Several years ago my friend Pam introduced me to this poem, God Knows, written 1908 by Minnie Louise Haskins. Since that time I have posted this photo at the eve of the new year with the first verse that begins… And I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year: “Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown.” I immediately fell in love with her wisdom and prose on how to face the unknown… that holding God’s hand is safer than knowing the way. How awesome is that?

I occasionally see this photo in my phone’s photo album and it is a reminder to me that whatever lies ahead is solely in His hands and God has always been beside me.

This year that has been horrific for many, has spared me most of the struggles to which others have suffered. However there has been loss; due to covid – I lost a friend and a cousin. Sadly, I also lost three friends to cancer and a step-brother to heart failure. Every loss is painful, every struggle is trying but I have learned from past trials that these days and times will pass.

In 2013 and 2014 there were the days that I feared taking another breath because I was afraid of what the future would deliver. I wanted time to freeze and stand still, but however bleak the future seemed, God walked me through. It is remembering those moments and countless ones before that help me walk by faith into the future.

Each time God showed me His compassion, His love, His strength, it gave me one more brick to stand on and when trials come, I have those bricks from His past faithfulness to rely on for the courage to face each day. Where I once fell apart, I may now mourn and grieve but I know God has a plan and He will see me to the other side.

As I stand at the gate of this new year, I put my hand in the hand of God.
Whatever 2021 brings, I will strive to:
Make everyday a new beginning;
Remember every evening as the sun sets, to give thanks for the blessings in my life;
Forgive others, and forgive myself and ask for forgiveness for the wrongs I have done.
Remind myself, that God is always faithful.

The Lord’s acts of mercy indeed do not end, For His compassions do not fail. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22-23 NAS

God Knows

And I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year:
“Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown.”
And he replied:
“Go out into the darkness and put your hand into the Hand of God.
That shall be to you better than light and safer than a known way.”
So I went forth, and finding the Hand of God, trod gladly into the night.
And He led me towards the hills and the breaking of day in the lone East.

So heart be still:
What need our little life
Our human life to know,
If God hath comprehension?
In all the dizzy strife
Of things both high and low,
God hideth His intention.

God knows. His will
Is best. The stretch of years
Which wind ahead, so dim
To our imperfect vision,
Are clear to God. Our fears
Are premature; In Him,
All time hath full provision.

Then rest: until
God moves to lift the veil
From our impatient eyes,
When, as the sweeter features
Of Life’s stern face we hail,
Fair beyond all surmise
God’s thought around His creatures
Our mind shall fill.

Minnie Louise Haskins 1908

Never fear, do not let in fear,
Even in this unbalanced and unpredictable year.
Christmastime will still appear.

Never give way to doubt, do not doubt.
Although 2020 had us cast about,
It will not keep the Christmas spirit out.

Always hope, do not lose hope,
Although at times we could not cope,
This spirit won’t stop, not this one, nope.

Pray for peace, peace from within.
If not today, pray we may understand when,
And search our hearts, so we may know how to begin.

Christmas teaches love and our faith it renews;
Faith in ourselves, and others if we choose,
Respect for our own and also their views.

Continue to love, love does not end.
Keep reaching out to Family and reach to a friend
For Christmas is so much more than a trend.

In the new year we’ll make a fresh start;
We will not let these trials tear us apart.
For Christmas is always deep in our heart.

Do not fear, Do not doubt, Always have hope, Pray for peace, Renew your faith and Continue to Love

~ trish breeds (c) 2020

While we are lamenting about this year 2020 and the horrors of how awful it has been, I am reminded of a Christmastime in a year not so far in the distant past when I was in distress over the events of the year past.

It was 2014, there was unrest around the world. Evil people were plotting their evil schemes and committing unspeakable crimes on the innocent. However, we tend to forget; these were my sorrows then.

I’m having a really hard time finding the holiday spirit. Where are the 300 young girls that were kidnapped? A few days of news and we moved on. How many people have been beheaded? Horror at the first one then successively our shock and outrage has waned. Planes shot down, planes never found; not even a scrap of metal. Worshippers brutally stabbed inside their synagogue. Children slaughtered. Anger, hate, anger, hate everywhere — I cannot be consoled by holiday lights and trimmings. The sorrow is burning deep in my heart.

We feed off the sensationalization of it all, but move on like it was yesterday’s a bad weather. Real evil exists in people and groups and they are actively plotting their next move. Real evil!

I long for peace.

In 2014, I was longing for peace. I think every year that is my prayer. Covid 19 has taken many lives, it has isolated us from our loved ones, our spiritual support and destroyed the financial stability of many families. However in this storm we have also come to realize many things we had taken for granted. The one most important thing we take for granted, our freedoms.

I don’t know what 2021 will hold. Will it be worse than 2020 or 2014? Will we come together? Will we see each others smiles again? Will we go back to our churches and congregations and sing praises again? We will have peace?

I don’t know.

I have no insight to the future. I just know that whatever it holds, God will see me through or he’ll call me home.

For a Child will be born to us, a Son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. ~ Isaiah 9:6 NAS