We are officially one week into 2026! Welcome to a new year, readers!
I’m not here to write about resolutions, which is a typical topic for this time of year. And by the way, there’s nothing wrong with resolutions! I have just noticed that often they are broken, if not by now, then by next week.
Instead, I want to share a quote from author Kristen Strong that I found in her devotional book When Change Finds You. Kristen writes:
“Bit by bit, the more I settle into my current view, the more I expand my belonging–no matter the change.”
~Kristen Strong
Change is inevitable. It’s one of those things we can count on in life, no matter what happens. And we’re actually meant to change! Staying stagnant was never part of God’s plan for us. What’s hard is feeling like we belong when what we know has been uprooted and everything is suddenly different.
2025 brought a lot of unexpected changes to my life–not all bad, but not all good either. I definitely grew and continue to grow. And with this quote in mind, which I’ve got written on a sticky note on my work computer monitor, I want to remember that my goal is not to buck the changes that keep coming my way. Rather, my goal is to settle into whatever view is currently before me and make my peace with it.
Yes, it will change again.
That change will probably come sooner rather than later!
But if we choose to belong in the current moment, even knowing that it will change again, we can find peace in the midst of life’s rapids.
We can do this with security because of Hebrews 13:8: “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever” (NIV). Our seasons may change, but Jesus doesn’t. Because of Him, we can settle into our current view and expand our belonging in the moment. Because of Him, we can have peace when we choose to do just that, because even though our circumstances will change, He never will.
I imagine there are some rapids ahead of me in 2026, and I imagine the same applies for you. Every new year brings its own challenges and troubles, but we don’t have to stand on such a shifting foundation. Instead, we stand on the Rock that is Jesus, never changing and ever solid.
I pray that together we will stand firm in 2026, facing each change with the grace that God gives and choosing to expand our belonging in those moments as they unfold! It’s okay if this doesn’t happen perfectly, because we are always a work in progress. But we are meant to belong where we are, in each and every season. Instead of fighting it, let’s meet it head-on and find our place of belonging in 2026.
Blessings,
~Lynne
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