Happy New Year! I hope everyone had a blessed holiday season! To kick off a new year of “The BeanSpired Life,” in this month’s newsletter I’m sharing a life lesson from winter (yes, it really is winter in NC!) and my big goal for 2026, as well as the latest on my mom’s cancer journey.
Exposed by Suffering
Across the North Carolina countryside at this time of year, most trees stand bare. With their robes of green missing, details we never really noticed in midsummer jump out in clear relief.
All the trees’ imperfections are exposed. Twisted limbs. Gnarly bark. Leaning trunks.
The “winters” of life tend to have a similar effect on the human soul. I’ve found that hardship exposes things in myself I didn’t even realize were there. Faulty beliefs I’ve entertained, unhealthy attitudes I’ve allowed to take root, weak points I’ve neglected, spiritual holes I’ve tried to patch on my own—they come into sharp focus against the bleak landscape of suffering. Ice weights my branches and wind tears at my trunk, testing whether my frame will hold up in its present, maligned form.
I’m sure you can relate.
The philosophical among us often laud suffering as an improver of character. But, really, pain only benefits us by holding up a mirror to who we are. We choose what to do with our reflection: cultivate what we see, or allow God to shape something better.
So, next time you face trials, ask God to use them to form Christlikeness in you. Take steps to keep close to Him, such as memorizing Scripture and maintaining daily Bible reading time. As you go through painful experiences, pray often, baring your heart to God and asking for His guidance and strength. And whether or not you’re currently in a spiritual winter, take a moment each day to prayerfully assess yourself, confess your sins, and ask the Holy Spirit to set you on the right path.
Be brave. Becoming like Jesus is worth it.
Behind the Screen
I’m not a New Year’s resolutions person. Resolutions feel like never-ending chores. Goals, on the other hand, offer a clear point to work toward, with the hope of achievement. So, every New Year’s Eve (or New Year’s Day), I sit down and write out goals for the year in various areas of my life. That includes my health, my donkey endeavors, and my writing.
I have several writing-related goals for 2026. The biggest: Get an agent—maybe even a publisher—for my next book, a devotional about faith in crisis.
To that end, I’m working on my book proposal. A book proposal is basically a detailed introduction to what a book is about, who it’s for, where it fits in the market, and how the author will help it reach readers. Once my proposal is finished and polished (which I hope will be in March), I’ll send it to a prospective agent, who’ll use it to judge the book’s potential and decide if they’re a good fit to represent it to publishers.
I’d appreciate prayer for wisdom and endurance as I finish my proposal, and for God’s guidance in finding the right agent. And, of course, for His good timing throughout the whole process.
Now for an update on my mom: Round two of chemo went well. Round three will be this coming Monday. Overall, she’s doing well. Her two main issues right now are tachycardia and mild tremors, which we think may be related to her meds. Please pray that she gets relief, especially from the tachycardia.
Most importantly—On January 30, Mom will have a follow-up PET scan to see how the cancer is doing. Please, please pray for a clean scan—that the cancer is completely gone. I know that sounds like a big ask, but God has done bigger things. If it’s in His will, He not only can but will do it.
Thank you as always for your prayers and support. May 2026 be a year of walking ever closer with Jesus.
Help others find grace and resilience in the face of the unknown.
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Jesus loves you. Embrace His love and live it out.
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