Hopes for the New Year

“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen,” Hebrews 11:1 (English Standard Version). It was difficult to accept the loss of a Republican seat in the United States Senate special election; it is never good to lose any seat to a democrat. After the results of that election came in, I found myself in a whirlwind of emotions, but then I remembered that God’s plan is greater than mine, even when I don’t understand it. I trust and believe that His plan is so great that I can’t comprehend it. I have hope for this nation and know that all things work together for our good. Such a loss may feel depressing and make it seem as if the battle is turning against us. I take great peace from II Corinthians 4:16-18, “So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.”

The dawning of a new year always gives me a sense of hope and causes me to realize the abundant blessings I have: my health, my family, my freedom, the opportunity to wake up as a citizen of the United States of America, and many more. A lot of people like to make resolutions at the beginning of a new year but fail to stick with them. This year I encourage you to make a resolution and stick with it: resolve to continue fighting and making positive changes in your community, state and nation. We should all make a resolution to fight harder for the things in which we believe. I encourage all those who believe in truth and integrity to let your voices be heard and not let them be squashed because of the outcome of an election. I found myself inspired by this quote from John Wayne, “Life is getting back up one more time than you get knocked down.” I could not find any truer words than those. That is a quote with which we could all face every hardship, heartache, trial, and tribulation.

We can take comfort from the knowledge that we stand together with similar interests, dreams, and hopes for the new year. My prayer is that our nation continues to advance in accordance with the will of God, that our President surrounds himself with people who have good intentions, and that he is provided with wisdom for making the right choices on behalf of our nation. May our health and families be blessed as we strive to make a difference in the present moment. Now is the time to act on our hopes for the new year!