. I have a (very) difficult time applying this lesson to my life. So if it feels challenging to you, you are not alone. 

It's the first week of January, and you're holding a journal that feels like a metaphor for your walk with God this year. Blank pages spread out before you—untouched, full of potential, waiting for something more than just your plans. This isn't about New Year's resolutions or another attempt to manufacture the perfect spiritual life. It's about making space for God to move in ways you might not expect - not plans you'll force, but plans He's carefully crafting. Some chapters might feel like wilderness wanderings—full of questions, waiting, unexpected turns. And that's exactly where transformation happens.

Your heart is not a fixed container, but a living, breathing landscape that can expand, contract, heal, and transform. God is inviting you to a journey of growing concern that goes far beyond personal comfort and into the deep waters of His love by allowing it to reshape your understanding of the world and your place in it. Expanding your heart requires radical dependence on God. It's acknowledging that true compassion doesn't originate from your own limited resources, but from the inexhaustible love of Christ flowing through you. Your capacity to care is directly connected to your willingness to be transformed.

Your relationships are sacred spaces where transformation happens, where God's love becomes tangible, and where we slowly become more like Jesus. They serve as mirrors, challenges, and invitations to deeper understanding. Some people will accelerate your growth, while others might inadvertently hold you back. The key is developing spiritual awareness about the relational ecosystem you're cultivating. Who challenges you to grow?

Your life is a canvas where each stroke reveals not just what you do, but who you're becoming. In the hands of God, this masterpiece unfolds intentionally, step by step, moment by moment. As 2025 begins, remember that transformation isn’t a checklist to complete or a destination to reach. It’s a living, breathing journey. This isn’t about fixing flaws, being a better person, or chasing goals. It’s about reflecting Christ’s character in a way that’s deeply personal and beautifully imperfect.

Your dreams for 2025 matter, and that’s why you need to put them down on paper. Some of your hopes and dreams feel exciting. Others feel vulnerable. The point isn't to have it all figured out. The point is to be fully present. Fully honest. This is about transparency. Raw, unfiltered conversation with God. No masks. No performance. Just you—with all your hopes, fears, potential, and limitations.

Our sense of purpose is deeply intertwined with how God shapes our understanding through our actual lived lives. Purpose isn't a linear trajectory, but a dynamic relationship with God's ongoing work. This year likely revealed layers of your calling that you might not have recognized in the moment, and that is why we want to spend some time on the final days of the year reflecting on how we sensed God worked in us and through us.

How has your relationship with Christ evolved over these past twelve months? Picture yourself sitting quietly, opening your heart to God's gentle whispers, examining the intricate tapestry of your faith walk. This year has been a testament to God's incredible grace. Perhaps you've experienced mountaintop moments of profound connection, or maybe you've walked through valleys that tested your faith. Either way, Christ has been present – in the celebrations and the struggles, the victories and the challenges. He's been weaving His purpose through every single moment of your life.

Have you ever felt like your emotions are a spiritual rollercoaster? The truth is, God designed our emotions as a beautiful, intricate way of understanding ourselves and connecting with Him. This past year has been a journey of the heart – a landscape painted with vibrant hues of joy, deep shadows of grief, unexpected moments of peace, and raw, vulnerable experiences that have shaped your spiritual walk. Today, we want to sit with the emotions we’ve felt and experienced over the past twelve months:

Relationships are the heartbeat of our spiritual walk with God. They're not just casual connections, but sacred ground where God's love takes shape through our daily interactions. Think about the people who have walked beside you – family members who've offered comfort during storms, friends who've been your silent supporters, or colleagues who've challenged you to grow. Each relationship is a carefully crafted moment, orchestrated by God to shape your character and reveal His love.

Have you ever looked back on a year and wondered how you made it through? This past year has been like a roller coaster – full of unexpected twists, turns, and moments that took our breath away. But here's the beautiful truth: God has been right beside you, carefully weaving each experience into a beautiful tapestry of grace. Today, we want to begin our retreat journey by reflecting on the circumstances we faced in 2024, considering where we witnessed God’s faithfulness, and articulating the lessons we learned along the way.

The Christmas story is filled with people finding their voice through worship. Mary's song of praise revealed her deepest understanding of God's character. The shepherds, after their extraordinary encounter, couldn't help but glorify and praise God for all they had seen. The wise men expressed their adoration through costly gifts. Each found their unique voice in worship, and each contribution became an essential part of the nativity narrative. Like the Magi who traveled great distances with a single purpose—to worship—we too discover our authentic selves when we fix our gaze upon Jesus. It is in our coming King where we find our truest voice. 

When Simeon held the infant Jesus in his arms, his life became a living testimony of fulfilled desire. After years of waiting and watching, his deepest longing materialized in the form of a tiny baby. His patient anticipation, guided by the Holy Spirit's promise, culminated in a moment of profound witness. His life spoke volumes about the faithfulness of God even before he uttered his famous words of praise. During Advent, we're invited to consider how our lives bear witness to fulfilled desires. This isn't about material wishes or temporary satisfactions but about the deepest yearnings of our hearts finding their answer in Christ.

On that first Christmas night, heaven couldn't contain its joy. What began as one angel announcing good news to frightened shepherds suddenly erupted into a cosmic chorus that filled the night sky. This wasn't a carefully planned performance but an overwhelming explosion of praise that had to be expressed. The glory of God had taken on flesh, and creation itself couldn't keep silent. When we speak of praise filling every corner of our being, we're talking about this kind of all-encompassing worship. Praise starts in our hearts but refuses to stay contained there. Like sound waves that travel until they encounter resistance, authentic praise penetrates every aspect of our lives—our thoughts, actions, relationships, work, rest, dreams, and struggles. 

Imagine a natural spring pushing up from deep within the earth—pure, constant, and life-giving. Our worship should mirror this image: not manufactured or forced, but naturally flowing from our deepest places. The metaphor of a wellspring captures something profound about authentic devotion to God. Like groundwater that finds its way to the surface through unseen channels, true worship emerges from the hidden places of our hearts, shaped by our daily encounters with His grace.