NEW this year

Our family knows what it means to walk into seasons we never chose.

There were years when new meant new diagnoses, new hospital rooms, new fears we couldn't even begin to comprehend. Years when comfort was not an option, and certainty was nowhere to be found. And through it all, one truth became clear: God never promised us comfort. He promised us His presence.

I have done some research and you might be surprised to find: nowhere in Scripture does God say His desire is for us to live safe, comfortable lives. In fact, time and time again, He calls His people out—out of familiarity, out of security, out of what feels manageable.

Jesus Himself said:

“Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.” (Luke 9:23)

A cross is not comfortable.  Staying when it would be easier to walk away, is not comfortable. Forgiving when the wound is still fresh, is not comfortable. Trusting God in unanswered prayers, is not comfortable. Obedience without explanation, is not comfortable. Letting go of control, is not comfortable. Choosing integrity when it costs you, is not comfortable. Saying yes to God, and no to yourself, is not comfortable. Walking through suffering without bitterness, is not comfortable. Being honest about your story, is not comfortable.

Looking back, I can see how God used the hardest seasons of our lives to shape our faith, our priorities, and our courage. What once felt like unbearable discomfort became the very ground where our trust in Him deepened.

Throughout the Bible, God consistently moves His people out of comfort and into calling:

• Abraham left everything familiar.

• Moses stepped into leadership despite fear.

• Esther risked her life for "such a time as this."

• The disciples left their livelihoods to follow Jesus.

“By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.” (Hebrews 11:8)

Moses said to the Lord, “Pardon your servant, Lord. I have never been eloquent… I am slow of speech and tongue.” The Lord said to him, “Who gave human beings their mouths? … Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.” (Exodus 4:10-12)

None of them grew by staying where it felt safe.

As we step into this new year, and life becomes more comfortable, I feel God inviting me—not into ease—but into obedience. I feel discomfort in my comfort. If this sounds familiar to you, that may be God nudging you to something more.

• Into growth that stretches you.

• Into callings that feel bigger than your confidence.

• Into spaces where you have to rely on Him instead of your own strength.

If God is laying something on your heart for 2026, it is time to listen. It won't be easy, and you might fail. But, progress rarely comes from staying where it feels safe. Success often requires saying yes before you feel ready, and stepping forward before you see the whole path. Sometimes discomfort is not something to escape—it’s something God uses to align us.

One thing I also know is that God is the God of all comfort—but He comforts us in our trials, not by removing every hard thing.

He doesn’t promise a life without struggle. He promises He will not leave us in it.

And if the past has taught me anything, it’s this: the seasons that stretched us the most are the ones that changed us forever.

So this year, my prayer isn’t:

“God, make this easier.”

It’s:

“God, make me faithful.”

Faithful to step when He calls. Faithful to trust when the path feels uncertain. Faithful to choose growth over comfort.

Because new doesn’t always mean easy—but it often means becoming who God has been preparing you to be all along.

And this year, I’m ready to say yes. Are you?