A Ministry Year in Review

Reflect . Refocus . Renew. The path of ministry is a journey of a lifetime—one fraught with discovery and discouragement.  We can avoid some of its pitfalls if we define that path early on. I’ve found for me—even in the hectic days leading up to Christmas—my thoughts turn backward as I evaluate my year.

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A New Year, A New Light

As we enter a new year, I must be honest: to me, it just feels heavy.  There’s a sinking feeling that’s been lingering in me these past few months, an urge to put the shutters up on life and keep out whatever the future may bring.  The uncertainty can feel overwhelming, and it’s tempting to shrink back, to withdraw into a place where things feel safer and more manageable. But even in these moments, I’m beginning to recognize something powerful: God has me here, even now, amid all this uncertainty.

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Unwrap the Light and Joy of Christmas and the Year Ahead with Leading Hearts Magazine

The holiday season is here, and what better way to celebrate than by diving into the latest issue of Leading Hearts magazine? Our Christmas 2024/ January 2025 edition is filled…

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5 Tips to Avoid the Resolution Trap plus Bonus Recipe for Ranch House Chicken Bake

by Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith @DrDaltonSmith in Leading Hearts magazine

Did you fulfill your New Year’s resolutions last year? Since only one in ten people keep their resolutions, I’m guessing your answer is no. Resolutions, like losing weight or getting more exercise, are easy to make but difficult to maintain. Our good intentions are met with real-life situations that edge out our desires with daily challenges to overcome. You can only face defeat so many times before you start feeling like a failure.

The reason most of us don’t keep our New Year’s resolutions is that there is no joy in the process. When all you can see surrounding your new year is work and striving, it’s easy to understand the push to give up.

Typical resolutions are fear-based, shame-based, or doubt-based. They feed on our insecurities and tell us we are not OK in our present state. These types of resolutions extract the joy from the journey and focus heavily on the mechanics of the process.

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