JANUARY 1

Fresh and New

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!

2 CORINTHIANS 5:17 NIV

When we accept Christ as our Savior, we get to start over, as if from scratch. Our old, ugly lives and selfish ways are forgotten, and we are brand new. Oh goodness, aren’t you thankful for it? We all have plenty of days we could happily erase: memories of bad choices we made and poor decisions followed through.

Every day, we get to stand before our King and hold our heads up high, knowing we are forgiven and clean. There’s no checklist of our sins and faults, no remembering the worst of our mistakes. Instead, there is the tender love of our Father’s heart, flowing down in abundance upon us, making us new.

Lord, I’m once again in awe of the depth of your love for me. Thank you for the gift of forgiveness and for making me fresh and new.

JANUARY 2

Just Pray

He will pray to God, and God will delight in him. That person will see his face with a shout of joy, and God will restore his righteousness to him.

JOB 33:26 CSB

It’s easy to become overwhelmed by expectations. We want to fit in, to belong, but the formula is constantly changing, and it’s hard to know whose standards we should shoot for: family, work, friends, society, social media…who decides what’s acceptable?

Look carefully at the verse. What must we do in order to be accepted by God? Must we have our acts together, our sinful habits conquered, our church attendance perfect? No. Just pray. We pray to God, and he welcomes us in. Scrubbed and shiny or worse for wear, it’s all the same to him. He sees you, he hears you, and he invites you into his joyful presence.

Father, help me to remember yours is the standard of acceptance that matters most, and that just by praying I’ve already met it. Thank you for loving me as I am.

JANUARY 3

Show Me Your Glory

The LORD said to Moses, “I will also do this thing that you have spoken; for you have found grace in My sight, and I know you by name.” And he said, “Please, show me Your glory.”

EXODUS 33:17-18 NKJV

The sky is gray. Rain is falling, and your hair is just not happening. Last night’s dishes clutter the sink, and a mountain of mail covers the counter. Everywhere you look, beauty seems to be taking a break.

Close your eyes. Say his name. Jesus. Now open them, and look again. See that little spot of blue sky, that single ray of light sneaking through the clouds? Notice the water drops resting on the hostas. Remember the tasty meal that created the mess. The mail may still be jumbled, and your hair may still be doing its own thing, but beauty is here, always, just one sweet word away. Jesus. Let his glory inform your sight.

Lord, when I focus on you, when I say your name, I can’t help but see beauty all around me. Thank you for the surprise and delight of discovering beauty in unexpected places.

JANUARY 4

The Giver of Good Gifts

Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.

JAMES 1:17 NASB

Count your blessings. It’s become a phrase we throw around so often, it may have lost its meaning. But seriously, have you ever done it? Where do we begin? According to this verse in the book of James, every good thing in our lives is a blessing. Every good thing. Ready? Go.

Maybe today is “one of those days,” and you’re having trouble getting started. Your home, work, and social life all seem more like burdens than blessings. It’s okay. Just begin here, with the greatest blessing of them all:

Father, you are the giver of good gifts. Even on the days I can’t see any good, I can still see you. I always have my Father in heaven, unchanging, sending down blessings like rays of light.

JANUARY 5

Ask Anything

This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.

1 JOHN 5:14-15 NIV

Think of a time you wanted something, maybe from a parent or your boss, but you were afraid to ask. Why were you afraid? Perhaps you feared you didn’t deserve it. Or possibly, you wanted it, but you also knew it wasn’t necessarily good for you. Whether you’re an adult asking for a day off work or a teenager asking for permission to stretch a curfew, it can be difficult to ask boldly for what you want, especially if you’re not entirely certain you should have it.

Take heart in these words from 1 John, and know that when you place your relationship with God as your top priority, you can ask him for anything. Anything! When we most desire to be in his will, he gladly grants our other requests.

God, you are my deepest desire. Knowing I can come to you with my needs, my dreams, and my unspoken longings brings comfort to my soul. Boldly, I lay my requests at your feet. I know the answer will be just what I need.

JANUARY 6

Cry Like a Baby

As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you; you shall be comforted in Jerusalem. You shall see, and your heart shall rejoice.

ISAIAH 66:13-14 ESV

Few images are more peaceful than that of a mother sweetly comforting her child. Imagine the tenderness of her embrace and the gentleness of her voice. This is the picture God gave Isaiah to explain how he comforts us when we let him. So let him. Give up the struggle, and let him.

It’s okay to cry like a baby. It’s okay to just close your eyes and snuggle into his arms. He wants you there! Listen to the sound of his voice; listen to how much he loves you. Fall in with his gentle sway, and let him fill you with his joy.

Father, I need you. I need you to hold me and love me and tell me everything’s going to be okay. Help me settle into your embrace, to stop struggling. Whisper in my ear, “I’ve got you, dear one. I’ve got you.”

JANUARY 7

A Safe Place

My God is my rock. I can run to him for safety. He is my shield and my saving strength, my defender and my place of safety. The LORD saves me from those who want to harm me.

2 SAMUEL 22:3 NCV

In some seasons of life, the attacks seem to come from all sides. Just as we find shelter from the arrows in the east, the spears arrive from the north. When the Old Testament was written, these battles were literal: the arrows were actual arrows.

Today, the arrows look more like bank statements, work pressures, and ailing parents, but our source of refuge is the very same. God is your safe place. When you run to him, he is always there; he will defend, protect, and deliver you from whatever you face. His deliverance may not look like you imagine, but if you trust him, it will come.

My God, you are my rock. You are my safety, my best defense, and my only salvation. I stand on your promise, I rest in your love, and I wait for your deliverance.

JANUARY 8

Wonderful Counselor

You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

PSALM 16:11 ESV

In high school, we wonder what to do with our lives—what college to attend, what area of study to pursue, and even which of our friendships are building us up. The guidance counselor is just down the hall. The door is usually open and advice is wisely dispensed. We leave feeling lighter, more certain about our next move. The process is pretty simple.

Jesus gives us the Holy Spirit, a wonderful counselor. When we take our questions to him, he not only shines the light on our next steps, he does something more: he fills us with joy. When the Lord guides the way, we move confidently, joyfully, from one place of promise to the next.

Holy Spirit, be my guide. I choose to walk with you; I trust the path you have for me to travel, and I eagerly await the fullness of your joy.

JANUARY 9

Lifetime Guarantee

I certainly believed that I would see the goodness of the lORD In the land of the living. Wait for the LORD; Be strong and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for the LORD.

PSALM 27:13-14 NASB

Would you give your heart to someone you knew would break it, or accept a job you knew you’d be fired from? Probably not. Faced with a grave illness, you wouldn’t undergo a treatment that was certain to fail. It’s hope that invites us to commit. We aren’t guaranteed an unbroken heart, a 40-year career, or a full recovery, but because it’s possible, we move forward.

There is one promise, one guarantee we can hang our very lives on. God is good. He wants good for us, and if we hope in him, we will have it. Grab onto this promise. Believe it, and wait for him to fulfill it.

Lord, I believe you. I place my hope in you, and I will wait—all my life—for you. Your promises are true, your word is my courage, and your love is my strength.

JANUARY 10

Twirling with Joy

You changed my sorrow into...