The other day my toddler was playing with my husband. I was in the kitchen when I heard her running full speed and diving into the couch where daddy was sitting.  She repeated this route multiple times; she would go to the other end of the living room, charge full speed across its length, and jump into daddy’s arms. Without fail daddy’s arms, strong and sturdy, would meet her and embrace her with love and a firm grip.

This went on multiple times as I listened to her tiny steps and their giggles.

Later that evening as my husband and I where talking over our day, he recounted their game. “It was wild! She would run full speed into my arms without fear! Like crazy!”

I responded, “It is not that she is wild, it’s that she fully trusts you and she feels safe!”

And it struck me!  She knows daddy’s got her! No matter what! Daddy will grab her and hold her close, daddy won’t let her down; she is fully confident on that.

But, am I?  Am I fully confident that my Father will hold me every single time I run to Him?  That He won’t let me go, that His embrace keeps me safe?

As 2025 came to an end, I reflected back on God’s faithfulness and grace over my life and my family; how over and over again God has shown up and made a way where there was none.
However, going into this new year I can’t help to think of the unanswered prayers, the heartaches, the sicknesses and the lows, where I have seen God and He has held me tight.

There are so many unknowns, but one thing I do know:

In you Lord my God,
I put my trust.
I trust in you;
do not let me be put to shame,
nor let my enemies triumph over me.
No uno who hopes in you
will ever be put to shame
(Psalm 25: 1-3a)

And

I will remain confident of this:
I will see the goodness of the Lord
in the land of the living.
Wait for the Lord;
be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord. (Psalm 27: 13-14)

Let’s walk into this new year not looking at what the world can offer us and how scary and overwhelming things are becoming, how things don’t feel at ease, and where we honestly don’t feel safe any more.  Let’s look at the Father, focusing on Him and running full force into His arms knowing that He knows what is going on, that He holds our lives, and that He has the best for us!

In the same way my toddler was not holding back, running in full confidence that her daddy’s got her, let’s run into what God has for us this year, not holding anything back because our Father is ready to embrace us!