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January is full of new beginnings, rededication, resolution, looking forward to what’s to come. 

What is to come? 

We made it to February; so what now? 

This month, our theme is hope. Paul tells us that the things that remain are Faith, Hope, and Love. Once we start something or make a decision, how do we continue? How do we stay constant in our faith or remain loving through the struggles we endure. We hope.

I see this time of year as one that necessitates hope. 

We push on through the path we have chosen with it. 

But how do we hope in the right way? Hope is a confident expectation. It is not just a passive looking off to the future that one-day things will come together, but a confident expectation that the Kingdom is right here with us. 

C.S Lewis, in Mere Christianity, points out that when we say in the Creed, “Thy will be done” we often say it thinking about the far-off future and are less likely to be so willing to relinquish our life at each present moment to the will of God. 

And perhaps, after setting our goals, small failures along the way bog us down. Perhaps they discourage us from wanting to run the race altogether.

However, having confident expectation does not have to proceed from past moments of “success,” but simply from the knowledge that each moment we have here is ready to be used for God. Each next moment, even the one right after we get done binging Netflix for 5 hours can be used to choose love, care, patience, service… Our lives are made for picking up each of our crosses and going. 

So with hope as a confident expectation let us go. Whatever we have chosen up to now and choose in the next moment go and give it back to God: Thy will be done.

Andrew Gluntz

Alethia Placencia

Publications Student Leader

I am a senior at the University of Kentucky studying philosophy and microbiology. I love hiking, staying active, and enjoying great books and food! Above all, I love the family OCF has given me. Whatever your story may be, there is a place for you in this community! Reach out to learn more about OCF or if you would like to contribute to the blog! publicationsstudent@ocf.net