As I thought about the title of this week’s letter — looking back, looking forward — I couldn’t help but realize that I spend most of my time in these letters thinking on the present. On looking here. Now.

Usually in these letters, we explore what God is up to in the present moment.

What is God doing in your life right now? What are you learning? Here’s what I’m learning and thinking about.

But today, just a few days out from the turning of the calendar to 2014, perhaps we can, together, spend a little bit of time looking back and looking forward. What do you say?

I’d like to share with you some questions to hold for this process. Just a few guard rails to guide your entrance into this reflection space. Nothing too intense or flashy. Nothing too exhaustive. Just some rails to guide the path of reflection.

So, let’s start.

Take some time to enter into your experience of 2013.

Where did you experience life and vitality this year?
Where did you experience life seeming to dwindle away?
In a word, how would you sum up this 2013 year?

Take some time to enter into an apprehending of 2014.

In what areas do you sense you’ll be growing in 2014, given your current growing edges?
What do you value about these growth areas?
What is difficult about them for you?
In a word, what is your hope for 2014?

I’m going to take some time over the next week to sit with these questions, and I hope you’ll have an opportunity for some reflection on them too.

And if you’d like to share any of your findings with me, I’d love to hear them!

By the way, the wedding I wrote about in last week’s letter? It was fantastic. My sister was an absolute vision, and she and her now-husband invited all of us into a really fun celebration. I only struggled with self-consciousness for about 30 minutes — just before the ceremony and for about the first 15 minutes of it — until I remembered all those kind words I share with you last week and my decision to believe them. I’m thankful!

Much love,
Christianne