#Faith – I and Thou Reflections

Welcoming Love

Affirmation

We welcome love. We open our hearts to its warmth and vitality.

Reflection

As January comes to a close, we have nearly completed the first whole month of 2026. Moving into February feels like crossing a bridge —
one that guides us toward a more authentic way of being. Slow. Steady. True.

January has invited us to slow down, to notice the sparkle, to breathe again.
To appreciate the small things life has to offer.
Now it invites us to open our hearts —to let love meet us where we are.
Not the perfect or polished version of us.
Just our honest, authentic selves.

Love is grand and has its own timeline.
Sometimes it comes softly —
in a kind word offered at the right moment, in a hand reaching for ours, or in the familiar comfort of someone who sees us as we are.
Sometimes it arrives loudly —
like a spark igniting a fire, full of sizzles, cracks, and pops.

What we do know for sure is that love shows up every day in the ordinary:
the warmth and joy shared over a piece of pizza,
the whisper of “I’m sorry,”
the courage to forgive,
the assurance that God is with us – always.

Love is God’s way of saying: You are held. You are seen. You are cherished.
Welcoming love means letting ourselves receive what we often give so freely to others. It means trusting that love is not scarce, not fragile, not earned — but offered. Again and again.

Prayer

God, teach us to welcome love — the love You pour into our lives and the love that flows through the people around us. Help us soften our words, calm our anxiety, and open our hearts to love. May Your love remind us that we are seen, heard, and valued. Amen

*Image Credit: Freepik p. 43 Shared Meal*

#Love #January #Welcome #NewYear #2026 #Affirmation #Prayer #Faith #Seasons #Reflections

Winding Down January

Affirmation

We welcome the winding down of January. We breathe. We take notice. We are grateful for how far we have come. We will begin to create space to celebrate love.

Reflection

Winding down gives us a chance to reflect. We began this month with an open heart — with a willingness to see differently, to notice the extraordinary in the ordinary.

January encourages us:
To consider change.
To search for light, clarity, and joy.
To stay open to opportunities, new beginnings.
To offer grace to ourselves and others.
To see the sparkle in the ordinary.

January didn’t ask us to be perfect. It simply asked us to notice — to pay attention to the small ways God meets us in the everyday. It also drew our attention to others — to see them in a different light. To receive grace so we could offer it back

As we wind down this month, we gather these moments like gentle threads. We hold them with gratitude. We let them prepare our hearts for what comes next. A month to celebrate love.
Love for God.
Love for others.
Love for ourselves.

Our last post for January will invite love to shine in and through us — to greet us at the door,
to welcome us,
to comfort us,
to love us just the way we are.

Prayer

God, thank You for the light that guided us, the clarity that grounded us, and the joy that lifted us. We are grateful for the sparkles that remind us of the beauty all around. Continue to have mercy on us. Keep extending grace. And prepare our hearts for love. Amen.

#January #Welcome #NewYear #2026 #Affirmation #Prayer #Faith #Seasons #Reflections #NCMuseum

Welcoming the Sparkle

Affirmation

We welcome the sparkle. We will look for the sparkles of everyday life and will get close enough to feel the sparkle in our souls.

Reflection

Some days, it’s hard to find the sparkle. Yet, when we look in the right places, it shows up. It shows up in someone’s eyes. Or in the bubbles of a babbling brook. Or a shimmer of light shining through a window. Or in the sparkle of a shoe strap.

Sparkles are easy to miss unless we slow down enough to notice them.

January calls us to slow down. To notice the:
snowflakes that glisten before they melt,
dew or frost resting on the ground,
ribbons that shimmer on a painting,
artwork made by a child.

Sometimes the sparkle calls us to pause. To lean in and see the sparkles in the painting—just like in the photo here.

A Section of: *Three Graces: Les Trois Femmes Noires 2011 by Mickalene Thomas – Photo taken at the NC Museum of Art*

Sometimes the sparkle is bold. A flash of color, a beaded heel, a moment of joy.

The description of the painting says these women represent charm, beauty, and creativity — empowered, emotive, and fearless. That, too, is a kind of sparkle.

These sparkles are reminders.
That beauty is still here.
That wonder still visits.
That God still shines His light in unexpected places.

Welcoming the sparkle means letting these small flashes of delight interrupt us. To cause us to pause.
To take a breath.
To remind us that even on heavy days, something catches light to brighten our day.

