2025, not a year I expected.

Sitting in on our weekly staff devotional meeting today, I was challenged and got to thinking about what this year has brought into my life. What I have carried in my life and what do I still carry.

I ended 2024 with high hopes for 2025, I was still working at Ambulance Victoria and doing my level best to assist the staff…as the Senior Chaplain for AV I found it a huge privilege to walk alongside those amazing people.

I respect them highly.

After Christmas we joined our friends for a holiday in Singapore and it was superb. It feels a long time ago, but it was truly a great time. (Picture above is from the Gardens by the Bay )

It was a good start to my year.

Once returning to work I discovered a whole gamut of issues at AV that made it near impossible for me to remain employed in an environment that was challenging my core values for faith and in being a chaplain. So I needed to and chose to  resign.

I was unemployed for a period of time and wondered what my future looked like.  I still wonder.

So along came CityLife church and an opportunity presented before me to take up a 12 month contract in assisting the volunteer teams at the Knox campus.  

I am 6 months in and have enjoyed the experience of working with these wonderful people and making some new friends. 

I will forever be thankful for that, however, it is not what I thought my life would look like and it is not what I expected for 2025.

So what now ?  What will 2026 bring ?

Once leaving AV, and knowing it was the right thing to do, I felt a whole mixture of emotions…feelings of failure, loss, confusion, loneliness as well as defeat, but also a knowledge that it was right for my heart to remain true to my inner convictions. 

This mornings message was about the things we carry and can become a burden, and I reckon I have carried my fare share of burden in 2025 and it’s personal, very personal. In fact the moment I try to explain it I feel quite silly really. So I end up stuffing it deep down inside myself. 

Do you ever do that ?       Or is it just me. ?

It’s not helpful really to carry burdens that Jesus said we should give to Him.  And yet I still do that, I take scripture where Jesus said “come to me, all you who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest”

I read it, have preached it and understand it, but doing it ? Thats a whole different ball game. (Lol) 🤪

I want 2026 to be a year of release and balance… for it to be a year of freedom from my inner failures and fears and concerns.

Doesn’t everyone want freedom and peace ? 

Doesn’t everyone want hope and a life enjoyed ? 

to be fulfilled and to just feel “right “ within themselves ?

well I do. 

So I am starting to make my 2026 plans and they will be plans to fulfill some dreams and to live out my year with intention and purpose and hope and ….. it may not look like it has in 2025.

so what about you ?

Around the end of the first phase of Covid, I heard this song from Michael W Smith and in a world of pain and hurt and bewilderment, it did offer a help…a voice to speak of the pain that I carried, and sometimes still do carry.  Maybe you carry pain and confusion as well, not knowing what each day will bring in your life. Maybe you feel alone, unnoticed, undervalued and forgotten.

Well maybe these words might help you …..might lift you as they have done for me quite a few times.

you can listen to the song by clicking on this link…

https://youtu.be/gfpkCbq0tGs?si=9hkpxKAmd4DtoEn0

And here are the words so you can reflect on them while you listen.

Sometimes the pain felt like a hallow in my chest
Sometimes I struggle just to take another step
All I could see was shadows looming up ahead
Will we find some peace in the end

Through all the fear and doubt, we long for better days
And in our hopelessness we tried to find our way
Yet in the strife we saw a glimmer through the haze
Even in the sorrow we can still believe

This lonely heart will sing again
These barren lungs will breathe again
Through suffering we're stronger
In the palm of His hand
Like a beacon in the night
Hope illuminates the sky
Reaching for each other
And as we carry on
We are keepers of the light

We now remember who we are and how to live
To love with open arms, to heal and to forgive
And we'll keep shining like a city on a hill
Even in the sorrow, we can still believe

This lonely heart will sing again
These barren lungs will breathe again
Through suffering we're stronger
In the palm of His hand
Like a beacon in the night
Hope illuminates the sky
Reaching for each other
And as we carry on
We are keepers of the light

Our lonely hearts will sing again
Our barren lungs will breathe again
Together we are stronger
And as we carry on
We are keepers of
Keepers of the light
We'll make it through the night

If you are bewildered by what 2025 gave you, and have felt a little lost and hurting… then maybe, just maybe a good reminder for you…as it also is for me, that God has not finished with us yet. That He loves us, He knows us, He cares for us …

for me, for you.

Bless you today.