​Since our theme for these devotionals is “all things new,” here’s some interesting trivia. People who like doing new things are more likely to experience earworms. What’s an earworm, you ask? The Germans coined the word to describe those pesky songs that get stuck in your brain on an endless loop, kind of like a worm crawling around in your ear.
I had an earworm over Christmas that drove me nuts. It started when I heard The Prayer sung in our churches’ Christmas show. It’s a beautiful song and I found myself singing it throughout that day and the next. But then I heard it again on the radio and suddenly I could not get it out of my mind-day and night. Before long, a song I’d once loved had become a nuisance!  For the full devotional, click on WEEK TWO below!

I wouldn’t call her a role model given her felony conviction for lying about insider trading, but when it comes to all things homemaking, Martha Stewart has been a trusty guide. From pie crusts to flower arrangements to furniture placement and kitchen makeovers, her creativity and simple steps have shown millions of people ways to make their homes places of beauty and enjoyment for decades.  I get new ideas every time I watch one of her old shows.
Martha is known for her one rule of life--learn something new every day. I thought about making that a New Year’s resolution, but...I don’t do resolutions. It did, however, make me think of a powerful invitation that Jesus gave related to learning:
To read the rest and get WEEK ONE DEVOTIONALS, click below:

​We are approximately 360 hours into the new year, and if you are like me (and pretty much everyone else), the feelings of promise and possibility that ushered in 2025 are now a distant memory. Resolutions have faded away; routines have been interrupted, and busyness has swept aside the hopeful rhythms we intended to change our lives.
​
Time—the one commodity we can never get back—stops for no one, and with every year, we feel it flashing by faster than before. We scratch our heads and ask, “Where did it go?” knowing that there is no answer that will satisfy.  

​The reality of this makes Jesus’ first public message incredibly good news, since he ushered in a new concept of time, one that might encourage you right about now. In proclaiming, “The time has come, the kingdom of God is at hand,”  he used the word kairos, describing some perfect opportunity, like the sun cutting through the clouds on a rainy day just as you set out to take a walk.

​Kairos has nothing to do with clocks and calendars and schedules, but everything to do with the God of the universe breaking into our lives, often when we least expect it. Jesus’ view of time—the kingdom view—is one of opportunity, of hope, of promise and possibility, much like that New Year’s sense of anticipation that we seem to lose too soon.
​
Do you see the wonder of this? Because God is outside of time, he has an unlimited storehouse of kairos--of fresh opportunities and amazing experiences—to pour out on you and me, whether it’s January or June or December.  

While we cannot create kairos breakthroughs, we can set our hearts to recognize them when they come and receive the blessing God intends. That will be our goal in this five-week series. Though we will focus on one “new” thing from Scripture each week, our primary purpose is to turn our gaze Godward where perchance he will grace us with the kairos we need to experience our kingdom birthright of righteousness, peace and joy  in the Holy Spirit (Romans 14:17).

Did you know there is now an official "quitters day" to designate when most people will have given up on their New Years resolutions? Based on scientific research, it seems that by the 2nd Friday in January all of our good intentions will have gone by the wayside.
That's probably why I have never thrilled to the idea of New Year's resolutions--I hate failure! But I love learning and growing, and to that end, I'd like to encourage you to consider how God wants to broaden your horizons in 2025! Here are a few links to resources that can guide you in spiritual intentionality! (all but one are FREE): 
GOD'S WORD FOR YOUR YEAR: Every year I ask God for a word to guide me, and this has been such a meaningful experience. For a step-by-step guide, read the blog I wrote on it in 2008! Click here.

LET YOUR LIFE SPEAK: A more expanded approach to getting a word for the year, this  devotional guide will help you reflect on how God has been working over the past year, as well as discover a spiritual focus for 2025. For a printable version, click here.

A BIBLE READING PLAN YOU CAN HANDLE! This chronological survey of God's story will take you through the entire Bible in a year. You won't read every chapter, but you will become familiar with eleven eras and how it all fits together by reading portions I've selected for five days a week. Click here.

THE SOUL AT REST: A FORTY-DAY JOURNEY INTO A LIFE OF PRAYER
If you're looking for a meaningful way to grow in intimacy with God, this book will gently guide you through readings and practices. Thousands of people have testified of its life-changing impact. This site is the only place you can purchase this book new.  Learn more about it here or purchase it here. AS ALWAYS...FREE SHIPPING!

