By Lois Hewitt

Ok it’s time to start thinking about the new year. Months ago, I looked up the symptoms I was having and WebMD said I had cancer. So I had a talk with God and suggested that if this was true, could I possibly just see one more Christmas. He gave me that and it looks like more.

After cancer and the hurricane, I do not really want to make assumptions or take anything for granted. But now I think I need to realistically look at the new year.

What will it look like? I honestly have no idea but then none of us really do. But I am going to make a few changes.

I want to eat better food, food that heals. We have made huge strides in that the last few years, but there is always room to improve. I believe my old eating habits helped to get me here, maybe my new ones can help me to heal.

Everything I have read says exercise is a must. I dislike exercising but it is time to drop the hatred and embrace it. Exercise is not only healthy for body but for soul too. I learned to love vegetables, I can learn to love exercise.

Sunlight. I used to call the sun the horrible orb (I borrowed it from a friend). I used to like living in a cave with no light shining in. Now I open the curtains and I spend time, especially in the morning, enjoying the light. What a huge difference it makes.

Stress. Is. The. Cause. Of. Many. Diseases. Stress causes inflammation in the body and inflammation causes illness. Today’s world is full of stress. I’ve lived in a self-induced pressure cooker most of my life, now that has to change. I’m looking for calm and peace.

Laughter. One of the best medicines ever created. Once you hear bad news, you think you will never laugh again. But it is necessary. A life without laughter is not much like living. I have just started to laugh again… And it feels great!

All these things are going to be my priorities in the new year as I try to regain my health as well as my happiness. Keeping up with friends and family is another wonderful way to be happy. Don’t isolate – this said by the worlds biggest introvert. Don’t isolate!

That’s a pretty good list of things to do. Some will be easy and some not so much. My hope is to keep my disease at bay maybe even decimate it completely. There is one more thing, actually the most important thing of all…

Holding onto Jesus with all my might. Praying for strength and praying for others because life is not just about me. Looking for His peace because mine is fleeting and temporary. Resting in His plan, knowing that it is good. Knowing that I cannot possibly see the entire picture, trusting in His perfect will.

The day I found out that WebMD was right, I spoke to Jesus and decided not to plead or bargain like I used to do. I decided to follow. He has seen me through so much, He has changed me so much.

I told Him this new journey was not going to be about me, but what He is going to do through me.

My original request to Him was just to see another Christmas but apparently He is not quite done with me. So now I try to live His best life and see what He wants me to do.

Writing is my therapy, so I hope to continue that. I know I am longwinded but my hope is that my journey helps someone else. I hope it can encourage just one person.

Here’s to a healthy and joyful new year!

By Lois Hewitt

For those of you struggling with Christmas spirit this year, you are not alone.

And it’s okay.

The weight of life can get heavy at times.  Sometimes you just cannot feel the joy of the season.

And it’s okay.

Money is tight.  Health is in question.  Situations are difficult.  Grief and loss are everywhere.

You can force yourself to be jolly.  To pretend all is well.  If that works for you, great.

If that doesn’t work, allow yourself to really rest.  Forget the guilt of what you think you should be doing.  Leave the stress outside in the cold.  Comfort yourself with a cup of hot tea, a warm blanket and a good book.  Or whatever brings you comfort as long as it nourishes your soul.

Allow yourself to not conform to the expectations of the season.  Do what is right for you, without guilt.

I tend to forget that Christmas isn’t about parties, gifts and busyness.  It’s about the most important event in the history of mankind…the birth of Jesus.

It may, in fact, not be the real date of His birth but it is a celebration of that birth.  The birth of the One who came to earth to give the greatest gifts of all…His love, His salvation and His grace among other things.

But because He is human and also God, He understands where you are right now.  He sees your tears, He hears your cries, He feels your pain and He loves you. He knows why you feel like you do.

I know sometimes it doesn’t feel like it, but there is a plan. Now I know, depending where you are right now, that doesn’t always help.  I get that.

But I have found in my darkest times, if I can be patient enough to ride out the storm, He will calm the winds and the seas of that storm.  He will.  I have experienced it so many times.

In those storms, I have learned the value of taking care of myself.  During the stress, your body is under attack.  Many diseases come from the ravaging effects of stress.

So if you are struggling, let go of the guilt.  Let go of the expectations. Hold onto good and healthy food.  Fresh air.  Sunlight.  Comfort.  It is perfectly okay to take it easy when things are really hard.

