Before the presents were wrapped to later be unwrapped, before candles flickered during Christmas Eve services, before we all returned to work and the calendar flipped from December to January, I heard it.
In Instagram captions and my Facebook newsfeed, during conversations with friends and while listening to podcast episodes, a message rang loud and clear:
New year, new you.
How can four small words carry such weight? The pressure feels like a burden. I’m overwhelmed and exhausted just at the idea.
To be honest, 2019 is not a year I’d like to repeat. It was challenging in ways I may never find words for, but there’s another path running alongside every difficulty: growth.
Most of the growth happened below the surface, roots reaching down deep, and while there’s a long way still to go (and grow), there’s comfort in knowing the same One who was with me every day of 2019 will walk with me through 2020 as well.
This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.
Joshua 1:9 (NLT)
For the Lord your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.
Zephaniah 3:17 (NLT)
“Remember that I am always with you until the end of time.”
Matthew 28:20b (GW)
I’m not interested in a “new you” route. But growth? Wholeness? Learning to see myself and my ordinary everyday through His eyes? Absolutely.
I want to speak with kindness to others and to myself, to choose grace instead of guilt, to unlearn shame and let go of hurry. I want to take off the layers of my old self to see the already-made-new woman underneath (2 Corinthians 5:17, Ephesians 4:22-24, and Colossians 3:1-17).
New year, new you? No thanks.
I want this instead:
New year, same God.
On Christmas afternoon, after the table was cleared and the torn wrapping paper picked up, I pulled out The Greatest Gift and read these words, the “new you” weight falling off my shoulders with each sentence:
“He is the God who is so for us that He can’t stay away from us. The God who loves us and likes us and isn’t merely 50 percent or 72.3 percent for us, but the God who is always, unequivocally, 100 percent for us — the God who so likes us, the God who is so for us that He is the God who chooses to be with us.”
He didn’t call Himself “I Might Be” or “I Was.” He is the right-this-very-second, in-this-moment, always-with-you God. He is the God of Right Now. “I Am.”
God come to us, God come for us, God forever with us. Emmanuel.
He sees us and He sees us through every high and every low, every ordinary in-between. El Roi.
It’s just as true on January 9th as it is on December 25th. He’s as faithful and good, loving and present, on this page of the calendar as He was on the last.
He’s the God who comes and stays and sees, and more than anything else in 2020, I want to see Him with 20/20 vision.
In the difficult roadblocks, in the wide open spaces, in the twists and turns of what seem to be confusing detours, and in the benches along the way that welcome me to pause and rest. In happy hellos and grief-filled goodbyes, in tears that lead to laughter and laughter that leads to tears, may we see Him every step of the way, present on every page.
Emmanuel, God with us every day of the year.
In every moment and every change, the unchanging One remains. He sees us . . . may we see Him ever more clearly in the coming days.
New year, same God.
[bctt tweet=”He didn’t call Himself “I Might Be” or “I Was.” He is the right-this-very-second, in-this-moment, always-with-you God. He is the God of Right Now. “I Am.” – @kaitlyn_bouch” username=”incourage”]
Leave a Comment
Thank you Kaitlyn for sharing this post! Thank you for these important reminders and for taking the time to share those encouraging scriptures! Thank you so much for the reminder that God is with us always – He is the same God today, tomorrow and forever!
2019 was a tough year for me as well. There is something refreshing about the start of a new year, especially when the previous year has been challenging. I am praying that 2020 will be filled with much needed rest. But like you said, “there’s comfort in knowing the same One who was with me every day of 2019 will walk with me through 2020 as well.” Amen, Amen, Amen.
Thanks so much once again for sharing! Have a beautiful day!:)
Love, Blessings & Best Wishes,
Bomi 🙂
Kaitlyn,
The “New year, new you” mantra gets us all wrapped up in pride and the misplaced notion that “it’s all about me”. It’s not. ” It” – life, living, joy, grief, praise, worship, thanksgiving…it’s all about God. I love this post that invites us to seek first God and His kingdom and let Him take care of all the rest. God is all about building our character and our spiritual growth, so yes, this year may hold some trials because trials miraculously bring forth the most growth and take our spiritual roots deeper. The truth we can hang onto is that no matter what, God is good and He will be with us every step of the way working all things together for good. I’m with you, Kaitlyn! New Year, same God. Amen.
