Have you ever had someone you really wanted to talk to and your message was super important, then you got some terrible news about someone else and all of the sudden your news seemed… meh?

That’s the position I am working from right now.

Not that this post will be “meh,” but I have really had to rethink my approach. So here goes, friends.

Happy New Year! Right, we are a week in and I am late. Welcome to my world. It seemed that while the rest of the country, the rest of the world, took off when they heard the starting gun, my start to the year has been more of the “rolling” variety. 2019 Lauren needed to take a few more steps before she could hand the baton to 2020 Lauren.

I’m not gonna lie, I felt a little guilty about this. While people were NYE partying, we watched a movie until 9pm and then my kids said goodnight and went to bed. I lasted until 10 and I was done.

No hoopla, no real “word of the year.” No resolutions. No goals. The calendar changed and it was Wednesday, ya’ll. New decade, same story.

Once the kiddos got back into school I could ponder some changes, some goals. I want to write a book. That is going to happen this year, God willing.

But really, the New Year’s extravaganza makes a better checkpoint than a crystal ball.

Guys, we are a week into 2020 and I know of two kids who have died already this year.

We absolutely cannot hang our hopes on what will happen in 2020 because we have no clue, none, what will happen.

But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in Him.”

Lamentations 3:21-24

This is not a post of despair. I’m not saying the goals and resolutions and good intentions are all rubbish.

I guess maybe I just think we place so much emphasis on the New Year when God offers His mercies every new morning. Every new moment.

I get it. The New Year is a big deal. It is rare. Like a giant birthday party for our planet. We did it, guys! We made it! Let’s celebrate that. Let’s celebrate what God has done for us.

But each of our years is made up of days. New days. Days where God proves His faithfulness on repeat.

Great is His faithfulness.

So maybe you are like me and need a reminder that rolling starts count too.

Maybe you are like my yellow lab and raced into the New Year like someone left the front door open.

Maybe 2020 has already surprised you.

Or maybe it’s been just another January.

One thing is absolutely certain: our days in 2020 will carry joys and strife, but each day warrants a celebration. Each day we can offer God a sacrifice of praise for who He is and what He has done.

In 2020, let’s not underestimate the importance of the New Day. It is a gift from God.

Happy New Day, friends.