Dear friend, as we stand together on the edge of a new year, I want to share something that’s been on my heart. New Year’s Eve isn’t just another date on the calendar—it’s a sacred pause, a gentle invitation from God to step through a doorway of grace.

In this tender space between what was and what will be, there’s a question worth bringing before the Lord: What burdens are you carrying that He never asked you to bear?

When Shadows Become Familiar Friends

You know, darkness doesn’t always announce itself with drama. Sometimes it settles in quietly, like dust on a shelf we’ve forgotten to clean. It shows up in the thoughts we’ve grown used to, the fears we’ve learned to work around, the wounds we’ve covered but never truly let heal.

Maybe you’ve noticed how certain anxieties only grew because you kept them hidden. How certain hurts stayed tender because they never saw the healing light of day. How the same patterns kept circling back because the darkness gave them a place to hide.

But here’s the beautiful truth: Light changes everything. And not in a harsh, exposing way—but in the way morning sun gently fills a room, revealing what’s there so it can finally be transformed.

You Were Made for More Than Just Surviving

Can I share something that might bring you freedom? Just because you made it through something doesn’t mean you’re meant to carry it forever.

Yes, God walked with you through that disappointment. Yes, He held you through that betrayal. Yes, His grace sustained you through that loss. But surviving something isn’t the same as being defined by it.

Some experiences came into your life as teachers, not as permanent residents. Some seasons were meant to shape you, not shadow you forever. And those coping mechanisms that helped you through the valley? They weren’t designed for the mountaintop.

Here’s what I’ve learned: We don’t honor our journey by carrying every stone we’ve stumbled over. We honor our growth by recognizing when it’s time to lay them down.

An Invitation to Step Into the Light

The beautiful thing about God’s light is that it never forces itself upon us. It simply shines, patient and steady, waiting for us to take that step.

You might be standing right at the edge of breakthrough, still holding onto familiar shadows—and that’s okay. We all need time to gather courage. But beloved, the invitation stands: Will you step forward?

This might mean choosing to stop rehearsing old hurts in your mind. It might mean finally releasing that protective wall you built around your heart. It might mean letting go of the need to control what only God can heal.

The light is already shining for you. All that’s needed is your willing step.

Making Room for What God Has Planned

There’s a spiritual principle I’ve seen work miracles: You can’t receive tomorrow’s blessings with yesterday’s burdens filling your hands.

Think about it—bitterness and joy can’t share the same heart space. Fear and faith can’t grip the same promise. Our need to control can’t coexist with trusting God’s perfect plan.

But here’s the amazing part: Letting go isn’t about losing something. It’s about making room for something better.

When you release regret, peace has room to bloom. When you let go of shame, healing finds its way in. When you stop carrying yesterday’s pain, tomorrow’s joy has space to grow.

A Gentle Release

As we prepare to cross into this new year, remember this: Tomorrow doesn’t need yesterday’s weight. The future God has planned for you doesn’t require you to bring along past pain.

Some things truly belong in the darkness we’re leaving behind:

• The mistakes you’ve already learned from and been forgiven for
• The unhealthy patterns you’ve recognized and are ready to break
• The false identity you wore just to make it through

They’ve served their purpose. The lessons have been learned. They don’t get a ticket into your new season.

You don’t need to explain them away. You don’t need to keep processing them. You don’t need to carry them one more day.

With God’s help, you can simply… let them go.

Stepping Forward in Freedom

Sometimes the most powerful growth doesn’t look like adding something new to our lives. Sometimes it looks like finally setting down what we were never meant to carry.

As you step into this new year, step into it lighter. Step into it with clarity. Step into it with the freedom Christ purchased for you.

Whatever belongs to the darkness—whatever was born from fear instead of faith, whatever can’t stand in the presence of God’s truth—leave it there. Leave it in the dark where it belongs.

The light is waiting for you, dear one. And in that light, there’s healing, hope, and a future filled with God’s good plans for you.

Step forward. Step free. The best is yet to come.

With love and prayers for your journey ahead,

Bishop G.E. Livingston