By Heather Mustain
Another year has come and gone and it’s hard to believe that this is the first Sunday of a brand new year. For some of us, a new year brings excitement and renewed commitment to old or new intentions. For others of us, we grieve that time seems to continue, yet our hearts still carry the same wounds. Time is a funny thing that isn’t often measured in numerical increments, but in experiences like love, grief, healing and joy.
Tomorrow is Epiphany, and last year we began a new tradition of handing out “star words,” which — don’t worry — will come next Sunday.
Do you remember your word? Better yet, do you even remember where it is? I for sure couldn’t locate mine, but I do remember the word. Reflect. And I remember what I said upon receiving it, “That hits.” Many of you know that this past year gave me ample opportunities of things to reflect on. For the better part of 2024, I spent more time taking an honest assessment of my heart and mind because sometimes that’s what our circumstances demand of us. Finding healing required my deepest and most honest reflection. Forging new paths and rhythms required my deepest and most honest reflection. Creating and working toward new dreams required my deepest and most honest reflection. And while that work has been and continues to be exhausting and not without failure, I found it was in the stillness and silence of my reflecting that I was able to find myself back to my own belovedness and God’s faithful promises.
And so, time. Some say it heals all wounds, but I’m not so sure. However, perhaps with time we find the courage to find our center again and allow God to love us in ways we didn’t know we even needed.
Friends, you have a week left to sit with last year’s star word. And I don’t say that in any way other than to encourage you to take the opportunity this week to allow the spirit of God to speak to you, hold you, find you, heal you, center you, love you — all through the gift of one word. What will come of it? Maybe nothing. Maybe something. But until we enter into that time of stillness and solitude, we’ll never know. And I’m believing God has something for each of you.