Prayer

God, help us notice the sparkle-the glimmers You scatter through our days. Teach us to pause when something shines, even for a moment, and let it lift our spirits. May these tiny flashes of beauty remind us that You are near and that hope is never far. Amen.

*Three Graces: Les Trois Femmes Noires 2011 by Mickalene Thomas – Photo taken at the NC Museum of Art*

#Sparkle #Welcome #NewYear #2026 #Affirmation #Prayer #Faith #Seasons #Reflections #NCMuseum

Welcoming Grace

Affirmation

We welcome grace. We embrace the quiet gift that meets us where we are. We trust that grace will carry us forward.

Reflection

Grace is subtle. Like a breath you didn’t know you were holding. It’s open arms. An embrace of acceptance. It shows up as a kind word or a pause. Or a reminder that we are perfect the way we are.

January gives us permission–
to graciously receive blessings from God,
to bless others,
to extend grace to ourselves,
to others.

Grace is the gentle thread that holds us together so we can welcome the new year, walk toward the light, seek clarity, find joy, and be open to opportunities.

Grace invites authenticity and encourages us to grow. All we have to do is look for it and seize it. Then, give it to others.

As we move forward in 2026, let’s let go of what we can’t carry. Let’s let go of our expectations. Let’s trust God to light the path we are to follow.

Grace is not a reward. It’s a presence. A way of being held. A way of remembering that we are loved even in our humanness.

Prayer

God, help us welcome grace in all its forms. Teach us to give more grace than we receive. Help us to do what you want us to do. Keep us steady. And remind us again and again that you are walking beside us. Whether we hear you or not. You are there. Amen

*Image Credit: Forest Trees Pines – Free from Pixabay*

#Grace #Welcome #NewYear #2026 #Affirmation #Prayer #Faith #Seasons #Reflections

Welcoming Small Beginnings

Affirmation

We welcome the quiet starts, the tiny shifts, the beginnings that don’t look like much — yet carry promise.

Reflection

Beginnings arrive softly. Like a whisper. A nudge. Or a seed tucked into soil that grows without even noticing–until one day it breaks through the soil as a green stem shoots up to the sky!

January inspires us to appreciate these small beginnings.
The ones that we don’t know yet.
The ones that don’t look like progress.
The ones that ask us to wait.

A small beginning might be:

a single prayer whispered when sleep won’t come
a new habit started, forgotten, and started again
a moment of clarity that shifts our direction
a tiny prayer book cover noticed in the middle of an art museum

These beginnings matter.
Why?
Because they become the seeds of transformation.
To what?
We may not know yet. And that makes small beginnings all the more wonderful.

Seize the day and wait to see what unfolds.

Prayer

God, help us welcome the small beginnings. Give us eyes to see the beauty in quiet starts as we trust the unfolding. Teach us to celebrate what is just beginning, even when it’s still tender and maybe not even seen yet. Grant us patience and hope. Today and for all the days to come. Amen.

*Image Credit: “Wind of the Spirit” found on* *yeshuachildart.com*

#NewBeginnings #Welcome #2026 #Faith #Reflections #Prayer #Affirmation #Seasons

Welcoming Opportunities

Affirmation

We welcome new ideas and perspectives. What is meant for us will come our way. We will discern and act accordingly.

Reflection

Opportunities don’t always show up with big signs saying “Here I am!” Sometimes they come out of nowhere. Sometimes they’re tucked into a chat, a chance encounter, or a last-minute change in plans.

One thing is for sure, they won’t show up if we don’t get out of bed in the morning.
Embrace the day!
Embrace opportunities to get out into the world and say hello.

January encourages us to:
notice the subtle nudges,
pay attention to the things that inspire us,
recognize the spark of hope.

Being open to new opportunities doesn’t mean saying yes to everything that comes your way. It means staying receptive to what feels right, relevant, and inspired. The right opportunities won’t drain our energy — they’ll come as a gentle push in the right direction.

Prayer

God, help us to see what you place before us. Give us the wisdom to know what we should go after and what we should let go of. Open our hearts to new possibilities. Guide us as we step into the new year with hope and confidence. Amen.

#Hope #Welcome #NewYear #2026 #Affirmation #Prayer #Faith #Seasons #Reflection

Welcoming Joy, Again

Affirmation

Yesterday we welcomed joy. Today, we choose to notice it, remember it, and hold on to it.

