As I prepared my lunch and work bag the night before my first day at a new job that was wildly outside my comfort zone, I could feel all the signs of uncertainty and fear welling up inside me yet again.

In July, I had the opportunity to spend a week in the Dominican Republic with thirty-seven high school students and thirteen adult leaders, building houses for two families. This was one of those trips you just know is going to impact people in profound ways because everyone is exhausted and broken down from the work, the heat, and the lack of sleep. On those trips, I always wonder if those mountain-top moments survive the transition into the real world.

January often marks the beginning of new habits, resolutions, and renewed hope for people. That has never really been the case for me, but I have often been encouraged to participate in choosing a word, starting a new workout plan, or a new Bible reading plan. Often, I have jumped on the bandwagon, especially the new Bible reading plan. There have been several years that on January 1st, I sat down with my Bible and started the long journey of reading the Bible in a year. Some years, I made it, and many, I did not.