Hello there my friends.
 
            We are in the in-between place.  We are in between Merry and Happy.  A few days ago, we said, “Merry Christmas”.  Pretty soon we will say, “Happy New Year”.  But now, we are in that mysterious week where we don’t really know what day it is, our diet consists of leftovers and chocolate, and our exercise plans have mostly disappeared.
 
            In some ways, it is kind of nice.  In other ways, it can feel very unsettling.
 
            Sometimes we can find ourselves in an in-between place in our lives and it has nothing to do with Merry or Happy.  Maybe we are in between relationships. Maybe we are in between jobs.  Maybe we are in a place of doubts, in between faith. 
 
            In these places of insecurity, we can respond to God in an assortment of ways.  We can cry out to Him and cling to Him like never before.  We can wonder where He is and why He isn’t helping us by making things clear.  We can walk away from Him.  We can complain and curse Him.   We can praise Him.
 
            I think that is all part of relationship.  I’m not here to tell you how you should be responding to God; that is between you and Him.  I just want to encourage you to keep responding to God.  Keep in conversation with Him, even if it is heated or not very pretty.  He loves you and wants to keep in relationship with you. 
 
            Sometimes, you need to let it all hang out in your doubts and frustrations. 
 
            Sometimes, you need to pour out your soul in love and adoration.
 
            Sometimes, you just need to be quiet together, just content to be together.
 
            This week of in-between will pass.  Pretty soon January 1 will hit and then we will be back to our alarms and calendars and to-do lists.  In the same way, the in-between season that you are going through now won’t last forever.  It, too, will pass.  You will come out the other side and Jesus will still be there to greet you and walk with you, just as He has been doing in the in-between time. 
 
            I pray that you experience His presence in every stage and on every step of your journey.
 
            I am looking forward to connecting with you this Sunday.  We will be meeting at 9 and 11am on January 2 and I will be presenting a state of the union talk.  I want to look at where we have been as a church, where we are now, and where we are going in 2022.  I hope you can join me. 
 
            Have a safe and happy New Year. 
 
            I love being your pastor.
 
Pastor Tim