Reflection

Joy often arrives in small, unexpected ways — and sometimes in the tiniest of places.

January invites us to do something new.
To experience joy in new ways.
Then, it calls us to hold on to that joy.
To carry it forward.

So, I asked my husband to take me on a date to the NC Museum of Art to see the Book of Esther exhibit. And so we went.

Then, the unexpected happened.

Joy.

In the tiniest of places.

There, tucked against the back wall, stood a glass case. Two small “metal objects” that seemed to be the “lock” for a prayer book, each intricately designed. And then a tiny cover (that once covered a prayer book) to the right. Perhaps made of pearl or stone. It had a pinkish hue. Mind you, these dated back to the 1600s. So, that fact alone left me in awe.

The cover looked no bigger than two inches by three inches. The carving alone captured my attention. I couldn’t make out the whole story, but it clearly held one. I was disappointed afterwards that I hadn’t taken a picture of it. But here is where the joy comes into play. I have the memory of that prayer book cover. And I can still feel the joy.

Today, we hold on to that kind of joy — the kind that whispers, “I’m here. Don’t rush past me. Stop. Take a peek. Maybe you’ll enjoy what you see.”

Prayer

God, help us notice the joy that we tuck into our pockets. A museum stub. A tissue with tears of joy. A few coins left from the change of a cup of coffee shared with a loved one. Teach us to treasure these pockets of joy. Amen.

*Photo Credit: Personal Photo taken* *at the NC Museum of Art*

#Joy #Prayer #Affirmation #NewBeginnings #Welcome #2026 #Faith #Seasons #Reflections

Welcoming Joy

Affirmation

We will see joy in the tiniest of places. We will welcome it in all its forms — simple, sparkly, or profoundly touching the soul.

Reflection

Joy doesn’t always shout. Sometimes it whispers-
in nature,
at work,
in our homes.

January invites us to notice the joy tucked into everyday moments-
a walk in the park,
sharing a cup of coffee with a colleague,
holding hands with a partner,
a kind word from a child,
or a nap in the middle of the day.

Welcoming joy means making space to receive it. No expectations. Just pure delight.

Prayer

God, Open our hearts to joy that heals and restores. Help us notice the small gifts You scatter throughout our days. A smile from a stranger. A door held open. A wave hello. As we prepare to receive these gifts, help us to give ours more abundantly. Amen

#Joy #Welcome #NewYear #2026 #Affirmation #Prayer #Faith #Seasons #Reflections

Welcoming The Clarity

Affirmation

We welcome clarity that brings peace, direction, and calm to our spirit. We welcome the calm. We tell anxiety “To go away.”

Reflection

Clarity typically evolves slowly. Sometimes we don’t even notice when it has arrived.

We find it little by little.
In a pause.
In a feeling.
Or through someone’s words, looks, or actions.

Something inside of us “feels right.” Like an absolute.

January gives us permission–
to slow down,
to listen,
to find clarity,
to welcome clarity.

And to trust God to reveal what we need to know,
and when.

That is truly a gift.

Prayer

God, clear the fog that often lingers in our minds. Help us see what matters most. Let us release what doesn’t. Let Your wisdom guide us through the new year with gentleness and grace.

*Image Source: http://www.intothedeepblog.net*

#Clarity #Welcome #NewYear #2026 #Affirmation #Prayer #Faith #Seasons #Reflections

Welcoming the Light

Affirmation

We welcome the light that finds us, especially when we’re in the darkness. We will walk toward the light and embrace it.

Reflection

The morning light slips through the open space of the curtain. It slowly brightens the room, casting a soft glow as if to say, “Good morning, loved one – time to get up.”

January invites us to notice the light–
the light that enters through the windowsill,
the light that shines on our desk,
the light that guides us down the road.

Let the light bring us warmth and gentle encouragement.
Let the light bring us new insight.
New perspectives.

Welcoming the light is less about the brightness and more about what the light points to.

Let the light point us to hope.

Prayer

God, let Your light touch the places in us that feel dim or weary. Help us notice the gentle ways You brighten our path. Teach us to welcome every sliver of light as a reminder that You are near. Amen

#Light #Welcome #NewYear #2026 #Affirmation #Prayer #Faith #Seasons #Reflections