In early 2020, none of us expected a pandemic. It wasn’t until March that the virus that came to define much of our lives for the past two years resulted in lockdowns. While ringing in 2021 we didn’t expect a capitol riot that turned the political division in our country deadly. Last year firestorms, floods, and tornados destroyed homes and devastated families. So what calamity might happen in 2022? How how can we be prepared when we don’t know what’s down the road? Is it going to be a better year or do we have more major disasters ahead?

Looking back (as I did in last week’s blog post) always broadens my perspective when it comes to thinking about how the new year will unfold. Perhaps some of my thoughts will help prepare you for what lies ahead in the coming year.

Looking back on a surprise

When I re-read my personal journal, the rocky start to 2021 surprised me. I had no clue where I was headed. I wasn’t at all sure I’d publish my book, The Windblown Girl. The second half of the book wasn’t working. Searching for a publisher proved futile. And, despite numerous attempts I couldn’t reach someone at Lladro to get permission to use the figurine on the cover. Yet, by August, things came together in such a way that publication became feasible. Even so supply chain concerns delayed the launch parties until November.

Seeing so many challenges for 2021 relieved many of my personal concerns for 2022. It’s OK not to have a clear picture of what lies ahead. Will I be speaking? Continuing to write? Could there be a sequel? I don’t know but I’m clear on one thing. Uncertainty can be a thrill ride for a Christian. Even obstacles or disastrous news give our great God the necessary room to work, incredible space to craft a powerful adventure. So maybe the best way to prepare for 2022 is by becoming determined to stay flexible, buoyant, and positive.

Determine to stay flexible

I’m a planner. Can you relate? Maybe like me, you want to get ready for whatever lies ahead. But life doesn’t simply move in one direction. It’s complex with many twists and turns. Sometimes we achieve a goal worthy of a major celebration. Sometimes circumstances break our hearts and thwart our best efforts. Maybe it’s just as well we don’t know about hard events ahead of time. That’s why we need to hold our plans with open hands and trust that Jesus is big enough to take care of whatever comes our way.

Considering flexibility a skill to be mastered prepares us for an ever-changing world with disturbing circumstances. The key is to have a foundation that retains stability even in calamity. The Bible helps anchor us in a relationship with Jesus so that when a disaster happens we can not only survive but also thrive. Watching three friends go through serious cancer battles this year convinced me of this truth. All three trusted God even as they wondered if chemo would be successful. They knew that Jesus would carry them and their loved ones through. That kind of trust develops over time as we see a faithful God provide in every circumstance. From the beginning of time people have gone through traumatic personal situations, natural disasters, and government over-reach.

This is why I read the Bible every day. Verses like Ecclesiastes 1:9 remind me that

What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.

Nothing surprises our Creator. Not cancer, pandemics, fires, or floods. Or book projects. Or the need for a new job. Or the loss of a home. Or whatever you may be dealing with. Being flexible helps us adapt to whatever surprises may be in store–good or bad.

Determine to be buoyant

Jesus knows the number of our days. Governments rest on His shoulders. We can trust Him to take care of the hard and the good. And, in the process He wants us to love one another. Ephesians 4: 1-3 reminds us to stay buoyant enough to 

walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, being diligent to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

It’s who I am that matters, not what I do. The goal to focus on Jesus and remain afloat changes everything. Whatever comes my way, I can trust God to be in the details. He has plans and purposes for me that I can’t see so aligning myself with His will sets me free of trying to control situations or people. Keeping my eyes on Jesus prevents me from sinking into the depths of despair. That helps me brave each adventure knowing the outcome may be better than anything I imagined. 

Giving up my will and trusting God is a choice. When adversity comes I can ask for wisdom, strength, peace–all the things that help me stay afloat, rising above the tide–riding on top of the waves  instead of trying to manipulate circumstances to get my own way. This changes me from the inside out and helps me relax. Over the years as I’ve learned to let go of my demands and trust that God’s ways are better–invaluable lessons that I wouldn’t trade for anything.

The most transformational change has been not to worry so much about my self. Focusing on Jesus and His agenda lifts me up to care for others–to pray for them, share their burdens, and try to make a difference for those less fortunate. Buoyancy carried me through a brutal personal storm this year during a murderous attack on someone I love while trying to finish my book. The book was completed and the one I love showed amazing strength and courage in the midst of a horrendous injustice.

Determine to Practice Positivity

When life’s fiercest winds blow, we can choose to remain positive because we know Christ is the Lord. Grave injustice does not have the final say. Neither in 2020, 2021, nor will it in 2022. Not in pandemics, civil unrest, or natural disasters. That’s why Christ followers can stay positive–positive that there’s more than meets the eye. Positive that we have a God who makes things right. Romans 8:28 is worth commiting to memory.

We know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

Even the worst thing can turn into the best thing when we determine to remain flexible, buoyant, and positive. No matter what lies ahead in 2022, we can count on that by focusing on God’s exceptional goodness, His limitless power, and His lavish love for us.