And most importantly don’t turn away from the One who loves you. He promised to never leave or forsake us.  Hang onto Him tighter than ever during the difficult season, whether its Christmas or any other day.

Things will improve.  The sun will rise again.  Be gentle with yourself yet strong in your faith. You are not alone. And you are stronger than you can ever imagine. You are a warrior!

By Lois Hewitt

Another day…another fall.  I fell outside today.  That’s twice in a couple of months. It doesn’t seem like much but I’m afraid of it turning into a regular occurance.

So the falls themselves haven’t caused much damage.  Thank You God.  Except to my ego.  The problem lies in the predicament of getting back up.

Both times I fell, I was afraid that I was not strong enough to pick myself up.  So today I start working on my balance and strength.  As we get older, this must be a priority. 

Same thing happens in life.  You are going along, thinking you are fine, and you stumble and fall. 

Maybe it was just a trip and you recovered on your own.  Maybe it was a true tumble that leaves you shaken, hurt and afraid.

I may not have physically fallen many times but I have spiritually fallen more times than I care to admit. The pain is immense. You feel alone. It is horrible.

Today when I fell, no one was around so I had to physically figure out how to get back up again.  Believe me I sat there for a while, legs trembling and weak.

When we fall spiritually, we are never alone.  There is always a hand extended to help us back to our feet.  A hand to brush off the dust. And arms to ease the pain.

Every spiritual fall I have ever taken, Jesus was there to help me up.  No matter the severity of my mishap, He has always been there.

Lately I have stumbled with my words. Feeling a disconnect with one of the things I love to do…write.  Every thing I wrote felt like a fall on the gravel.  Unproductive and painful.

So many ways to fall in life.  But if you know Jesus, you have a Rescuer and a Rock to put your trembling feet.

My legs gave out and I struggled to push my body up to standing. It wasnt happening but then I felt the strength in my legs and rise I did.

With Jesus, rising from the ashes is a common theme. We trip and fall, we lose our footing, we crash our bodies onto the ground then Jesus comes and lifts us back up, something we could never do on our own.

No doubt as we get older, we must stay strong physically but we must always stay strong spiritually.  For that is where our true power comes from.

As I tend to my sore legs, I give thanks that I was able to get back up. That I was able to brush myself off. That I was able to continue on my path.

The day is coming when I will fall and there will be no more getting back up.  That is a part of life.  But until that day, I will work on my physical strength and hone my spiritual strength.  For without Jesus, I stuck in the dirt with no hope of getting back up.

Stay strong my friends.  Strength in body and strength in soul. 

By Lois Hewitt

2024…One for the record books!  It’s funny every January 1st, you think about the new year.  Making resolutions and planning.

We never know what roads we will take, the obstacles we will endure or the curveballs we will encounter.  It is so unknown and seems so random.

In today’s world, it is very easy to focus on the parts we don’t like.  The news and other sources of information just love to set a doomsday motif.  Fear is everywhere.

I get caught up in all the fear mongering too.  I look around and wonder how things are going to unfold.  I worry and fret.

Well, that’s the wrong way to look at it.  My belief tells me that God has a plan. That He is not thrown off by any curveballs.  His plan, according to His Word, is for good!

As we look around at the year past and wonder about the year ahead, it is hard to see the good.  But maybe, just maybe, our line of sight is slightly off.  I know mine is.

I need to remember Christmas is in just a few days.  Christmas per the world is all about gifts and extra activities. It’s about overdoing and exhaustion.

Truth is it is the day we celebrate the birth of Jesus.  Jesus came to earth as man and God to fulfill a need in the world.  A need for salvation.  A need for cleansing of sins.  A need for a new way to live.

His birth marked the beginning of those changes.  He came to save a world that many did not necessarily think needed saving. Many enjoyed their sin and wanted nothing to do with Him.

Many thought He would come to save His people from the oppression of the ruling class here on earth.  But His plan was much more than that.

He was born to save an entire world from sin.  He was born to bring mankind closer to God as the ultimate blood sacrifice.  He was born to show us how to live in love.  How to go to Him for strength and patience. He changed everything with His birth. That’s what we are celebrating.

If I concentrate on that and His Word, I can see peace within my reach.  But when I veer off and start looking at the world, His peace is obscured. So it’s really a matter of what I choose to look at.  Him or the world.

