1 Corinthians 3:11
“For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.”

For as long as I can remember, I have entered each new year believing I had to start over.

• New resolutions.
• New goals.
• A quieter pruning of friendships that no longer served me.

I would stand at the edge of January 1st, hope in my heart, convinced that something magical would happen simply because the calendar had turned. That this would be the year I finally became the version of myself I had been chasing.

And yet, by the end of most years, reflection carried a familiar weight:

• Disappointment in myself.
• Comparison with what others seemed to achieve so effortlessly.
• A quiet question whispering, “Why am I still here?”

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But this year was different.

As I reflected on 2025, the Holy Spirit ministered to me in a way I did not expect. Softly, almost gently, He whispered:

“Brick by brick.”

Every season contributes to the structure of who God has purposed us to be.

• God does not discard seasons = He builds through them.
• He is not erasing your story = He is advancing it.
• Every year is a brick = Every experience adds weight and definition.

I realized that for years I had been trying to rebuild my life from scratch-over and over-unaware that God had already laid a foundation and was simply asking me to trust the process of construction.

A building that does not understand its foundation will eventually collapse. Before God builds through us, He establishes who we are.

Identity determines stability. That realization has forced me to ask a difficult but necessary question:

1. Do I truly know who I am?
– If I do, why do I keep feeling the need to start over?

– Why do I trust a new year to transform me instead of trusting the one who is my firm foundation?

A building does not choose its foundation-it rests on what has already been laid. Likewise, as believers, we do not self-define. We stand on Christ.

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Identity

So as I step into 2026, I am not searching for a new identity. I am choosing to fully embrace what God has already declared.

I am:

• A child of God, deeply loved by the King of Kings
• A wife, a daughter, a sister, a friend, an aunt
• A pastor’s wife, stewarding both calling and character
• A steward of vision-entrusted with purpose and responsibility

When identity is rooted in Christ, comparison loses its grip. When identity is secure, confusion fades. You do not build to become someone. You build because you already know who you are.

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Courage

2 Timothy 1:7

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind.”

Courage is not the absence of fear. It is obedience in the presence of it. It’s being able to stand while God builds.

As God adds new bricks to my life in 2026, I know there will be moments when the structure feels heavy. Moments when visibility increases, responsibility grows, and faith is stretched beyond comfort.

Growth often feels weighty before it feels glorious.

I have learned this truth:

• Fear often appears when purpose expands.
• Courage chooses obedience over ease.

God strengthens those who stand firm in Him, not those who retreat. Construction becomes more demanding as a structure rises. The higher God builds, the more strength is required, but we do not abandon the foundation when the building gets taller. We trust the Builder, and the beauty of walking with God is this: He supplies us with all the strength we require.

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Boldness

Boldness flows naturally from identity and courage.

Proverbs 28:1

“The wicked flee though no one pursues, but the righteous are as bold as a lion.”

When you know who you are and when fear no longer dictates your steps, you stop shrinking. You stop explaining. You stop apologizing for obedience.

In 2026, boldness is not arrogance.

• It is clarity.
• It is the confidence to stand fully in God-given roles-publicly and privately-without compromise.

Boldness is:

• Speaking truth with love
• Leading without seeking approval
• Honoring God consistently, not selectively
• Stewarding His vision with excellence
• Representing Christ unapologetically in every space

A strong building does not hide. It stands-visible, stable, and secure. God’s work in us was never meant to be concealed.

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As we step into 2026, may this be our prayer:

That we surrender the need to start over.

That we trust what God has already been building.

That our foundation in Him is strengthened-not replaced.

May we walk forward with clarity, faith, and obedience brick by brick

—trusting the Master Builder with every layer of our lives.

Isaiah 28:16

“So this is what the Sovereign Lord says: ‘See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation; the one who relies on it will never be stricken with panic.”

#Be a blessing and stay blessed!