Hello from Bisbee, Arizona where Al and I are enjoying camping at a wonderful place in the Turquoise Valley. Actually we are right on the border of Naco. And yes, folks keep telling us that those Mexican people are bad. Really? Yes, the cartels are awful, but they rarely come over the border. They have other ways to keep the cops away. But our Mexican people over the border are amazing and lots of fun. It’s time we get rid of the bigotry, don’t you think?

Those words from folks about the border conjured up fear and I am one that rarely has fear at all and it made me mad. So, I am musing on what really is the word, ‘contentment’. We know that there are a lot of worries about our country, where it is headed, etc. What will 2026 like? Well, guess what, the only one that I know who knows is God, so talking with God should be our first conversation. After that, we need to get into the Scriptures and find the many ways our Lord takes care of us no-matter-what-or-where-we-are. Perhaps doing all this will quell our discontentment and the worries we like to stir up in our minds, right?

Sadly, insecurity, inadequacy, and incompleteness are all a part of the ‘stem’ that comes from the same place—our minds and how we can so quickly whip-up all kinds of things until we are exhausted and filled with more worries! Then contentment has just left the universe and now we are trying not to fall off the earth, as a friend of mine says quite often.

So let’s take a look at this long word contentment and see what God knows that we’re not seeing. First of all, whether you are single, dating, married with kids, empty nester, senior living, etc. Remember that the keys to contentment at any stage of life are always the same: “Knowing who you are in Christ and trusting God with every aspect of your life.” If you forget that you will find the contentment you are searching for will not be found.

One of the ‘keys’ to contentment comes from John 1:12-13. I am using the ‘New Testament For Everyone’ [NTFE]. It is a great translation for anyone, but really helpful for those who are new to the faith or those who shy away from reading Scriptures because they think that they can’t “get it–or the words are too hard to understand.”

“But to anyone who did accept him, he gave the right to become God’s children; yes, to anyone who believed in his name. They were not born from blood, or from fleshly desire, or from the intention of a man, but from God.”

Here’s what I’ve learned about ‘contentment’…
1) Contentment isn’t about having perfect circumstances.
2) Contentment is about having a secure identity in God’s love
3) Contentment is having a confident trust in God’s plan for your life.

When you realize what God has done for you, you become and overcomer and the joy of being a child of Jesus! It doesn’t matter what season of life you’re in because your worth isn’t determined by your relationship status, your job title, or any of your achievements. And once you take that to heart, you will find the contentment your soul has been looking for.

So, on this New Year’s Eve, and then tomorrow when we flip the calendar to 2026, let this truth become heart-deep in your mind and in your soul. You have the right to be called God’s child and that identity is more than enough foundation for a deeply contented life! Remember that true contentment comes from knowing who you are in Christ, not from of all your tough circumstances…even if you are down at Naco on the border. After all, Jesus is there as well, right? Happy New Year to all of you my dear friends and readers. AMEN.