Who but God, who has declared the end from the beginning, knows what this year holds? So may we all entrust ourselves to Him who holds our future and our hope and ourselves, in hands that were pierced for us. /3

My prayer for you, and for all of us, in 2025 is: More love, more joy, more peace, more patience, more kindness, more goodness, more faithfulness, more gentleness, and more self-control. I know the Lord will grant these to His people through His Holy Spirit in us, for this is His will for us. /2

one that seemingly anticipates and refutes the doctrine of Pelagius a few centuries later; and an equally rich doctrine of Incarnation and atonement. It’s really beautiful. /2

“What did I know, what did I know
of love’s austere and lonely offices?”

Those words have haunted me for 23 years now—the first time I read the poem.