This morning, I woke before the sun. At 5:09 a.m., the world was still dark, but my spirit was awake, as if God Himself nudged me. A new year of my life begins today, and I find myself standing in that quiet threshold between what has been and what is to come.
Birthdays have a way of asking questions we often avoid. Have I grown? Have I loved well? What am I carrying forward, and what must I leave behind? My birthday isn’t just a marker of time, but an invitation to remember the grace written into every line of my story and to trust God with the sentences still unwritten.
“Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” (Psalm 90:12)
Looking Back
The past year held beauty and storms: Jubilee weekends, ocean prayers, haikus and half-finished drafts, moments of grief and sparks of joy. Through it all, I’ve learned that God is both the horizon and the wave, steady yet powerful, tender yet overwhelming.
As I think about the conversations, the laughter, even the tears, I see how every detail was woven with purpose. Romans 8:28 has been my anchor: “In all things God works for the good of those who love Him.” Even the things I didn’t understand have been shaping me.
Standing in the Present
Today, I celebrated in simple but meaningful ways. A voice message from a dear friend asking how I was spending my day made me smile more than I expected. That small gesture reminded me how deeply connection matters, even across distance.
On my drive to work, I listened to Mikrokosmos. The lyrics washed over me like sunlight breaking through clouds. I thought of the joy BTS has brought into my life, the nights at concerts, the laughter in livestreams, the shared tears in songs that carried me through darker times. As the melody played, memories flooded in, and I found myself tearing up, not out of sadness, but from gratitude. I missed them, yes, but more than that, I was reminded of how much beauty they’ve sown into my story.
Birthdays, I realized, are not just private milestones anymore. They are communal. Just as ARMY celebrates each BTS member with birthday billboards, events, and banners, I felt celebrated by the simple acts of kindness around me today. It reminded me that life is meant to be shared, even when we are separated by oceans or time zones.
Looking Forward
What do I want in the year ahead? To keep writing with honesty. To love deeply, even when it feels risky. To pursue wholeness in every season, single or partnered, busy or still. To see dreams like book projects take shape. To stay open to God’s surprises, because He has always proven Himself faithful.
As Isaiah 43:19 reminds me: “See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?” My prayer is to keep perceiving, to stay awake to the new things God is unfolding.
🌟 Soul Insights
1. Birthdays are not just milestones; they are invitations to reflect and reset.
Every year, the calendar circles back to this one day that belongs to us alone, but its real gift is the pause it creates. Birthdays invite me to stop, look back, and notice what I’ve survived and who I’ve become. Reflection helps me see not just what I lost but how God carried me through it. It is less about tallying successes and more about gaining wisdom. Every year is a chance to reset, to step more intentionally into the person I’m becoming.
2. Gratitude reframes even the hardest memories into gifts of growth.
This year was not without grief and longing, but gratitude softened the sharp edges. When I choose to give thanks, even my struggles look different. Gratitude reveals the lessons hidden in loss, the resilience born out of waiting, the unexpected grace that kept showing up. It turns what felt wasted into something redeemed. Gratitude is not denial; it is vision—the ability to see God’s fingerprints where pain once blurred my sight.
3. God’s faithfulness doesn’t erase uncertainty, but it makes the future safe.
I don’t know what the coming year will bring, and in some ways that still unnerves me. Yet when I look back, I can trace God’s hand in moments I couldn’t have scripted. His timing, provision, and unexpected answers keep reminding me that the unknown is not empty, it is already filled with His presence. Faith doesn’t mean I always see the plan, but it does mean I can trust the Planner. That trust transforms the future from frightening into sacred ground.
4. Creativity is not optional, it’s part of my calling.
Writing is where I feel most alive. It’s more than a pastime; it is a way of obeying the whispers God places in my heart. My projects, from haiku collections to reflection books, are part of that obedience. Creativity is the language of my soul, the way I testify, process, and connect. When I honor that calling, I honor the One who gave me words to begin with. Ignoring creativity would be silencing a part of my worship.
5. Love, in all its forms, is still the most courageous pursuit.
Family calls, friendships that bridge continents, and even the invisible thread between ARMY and BTS remind me that love is the heartbeat of life. Love requires vulnerability and risk, but it also leaves the deepest mark. I want to love more freely in this new year, not only in romantic longing, but in wide, generous ways that mirror God’s own heart. Love makes life meaningful, and it is the one thing that will echo into eternity.
✨ Final Thoughts
As I step into this new year of my life, I don’t carry a checklist as much as a posture: open hands. Open to love, to growth, to new chapters that haven’t yet been written. Today, I’m simply grateful, for the past that shaped me, the present that grounds me, and the future God already holds.
Here’s to another year of writing, loving, and living intentionally.
Your Turn
How do you mark your own birthdays? Do you use them as milestones, reflections, or simple celebrations? Share your thoughts with me in the comments — I’d love to hear how you turn the page on a new year.
© 2025 Amelie Chambord
Soul Path Insights 
Leave a comment