Sometimes the world is so overwhelming. There is pain of every variety, past and present.  There is pure uncertainty for the future.   My eyes are focused on the wrong things.

Yes, the uncertainty will continue into the new year and beyond.  But Jesus stays the same always.  He is the pillar of strength I need to focus on.  He is pure compassion, which I need to channel.

He is in control even if the world tells me otherwise. He is my rock.  He is my calm in the storm.  He is my steadfast presence when I am afraid and unsure.

I need to stop looking away from Him.  Stop looking to the world for solutions. I need to focus on Him and gather my courage from Him.

The world is still going to be scary and unpredictable. But I need to remember that He is not startled or thrown off by the world’s manipulations. He is in control of the new year and always. 

As this year’s door closes and next year’s door opens, I pray that Jesus is in our sight more than the world.

I pray that we can hold tight to His strength in the bumpy nights. Look to Him when the way is not clear.  That we can be filled with His peace and joy no matter what the world throws at us.

A new year and a new perspective. I pray that as the clock ticks into another year that your eyes will be on the One born on Christmas. The One who loves mankind so much He died on a cross.  That your comfort and strength comes from Him today and forever.

Blessings for the new year!

By Lois Hewitt

What a week it’s been!  Stress.  Dumb mistakes.  Frustration.

Ever have a week like that?  I’m sure you’ve had more than one. Me too!

Last night I found myself up at 3 AM (per usual) worrying about everything.  Work.  Health.  Money.  Cars.  Weather. Those in need.  World issues.  My mind would not stop.

I am learning that when we get like that, we are expecting ourselves to come up with the solutions. We think we can fix everything. I don’t know about you, but most problems are way above my pay grade.

We have a “Boss” who is responsible for those problems.  All of them in fact.  And He does not need my help solving them.  His name is God and His Son, Jesus.  In His word to us, He promised to take our heavy yoke and give us His, which is lighter.

He promised to never leave or forsake us.  He promised there was a plan, even if we cannot see it.

I believe His words, yet I still worry. I still fret. That means that I do not really trust Him because I’m depending on my own strength to “help” Him out.

How silly is that?  The God and Son who created all things, who brought us from the beginning to where we are now cannot handle my problems. He is struggling to figure a way out.  I do not think so, so why am I worried?

Why do I let myself lose joy? Why do I put my health at risk for worry?  Why do I lose sleep?  Because I do not let go.  I hang onto the fears and worry because I have always done that.  Times are about to change.

You cannot possibly be full of joy and worry at the same time. You cannot be fearful and courageous at the same time.  We all have to choose how we are going to live.  Defeated or triumphant.  You cannot have both.

I have always carried myself a bit defeated.  Because I could not give up the worry.  It is like a heavy weight around our necks. It does no good but it certainly weighs us down.

My new mantra (although it’s not a new concept) is to let go and let God.  Whoever coined that really brought life into focus.

We need to let go of the strife, the anger, the unforgiveness, the dissappointment, the fear and the negativity. Let it go like the garbage it is. And let God.

An easy task?  Hardly.  Probably one of the hardest things a human can do.  Many of us grew up with fear and trauma.  We learned early on to expect the worse case scenario in every situation.  It is hard wired into our DNA.  Just letting go is not easy.

It starts with learning what God says about His protection and provisions. Reading His word is a must. I discounted the importance for many years and my life reaped nothing but disaster.

Then praying. Even if you can’t find the words, take meaningful time to be with God.  He knows your heart but you still need to be in His presence.

And purposefully drive out negative thoughts. Be careful what you fill your mind with. We may all doom scroll a bit too much.  I’m certainly guilty.  Those flashes and images are recorded in your mind. I’ve had times I could barely move after too much scrolling. Just be careful what you choose to watch and listen to.

Finally, watch your words. I always say what an idiot I am.  I may not necessarily mean it but I say it and that gives the words power. Be careful what you say and think.

My prayer as we end one year and start another is that we all let go and let God.  These are truly trying times we live in. So much to fear but God NEVER wanted that for His children. Let’s not accept that thinking any longer.

Let’s take back joy and peace.  Let’s be kind and gentle. Let’s enjoy no matter the circumstance. Let’s look to Almighty God to guide us past and around life’s snares. 

He loves His children. He sent His most beloved to die on a cross for our sins.  Let’s not discount that act but embrace it and live a victorious life.  That’s my wish for you and me too!

Stay strong and brave, my friend!