I have always loved that the New Year comes immediately after Christmas.
At Christmas, we pause to contemplate the incredible generosity of God—His willingness to give His Son for us, reconciling both God and humanity. Then, almost seamlessly, the New Year arrives and invites us into something new: a renewed commitment to surrender to God and to follow His direction as we move forward in our lives.
Joy Comes with the Morning
A Psalm of David. A song at the dedication of the temple.
I will extol you, O Lord, for you have drawn me up
and have not let my foes rejoice over me.
O Lord my God, I cried to you for help,
and you have healed me.
O Lord, you have brought up my soul from Sheol;
you restored me to life from among those who go down to the pit.
Sing praises to the Lord, O you his saints,
and give thanks to his holy name.
For his anger is but for a moment,
and his favor is for a lifetime.
Weeping may tarry for the night,
but joy comes with the morning.
—Psalm 30:1–5
The New Year Offers Us a New Start
The New Year offers us a renewed opportunity to allow God to lead us. People often ask, “What does it mean to let God lead your life?” I believe the answer looks different for each of us.
For me, that re-dedication began in 2008.
Up until that point, I had spent my entire career working successfully in large corporate environments. I was paid well, had a great deal of autonomy, and appeared “successful” by the world’s standards. Yet I was bored, restless, complaining, and deeply unhappy.
Most people didn’t understand. From the outside, my life looked secure and comfortable. On the inside, I was unsettled and disconnected.
So I made a decision that didn’t make sense to many: I left corporate America and my safe job to seek God’s plan for my life.
My husband and I had always been careful with money and had invested wisely, which gave us some flexibility. Still, this was a major leap of faith. At the time, my husband was in the middle of a career transition, volunteering as a pastor and chaplain, and not employed. The risk was real.
But I trusted God—and stepped into the unknown.
God Took Over the Steering Wheel
I can say without hesitation that God completely took care of me.
He led me into an entirely new and unexpected career as a Christian mental health counselor—something I never could have planned or imagined on my own. I didn’t know His plan until I was fully immersed in it. Looking back now, I can see that it was His plan from the moment I walked away from my corporate job.
For many reasons, it remains the best decision I have ever made.
God drove the boat.
I was just hanging on behind—on water skis.
God’s Unexpected Provision
The very first thing that happened after I left my job was that we couldn’t get health insurance. To solve this, I decided to audit a class at our local university, which allowed us to get affordable coverage.
The class I chose? Abnormal Psychology.
I loved it.
It inspired me in a way nothing else ever had. Through that course, I began to understand that much of the dysfunction and abuse I experienced growing up stemmed from my parents’ severe mental health challenges. That realization was profoundly transformative.
Because of the insurance requirement, I decided to pursue a master’s degree in counseling. At the time, it never even crossed my mind that I would actually become a mental health counselor.
At the same time, I felt led to volunteer at a local free medical clinic. There, I met a clinical psychologist who had studied under Carl Rogers and Harry Harlow and was a peer of Abraham Maslow—three of the most influential psychologists of the 20th century.
What were the chances?
From a human perspective, almost none. But God knew exactly what I needed.
This psychologist mentored me for four years, encouraging me to work with people and teaching me how to help them heal and grow. That is how I became a mental health counselor.
God Led Me Exactly Where I Needed to Be
The God who created me and loves me knew exactly what I needed to live a full, meaningful life. No longer bored and disconnected, I became energized and inspired to do the work He placed before me.
God brought the right people into my life at exactly the right time. Once I stopped gripping the steering wheel, He led me to the place I was always meant to be.
I have never looked back.
Each of Us Has Our Own Story
My story is not your story.
Each of us is on a unique journey, and God’s path for you will look different from mine. But He will lead you—if you surrender and allow Him to take control.
The New Year is a fresh opportunity to give God the wheel in whatever way He is calling you to do so. It is an invitation to trust Him with the direction of your life and allow Him to reveal His plan, step by step.
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord,
“plans to prosper you and not to harm you,
plans to give you hope and a future.”
—Jeremiah 29:11
Happy New Year!
May your mornings be filled with His joy.