Blessings,
Bev xx
Happy new tear Bev! Here’s to doing more of Gods work in 2020!
Bev,
You said exactly what I was thinking about Kaitlyn’s post! Blessings on your journey through 2020 with our Same God.
This right here – agreeing with you: “The truth we can hang onto is that no matter what, God is good and He will be with us every step of the way working all things together for good.”
Yes! As my new year starts I feel him close.and with that I feel loved, calm, fulfilled. Taking note of his blessing, going to him when I’ve sinned and sorry. When I need something or just need support, He is there.
I’m so ready for his next step/plan for my life. For God to use me…but while I wait for that sign, that clear manifestation I’m so very grateful to just be. With. Him! That’s the most important thing of all, my relationship with Him.
Yes I sin, make mistakes am constantly asking forgiveness BUT I hope to do better for Him. It’s sometimes hard to wrap my head around why he would want me, I’m such a disaster of a Christian at times, I get distracted, emotional, act impulsively, lose my temper…you name it BAuT He still loves me because of Who He Is and I know Who’s I am. He helps me with my anxiety, he’s shown me love, healing and wonders this past two years beyond my wildest dreams.
I am SO grateful. There have been hard times too but He’s always been there, even at times when I can’t feel him. He never leaves us, His mercy’s are new every morning.
I want a deeper relationship with Him this year. I want to live even more for him. Grow and mature in his love and see myself and others through His eyes.
Thank you for this post! Thank you so much it speaks to my soul xx
Thank you for sharing here, Jas! 🙂 I hope you have a great 2020 as your roots sink down deeper.
Kaitlyn,
Sorry you had a bad 2019. May God bless you & yours with prosperity, health & His goodness in 2020. This was a great post. Society tells us new year new you. We must make resolutions to do better, be more, etc. God simply says I’m here always to help you through. Sit with me a while & I will change you into a likeness of me. More kindness, less rushing. He told Abraham I am is sending you. If we really want a new us then we need to go deeper into the word & spend time with the one true I am. He will certainly remake us more beautiful & loving.
Blessings 🙂
Happy new year Beth! Here’s to going deeper in our relationship with God and becoming more attuned to His plans while becoming closer and more Christlike in our mind, body and soul together xx
Yes Jan I totaly agree with all that you have said. Thank you writting what you wrote. Dawn Ferguson-Little Enniskillen Co.Fermanagh N.Ireland.
Amen! May it be more and more about him, and less and less about us—because he is worth celebrating in ways that all our accomplishments and resolutions will never be.
Makes me think of John 3:30… Jesus must become more important, while I become less important.
You know we shouldn’t be saying this to this that too that in my eyes. I could be so wrong in saying all that I am about to say. We hear as every New year we come into what are we going to chance in ourselves. What diets are you going to go on. What Holiday’s are you thinking of going on this New year. When if we that have money to go on Holiday. We if have money to buy loads of lovely food over Christmas. We if feel we need to go on a diet and we feel with all the stress of Christmas we been through. Now in the New year if we need to plan for that Holiday. To get the rest we need. Well we look on Tv at all the Holiday adds. We see all the posters talking about join this diet plan and that diet plan. Telling us their diet plans work. They garrent there’s will work. On such and such a night. It will help you loose the weight. Don’t forget mychild you still have to put in the work for that diet class you join. Do what they say. For the pounds you think you put on don’t come off. Then you go on Facebook browse it and you see this person looking this great because they say they been on this diet. You want that kind of body they have. Stop think for a minute. Is that what God wants for you. Be thank full this year and for everyday God has woke you up to enjoy another beautiful day in his beautiful world. If you have got your heath. When there is another person in pain or with something worse. A person struggling to pay their bills. With Depression etc. Be thank full if you had food on your table over Christmas. You have roof over your head a bed to sleep in. Clothes on your back shoes on your feet. As there are people in our world who don’t have theses things. That God gave you all those things. So every day remember This is the Day the Lord has given us let us rejoice and be glad in it. So so true. Psalm 118 verse 24. So true. Love Dawn Ferguson-Little
Thank you for your positive, uplifting message!
