But God.

2025. A brand new year. Will we step into it with feelings of trepidation or rush into it with freedom and excitement? 2024 flew by with the war in Ukraine entering its third year, war in the Middle East and attacks on Israel, Hurricane Helene devastating much of North Carolina. Perhaps it wasn’t the year we had dreamed of or desired. There is a feeling that we need to tiptoe softly, tentatively, nervously into 2025, not expecting anything. Fear of the unknown weighs heavily.

Two words have shaped my life in a huge way. 𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝗚𝗼𝗱. I should be dead in my sin, 𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝗚𝗼𝗱. So many bad decisions along the way, 𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝗚𝗼𝗱. Knowing our wonderful Abba Father the way I do, I know there is going to be a 𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝗚𝗼𝗱 in 2025.

A quick search of the Bible reveals dozens of scriptures that contain a ‘𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝗚𝗼𝗱!’ “𝘽𝙪𝙩 𝙂𝙤𝙙 𝙧𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙢𝙗𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙙 𝙉𝙤𝙖𝙝,” “𝘽𝙪𝙩 𝙂𝙤𝙙 𝙙𝙞𝙙 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙜𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝘿𝙖𝙫𝙞𝙙 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙤 𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙨,” “𝘽𝙪𝙩 𝙂𝙤𝙙 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙧𝙚𝙙𝙚𝙚𝙢 𝙢𝙚 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙢 𝙤𝙛 𝙙𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙝” 𝙖𝙣𝙙 “𝘽𝙪𝙩 𝙂𝙤𝙙 𝙞𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙜𝙩𝙝 𝙤𝙛 𝙢𝙮 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙩 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙢𝙮 𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧!” The best one of them all is in Acts 13:29-30: “𝙒𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙝𝙖𝙙 𝙘𝙖𝙧𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙙 𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙬𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙣 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙝𝙞𝙢, 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙩𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙝𝙞𝙢 𝙙𝙤𝙬𝙣 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙘𝙧𝙤𝙨𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙡𝙖𝙞𝙙 𝙝𝙞𝙢 𝙞𝙣 𝙖 𝙩𝙤𝙢𝙗. 𝘽𝙪𝙩 𝙂𝙤𝙙 𝙧𝙖𝙞𝙨𝙚𝙙 𝙝𝙞𝙢 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙙𝙚𝙖𝙙.”

We certainly don’t have the answers—only questions about what 2025 may or may not bring. But we do know our God is a redeemer. He has not only redeemed our very lives through His death on the cross, but He redeems each one of our stories. We know that God has plans for us for this year, and we know He has put us here for a purpose. Even though the storm clouds of fear, anxiety, and worry may gather on the horizon, 𝗹𝗲𝘁’𝘀 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 ‘𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝗚𝗼𝗱’ 𝗶𝗻 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱 —the ‘But God’ that raises us from the dead, brings dry bones to life, and gives us strength, purpose and vision! May He fill your year with surprises, joy, and pleasure around every corner. May your year be filled with ‘𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝗚𝗼𝗱!’

Looking for God’s surprises with you,