Dear disciples of Jesus:
Happy and blessed New Year! A New Year can bring contradictory feelings and mem- ories. Some people may consider they have just experienced the best year ever of their life. Others may have just battled the past year through one difficulty after an- other. 2018 brings desperate hope for things to be better in our life of discipleship. Whether you’ve just walked through the greatest year of your life, or are incredibly glad to see 2017 finally over, remember that you are not alone because God is always with you.
Let us pray together:
God of love and life, thank you that you make all things new. Thank you for all that you’ve allowed into our lives this past year, the good along with the hard things, which have reminded us how much we need you and rely on your presence filling us every single day. We pray for your Spirit to lead us each step of this New Year. We ask that you guide our decisions and turn our hearts to deeply desire you above all else. We ask that you open doors needing to be opened and close the ones needing to be shut tight. We ask for help to pursue you first, above every dream and desire you’ve put within our hearts. We ask for your wisdom, for your strength and power to be constantly present within us. We pray you would make us strong and courageous for the road ahead.