Welcome to this new year! The arrival of a new year is always significant, even though the shift from one year to the next happens in a single moment. There’s often a part of me that wishes there were a gap between the end of one year and the beginning of the next—a moment to reflect on what the past year meant and to prepare ourselves for the year ahead. But, of course, that’s not how it works. We transition from one year to another in the blink of an eye. And yet, here we are.
The unique sense of the new year makes it especially impactful. For some, it’s a time of great excitement—whether because of a promotion, a new relationship, or the mending of a strained one. But for others, it can be a time of pain, as they face the loss of a loved one. How does the new year feel for those who are grieving? It’s much more challenging when you enter a new year filled with the sadness of a loved one’s passing or when a loved one is in their final moments.
As we talk about the new year, I want to acknowledge those who are walking through this transition and offer my love, light, and prayers to the families who are mourning. There is a great deal of wonder and uncertainty in these moments—“What do we do from here?” It’s a question we can all ask, whether our transition into the new year is filled with joy or sorrow.
In any case, this is the beginning of a new year, and it brings with it the possibility of what’s to come. So often, we ask ourselves, “What will this year bring?” The answer, in many ways, lies in what we choose to bring to it.
We live in a world bombarded by information—news, social media, and external influences. Over time, we’ve allowed all of this to dictate our lives. We let it decide whether we’ll be happy or sad, hopeful or despairing. We’ve made the error of giving our power away. We allow the opinions of others, the judgments on social media, and the conflicts in our relationships to control our emotional state. And when we do this, we are left feeling powerless, lost in despair because we’ve surrendered control of our own journey.
As you step into this new year, I want to remind you: You are powerful. The Divine presence—the Christ within, the all that is—resides in you. You have been called into being through that presence, and you have been given authority over your own journey. This is your path.
As we look ahead to 2025, remember this: You create your own reality. We must learn to rise above the distractions and not allow ourselves to be dragged down. Too many of us get caught up in the need to know everything, but sometimes, that “knowledge” is nothing more than being engulfed in lower vibrations. We think we must be aware of everything, but that awareness often keeps us tethered to the negativity around us. It drags us into the lower levels of existence. But there’s another way.
The alternative is to rise higher, to shift our perspective. Think of what astronauts experience when they look down at Earth from space. They don’t see the wars, the famine, the struggles. They see the Earth as a whole, in its completeness. When they return, their perspective on the world is transformed.
Coming up higher doesn’t mean the challenges go away—it simply means we’re looking at them from a higher, clearer place. We can’t solve the world’s problems by remaining at the same level where those problems exist. One of our great teachers once said, “You cannot solve a problem at the same level at which it was created.” Too many of us, even some of our authorities, are still trying to do this.
If we want to make a real difference this year, we need to go within. We must disconnect from the external noise, go higher, and approach the world from that elevated place.
I remember when I was young, the older generation would often say, “Don’t let anyone drag you down into the gutter.” As a child, I didn’t fully understand it, but now I see the wisdom in it. When we allow ourselves to be dragged down, we become like everyone else down there. We can’t offer help to anyone when we’re stuck at that level.
The message was clear: Stay high. When we stay elevated, we’re in a better position to lift others up. When the time comes, we can help others rise from that lower place, because we’ve already lifted ourselves.
The new year is yours. It is whatever you make of it. Decide what you want from it, but let that choice come from within you—not from the opinions of others. This is your journey, your life. Don’t give it away. Everyone you see who asks for your attention, your energy, or your approval—they already have their own life. They can’t use yours. When you give it away, all you do is stunt your growth.
So, open your heart to 2025. Fill it with expectancy, not mere expectation. Let yourself believe that anything is possible. Rise higher. Stay high. Journey with God in love.