I'LL BE BACK! Once we've all forgotten our resolutions and are wishing for some of that New Years Day optimism, I will be back with a free ten-day devotional series to help jump-start your connection with God. Based on Jesus' words that he is making all things new, we will look at ten different ways to expand our vision in 2025. Come back here for those on January 15th! And if you haven't signed up, you can click here to receive updates etc.

On her 16th birthday she met a young man whose presence filled the room. Three weeks later they were married and by the time she was 25, she’d given birth to five children. Over the years, their dinner table became a place of vigorous exchange, peppered with zealous interruptions and intense debate.  She, however, mostly sat back and observed, a quiet witness to the noisy chaos. A friend once asked her if she ever got a word in, to which she quickly replied: “Well, someone has to listen.”

In the last few blogs, I have written about our need to feel known, positing that not only is God’s gaze ever on you and me, but that he delights in what he sees (Read that blog here). To live for God’s pleasure, I suggested, is our highest privilege and greatest joy, if we can get past the hurdles that hinder us (read that blog here). 

​As fulfilling as it is to be seen by God, he doesn’t intend for it to stop there. In fact, Jesus says to each of us, freely you have received, freely give. If  I could wish for one thing this year, it would be that we would all get better at giving the gift every person longs for, but seldom receives, the gift of being heard.

How many people can you think of who really show up when you have something to share, who bring their undivided attention to the table when you are serving up your thoughts, who seem to really want to know you from the inside out?  According to a burgeoning body of research, listening well has become a thing of the past, leading to a dearth of social connections and what the  U.S. surgeon general has labeled an  “epidemic of loneliness and isolation.”**

Someone has to listen...but most don’t. And before we pass judgment, the research also shows that most of us think we are much better at listening than we really are.  Listening well is a lost art for a host of reasons, and I’d like to suggest that as people of faith, we are uniquely graced to turn this around.  

What if, instead of focusing on our own need to be heard, we took Jesus at his word that it is more blessed to give than to receive? This would mean that our own happiness lies in prioritizing people, listening to them in a way that they feel deeply cared for.  

While this is easier said than done, a little effort can go a long way in making others feel heard. To that end, here are some tips for developing this much-needed skill, using the acrostic Listen.

​Most of us simply do not know how to listen. It hasn’t been modeled well but because the need is so great, a single google search will turn up a plethora of free resources. Be a learner by setting an intention to discover something new every week about the art of listening and then put it into practice. A great read on the topic is How to Know a Person by David Brooks.

An invitation is a kind request for someone’s presence or participation. We want to have an inviting heart posture when others speak. Asking questions rather than giving advice or telling your own stories is the best way to do this. If curiosity doesn’t come natural for you, develop a list of options to rely on. Here are a few I keep handy: Can you tell me more about... What has this been like for you? How are you navigating these things? I heard you saying________________. Can you unpack that for me some? What did it feel like when that happened?

​The only way we can create space for others to be heard is by silencing distractions. We need to put away our phones or silence notifications if we want to have a meaningful connection with someone. Even more important, we need to simply stop talking about ourselves. Only as we silence every urge to make ourselves the center of the conversation, can we listen well to the words others share. 

​Let’s face it—the badges of busyness we wear are not conducive to meaningful conversation. When we are hurried, others can feel that they are a bother when they share something with us. It doesn’t have to be this way. Even when we only have a few minutes to chat, we can act like we have all the time in the world for them. How? By leaning in, nodding, looking people in the eye, following what they are saying and offering expressions of interest such as: Really? Wow! No kidding! That’s great! How hard! Amazing! Oh no! etc.

​People are amazing and every conversation can be a journey of exploration to discover the fascinating twists and turns of their stories, which are often peppered with pain. Listening well is like going on a treasure hunt—an incredible privilege that only human beings have, so enjoy the process!

Work at noticing how a person is engaging in the conversation—not just with their words, but with body language and facial expressions. Notice tension or tears, weariness or anxiety, pain or perception, and don’t be afraid to mention what you see. For example, I see some tears there...what is that about? Or This seems distressing to you, can you tell me about it? or I can see this really matters to you...

There is so much more to be said about listening well, but these six steps are a great starting place and can make a difference in whether the people you encounter feel seen, heard, and ultimately loved.
​

Someone has to listen.
​
​Mom is 95 now and her short-term memory is slipping a bit. Yet day in and day out, she continues to show up to every person she encounters. Whether in person or on a facetime call, her eyes always light up when she sees me and immediately asks about my day. I’m not the only one. She has a fairly steady stream of visitors—from kids to grandkids to neighbors to old friends from afar—who have experienced the wonder of her lifelong mantra--someone has to listen.

**https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/27/magazine/loneliness-epidemic-cure.html​