By: Anna George Traynham
God of new life,
We give you thanks for this day: the first in a new year of life and faith.
If we have learned from the lesson of years past,
We can guess what this year might hold.
There will be joy, and there will be heartbreak.
There will be mistakes, and there will be achievements.
There will be hands to hold, tears to dry, stories to tell, and grace to receive.
Do not let us miss it, God.
Open our eyes, that we might recognize your presence around us.
Open our ears, that we might hear your voice in the words of our neighbor.
Open our hearts, that we might feel the depth of your love for this world.
Open our minds, that we might discover more of who you are.
On this day of New Year’s resolutions,
Forgive us the promises we make and do not keep.
Remind us of the eternal promises spoken at our baptisms:
You are our God, and we are your beloved.
When we look back upon this year,
May we remember more than the services we planned,
The lessons we taught,
Or the to-do lists we tackled.
May we remember the glimpses of your reign:
The holy moments when you broke in around us,
And filled our lives with your grace.
God of this new year,
Do not let us miss it.
Amen.
Rev. Anna George Traynham is a graduate of Union Presbyterian Seminary (’14) and Presbyterian College (’11). She currently serves as an Associate Pastor at Central Presbyterian Church in Atlanta. You can read more of her writing at her blog And also with you.