My One Word • 2025 • Discover

January 22, 2025

Hello my friends and fellow bloggers!

Here we are already twenty-two days into a new year. So many things have already happened, most of which are out of our area of control. How does that feel? Uncomfortable, perhaps intimidating, maybe even happy or depressing. On New Year’s Eve, I contemplated and prayed about My One Word for 2025. My initial inclination, I was drawn to the word “Discover” for very personal reasons. I want to challenge myself in this new year to “Discover” …new things, meet new people, help in new causes and discover new depths of understanding and empathy.

I sometimes feel like some individuals, myself included live in self-imposed bubbles in life. Sometimes on purpose and other times because of circumstances and atmosphere of where and how one might live. Often there’s a sense of feeling safe and protected within those invisible boundaries. This by no means makes anyone weak or unloving. The most beautiful things about our world is that our Creator and the Love He has for all of creation! The second beautiful thing is our individual humanity. Planet earth is home to everything and everyone, including all the different species of animals and the different ways we practice our faith to God.

Humanity: compassionate, sympathetic, or generous behavior or disposition : the quality or state of being humane.

Humane: marked by compassion, sympathy, or consideration for humans or animals.

Life is hard, and beautiful at the same time. And, it is so worth it. I was reminded today of the words Jesus spoke in Matthew 7.

“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.” — Matthew 7:13-15

As most of you know I am a huge fan of C. S. Lewis’ work and in his book “The Screwtape Letters” he writes this, ʺThe safest road to hell is the gradual one, the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts.” If you are not familiar with this book, it was published in 1942 and is written in defense of Christian faith, this popular book of satire is a compilation of 31 written letters in which Screwtape, an experienced devil, instructs his young charge, Wormwood, on effective strategies for tempting the human being assigned to him and making sure he continues on a steady path toward damnation (the wide gate).

No matter which gate is taken, it will not be a perfect life with no hardships. We are all sinful in the eyes of God, only when we recognize that we are created beings, specifically created by God and with a purpose can we fully understand our place in the world. Choosing God as our Lord and Savior is the first step that draws us towards the narrow gate. The one thing the narrow gate provides is that God will be with us through the entire journey. God is a loving and compassionate God, as well as a God of judgment and discipline. Just as parents want the best for their children. God wants the same and even better for each of His children.

I did not fully understand discipline from my elders when I was younger but when I look back now I can see it was because I was loved and cared for, and I believe the saying of parents, “this hurts me more than it hurts you.” I am so very thankful for the parents God gave me, if only for a short while. Life is not about the number of years but of how we live the years we are given.

The Apologist’s Evening Prayer

From all my lame defeats and oh! much more
From all the victories that I seemed to score;
From cleverness shot forth on Thy behalf
At which, while angels weep, the audience laugh;
From all my proofs of Thy divinity,
Thou, who wouldst give no sign, deliver me.
Thoughts are but coins. Let me not trust, instead
Of Thee, their thin-worn image of Thy head.
From all my thoughts, even from my thoughts of Thee,
O thou fair Silence, fall, and set me free.
Lord of the narrow gate and the needle’s eye,
Take from me all my trumpery lest I die.

By C. S. Lewis • Written sometime prior to 1964.

Thank you for stopping by and for your continued support.

~Charlotte, Daily Searching To Discover Newness In The World, Knocking On Doors To Serve God 💞