New Year’s resolutions often crumble, not from bad intentions, but from a superficial understanding of our motivations. Too frequently, we pursue goals rooted in external pressures – things we “should” do. (I should exercise, lose weight, visit family, pray daily . . . .) True motivation, however, stems from an internal source, a deeper “why” connected to our core values. For me, the question became: Why return to blogging?

The urge to restart was persistent, but my initial reasons felt hollow: requests from others, satisfaction in creating a post, a therapeutic exercise, the possibility of helping someone else. These were not sufficient reason. The real reason only surfaced through prayerful reflection: to bear witness to the light within.

The world can often appear overwhelmingly dark – shadowed by personal challenges, social and political conflict, and global anxieties. This darkness can feel suffocating, threatening to extinguish hope and joy. While we might search for a simple solution, the light is already here. God said “Let there be Light!” in first chapter of the Bible, a power that still resonates today. The Gospel of John echoes this truth, stating, “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.”

Therefore, the purpose of this blog is to bear witness to the light of Christ that shines within us. This realization came into focus a couple of weeks ago while blogging on Christmas Eve candlelight worship. And today, as we celebrate Epiphany, we are reminded of the light from a star that guided the wise men to the infant Jesus in Bethlehem. Each post I write this year, while acknowledging the darkness is real, will bear witness to the Light and hope of Christ

We all have our way to bear witness to the light. This blog is my way, a vehicle for reflecting faith, hope, and love into the world.

What motivate you in your endeavors this year?

Deeper Dive from my blog, posted December 2011, Gloom, Doom and Light