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Hello Reader,

Happy New Year! 🎊 I pray your Christmas and New Year were wonderful. We had a lovely holiday season and did our best to move slow, spend time with people we love, and sit in the beauty of Christmas.

As the calendar turns to a new month, and a new year, I know many people love to have resolutions and goals for the year, and if that's you, I love that for you! Many a year I have started with a fresh word, vision board or goal list, and it was wonderful.

I also know many people who pass on the push for new goals and resolutions, and if that's you, I love that for you! I honestly have no vision board, word of the year, or detailed vision and plan for this year, and that feels wonderful as well.

This time of year can feel overwhelming for many with the push to start new fitness plans, tackle new goals or accomplish great growth. It's important to remind ourselves we don't have to jump into commitments and expectations. It's okay to move slow through these winter months. After all, the animals and plants are hibernating in many places, it's okay to start slow into a new year.

Fresh mercy from God doesn't just begin on January 1st. We need not be a people quick to rush into a commitment and goal on January 1st because culture shouts at us the ad phrase, "New Year, New You." The truth of Scripture is that each and every morning we have new mercies available to us. We can start when we are ready, even if that's not today. And if God does place something on your heart to start, and you stumble, don't just quit and walk away. Start fresh again in the morning with that day's new mercy.

As people of God, our reminder for this year is the same God who walked with us through all the valleys and mountains of 2024 is the same God who will walk with us through all of 2025.

Yes, make your meal plans, vision boards, fitness goals, financial projects, and all that things. Or don't. Whatever the Lord is pressing on your heart, lean into His voice and follow His leading. Don't worry if you don't have the whole year mapped out and your friend does. And don't panic if you have the whole year mapped out and your friend doesn't. God is guiding each of us on personalized journeys this year, and our compass is Him, not others. So let's go into this this year not with our eyes fixed on our goals, but our eyes fixed on our Savior. Where He leads is where we want to follow. And we will only know where to go when we watch Him and not this world.

I'm so excited for what this coming year holds, not because I have a clear plan or dream for all the things ahead, but because God is already going before me in all things, and it's a beautiful adventure to follow where God leads. I've seen Him work faithfully in my past, and I trust He will faithfully work in my future. This is who He is.

Father, as we walk into the new year, either with excitement or apprehension, may our minds, hearts, and focus be fixed on You and You alone. Lead us with Your wisdom, grant us ears to hear Your Spirit in our lives and eyes to see Your sovereign hand at work before us. We look forward to watching Your faithfulness about as You bring glory to Your name through our lives this year, in the name of Jesus and by the power of the Spirit I pray, amen.

In His Grace,

Have I Got Something for You! 🤩

In our last email in December I teased that I had a surprise for you come January. It's here!!!! 🥳

For the last several months I have been working behind the scenes with over 20 amazing women of faith who are friends from seminary, colleagues in writing programs, fellow authors, speakers, podcasters, and Bible teachers from all over the United States and Canada. We collaborated together to provide you, and anyone you want to share it with, a free 30 day devotional that will be delivered to your email inbox each morning.

This is a great way to either get back into Scripture each day if you have stopped the rhythm of daily reading, or to help you jumpstart a routine if you don't have, or even just to supplement your daily study time if you do have a rich study process.

These ladies have been gracious enough to offer you resources and connection points each day with their contributions, so click the link below and sign up today! You won't regret it. And yes, you do need to click to subscribe even though you're already in my email list, I didn't want to send it to those of you who might not be interested. (But I hope you subscribe to the series, because I think you'll love it!)

Want to Win an Amazon Gift Card?

I would love to hear from you about what you would love to have created for you in 2025. Everyone who takes the following 10 question survey by January 9th will be entered to win a $25 Amazon gift card! 🤩

If we haven't connected on social yet, let's! 👇🏻

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​ Natalia Drumm is a wife, homeschooling mother to three boys, and graduate from Dallas Theological Seminary with a passion for women's ministry and sharing the Gospel. Seeking to glorify God through equipping women to study Scripture and grow in their faith, she is the creator of Girlfriends in the Word™ Bible studies for busy women. To learn more, or connect with her online you can find her on Instagram @nataliadrumm or check out her website www.nataliadrumm.com​

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