“Emmanuel…God with us.” Something I remind myself often! Thank you so much for this lovely post.
Jennifer
I walked the path to good-bye to first my mother in1989, my dad in 1997, my brother in 2016 and now my sister diagnosed Stage 4 Lung Cancer. So 2020 found me almost dreading a new year with the same path. Your article this morning has given me another perspective which I do not have to dread. The same God that moved with me; carried me is with me now…I believe that. Thanks for reminding me. Thank you.
Oh my… I’m so sorry for your losses, Oretha. I pray that you’ll sense the Spirit ever near you and that the promise of His comfort and presence will be like a rope of hope that you can hold onto.
This is a great post and excellent reminder that our precious “I AM” is “ALWAYS”…. I know I don’t talk to my Father some days as much as others but I have the reassurance that He is always with me and I can do nothing with any value without Him. That He loves me this much overwhelms me with gratitude. 2019 met such a desire of my heart and I know it would not have happened without His hand. I am blessed to be able to do the same in 2020. Yes, some days are really tough and tiring but worth every minute!
I understand fresh starts, etc. at the new year, but I always pause at getting a “word” for the new year. Out of curiosity I got a word in 2019 (courage) and 2020 (bloom). Interesting, but they won’t make me follow the “new year, new you” mantra. Just as I am, Father, just as I am!
Blessings to you and yours!!
PRAISE GOD! I JUST LOVE THIS. I NEEDED TO HEAR THIS. THANKS SO MUCH!!
Great post, Kaitlyn. You said it beautifully. I think I was getting into that mindset of becoming a much better version of myself – getting rid of all of my bad habits and taking on new projects to prove my worth. I’m going to do some praying and move ahead in 2020 remembering that God is right with me and He’ll direct my paths and my plans to put them in line with His plans for me. Thanks! ~Robyn
Oh, my favorite person is back writing!!! Wow!!! I literally was just thinking yesterday about that phrase, “New Year, New You.” No joke. I have been so overwhelmed with all of these New Year phrases/emails/etc. I had such a good year last year that I honestly am having a hard time releasing it because I can’t remember the last time I was able to say that. Thank you for elegantly saying what’s been on my heart since the New Year began. I needed to read this today.
Aww, Heidi – your comment is so kind! Thank you.
This year I’m trying to grow more in the area of bravery, but patience with myself and the knowledge that God is with me no matter how many times I fail are things I desperately need! It is definitely a journey and a process! It inspired me to do a series on my blog called “30 Days of Brave,” if you want to check it out, you can find it here: https://www.inbeautifulchaos.com/happy-2020-a-special-announcement/ .
Blessings,
M @ In Beautiful Chaos
Thank you for this encouragement! It was much needed.
I agree with and alongside with all of what you said. I like to remember from time to time from something someone once said, that dwelling on what has happened and what might have happened, is akin to dragging your trash bag around with you each and every day. The past cannot be changed and we have no idea what tomorrow will bring. We only have this moment to forge ahead, trusting that the One who loved us enough to die for us, loves us enough to never leave or forsake us. He who has begun a work in us will not leave that work undone. ( my translation)
Until Christ returns, we will suffer through this life. But as the song writer wrote, “It will be worth it all when we see Jesus. Life’s trials will seem so small when we see Christ. One glimpse of his dear face all sorrows will erase so bravely run the race til we see Christ”.
We are never, never alone. Trust in that. “They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings as eagles. They shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint”. Oh teach us Lord to wait.
So glad God stays the same.
And as for a new me. I am still trying to get used to and learn about the current me. Yes I want to grow and make some changes and improve, but I don’t want a whole new me. I am finally getting comfortable and understanding me as I am. LOL
God is Good all the time. All the time God is Good. How true those words are. You get that song on youtube. Type in the song and it will come up for Worth listing too. Put in God is Good all the time by Don Moen. A brilliant song. Love Dawn Ferguson-Little