Adam Drummond

It’s time to welcome in 2021! I know 2020 has been a year no one of us would have imagined in our wildest dreams (or nightmares).  So many things were lost or changed in our lives. We experienced grief, sadness, isolation, despair. Yet, through it all God has walked alongside us each step of the way.

I know there is a lot of energy behind the turn of the calendar. Surely, moving from December 2020 to January 2021 means that we start fresh with a new year, right? We have great hopes for 2021. A new vaccination was just released for the holidays. Our tremendous health care workers are being vaccinated as I share this blog. Next up are our tireless educators, who have been tremendous in the work they are doing to educate our future leaders, and our most vulnerable population – the elderly. Then, come the rest of us. Experts believe this is late Spring/early Summer.

So, how do we navigate the beginning of 2021? Here are five considerations.

1. Prayer: We find our greatest strength in the power of prayer. Spending time with God can help us work through our fears, our sadness, our troubles. But also use prayer to thank God for the strength and positive in our life. When we talk to God about the challenges and the successes, we feel a sense of relief and a renewed spirit.
2. Healthy habit(s): Select a healthy habit for 2021. Perhaps it is to drink more water (you should drink at least half your body weight in ounces; for example, if I weight 200 pounds, I should drink 100 ounces of water). Maybe it’s to walk 2 miles a day. It could even be to eat more vegetables. Select a habit and record your progress each day. You’d be surprised the power of writing down your progress – it’s the best accountability.
3. Live with purpose: If you haven’t seen the Disney Pixar movie Soul, I highly recommend it. There is at least a dozen sermon topics (I’m looking at your Pastor Marti and Pastor Brittney). I don’t want to give the story line away – but let’s just say we need to live each day like it’s the only one we have. It’s true. You only have one April 19, 2021 (my birthday ironically!). So, how are you going to live it? You only have one tomorrow. What’s that going to look like?
4. Smile & Laugh more: Try it. Right now. Smile. How do you feel. Did you know it’s easier to smile than it is to frown? Your body uses 17 of the 43 muscles in your face to smile. It takes all 43 to frown (Check out this article for more interesting information about your muscles: https://www.theactivetimes.com/fitness/11-things-you-probably-didn-t-know-about-your-muscles). So, let’s smile more. Laugh more. Need inspiration to laugh? Check out you tube videos or Tik Tok videos. You’ll laugh guarantee. Or watch a Will Ferrell (Elf is playing in the background right now).
5. Join a small group: Humans thrive on relationships. We need relationships to thrive. We have small groups at our church – though they are Zoom based right now. We will back in person some day! I promise! But, in the meantime, join a small group. Contact our church office and let us know you want to be part of a group (260-356-6975).

Let’s make the best of 2021 – we have the power to make it so. God is with us. Each step of the way.

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