My Word for the Year... LIGHT
"The light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness doesn’t extinguish the light." John 1:5 CEB
and the darkness doesn’t extinguish the light." John 1:5 CEB
As the final days of 2025 ticked away, a heaviness came upon me. A year of progress toward responding to God's call on my life felt like it came to a halt. The cancer diagnosis that came on the evening of December 8 was all I could see in the moment. The accomplishments of the year didn't seem to matter. The seminary graduation, the completion of Naval Officer Development School, the installation as lead pastor at MCN... what was it all for?
But...God.
We spent last year reading the Bible together in a way that encouraged us to search for God's character throughout the arc of the story of our relationship in history. We focused on who God is. By doing that, the focus stays where it should be - on God, because it's not about us.
So as we journeyed through the themes of Advent this year - Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love - I leaned into who God is. The Light that shines in the darkness. Thanks to the YouVersion Bible app, all of this processing led me to this conclusion: the darkness will come in and surround us, but the Light of the World shines from within us.
We are ignited by the Spirit, shaped by the cross of Christ, and sent in the Love of the Father to share the Good News. Let God's light shine through you, and keep looking for God's character to be revealed as we charge forward into a new year, with renewed vision.
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My Word for the Year... LIGHT2026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 12026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 22026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 32026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 42026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 5Welcome to 2026 - New Resources2026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 62026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 72026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 8New Year Prayer Focus2026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 92026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 102026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 112026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 122026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 132026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 142026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 152026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 16Darkness and Light2026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 172026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 182026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 192026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 202026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 212026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 222026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 232026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 242026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 252026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 262026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 272026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 282026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 292026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 30Together as the Body of Christ2026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 31
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2026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 322026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 332026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 342026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 352026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 362026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 37This Shouldn’t Need to Be Said...2026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 382026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 392026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 402026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 412026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 422026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 432026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 442026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 452026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 462026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 472026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 482026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 492026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 502026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 512026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 522026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 532026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 542026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 552026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 562026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 572026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 582026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 59
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2026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 602026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 612026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 622026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 632026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 642026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 652026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 662026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 672026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 682026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 692026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 702026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 712026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 722026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 732026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 742026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 752026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 762026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 772026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 782026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 792026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 802026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 812026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 822026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 832026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 84
2025
September
1 Comment
Beautifully said Pastor Walt. I too believe that God created us, His children, to shine His light as we navigate through the difficulties of life. As brothers and sisters in Christ, we are meant to pray and help one another and that is how we can shine His light.