Bridget A. Thomas
Every day is a gift!
And so I walk in the LORD’s presence as I live here on earth!
As you might recall, my one word for 2024 is presence. At the beginning of the year, I was eager to turn my focus on the Lord’s presence in each moment. As all years do, this year had ups and downs. And I was thankful for the Lord’s presence through it all.
We might not always feel the Lord’s presence. But our feelings and emotions aren’t always a good reflection of truth. And the truth is that God is always with us, whether we feel Him or not.
We just have to choose to believe it. And that choice will help guide us through the hardest days and also the sweetest.
In life’s bright moments, we find joy in His presence. However, in life’s dark moments, we also find comfort in His presence. He is there, ready to wrap His arms around us.
The title of this post – “And so I walk in the LORD’s presence as I live here on earth!” – comes from Psalm 116. This Psalm, in a way, is a good reflection of the things I learned about the presence of Jesus in our lives.
- His presence brings us hope.
- In His presence we pray, and He bends down to listen.
- His presence is good and merciful.
- We can rest in His presence.
- His presence brings praise and thanksgiving.
This year I have learned that our efforts to lean on the Lord’s presence will go a long way. Spending time with Him and choosing to turn to Him, no matter what, will bring the peace that surpasses all understanding (Phil 4:7). But even on days when life seems to pull us away, like a rip current, His presence safely carries us back to shore.
The word presence has been a special reminder to cling to the Lord in each moment. When we remember that the Lord is always with us, this takes a lot of weight off of our shoulders. In His presence, we can cast our cares on Him (1 Peter 5:7). In His presence, we can allow Him to navigate each day of our lives. In His presence, we find that nothing can separate us from the love of God (Rom 8:38-39).
As is often the case with our words for the year, they are a lifelong journey. Leaning on Jesus’ presence isn’t limited to this calendar year. No matter what we are facing, He goes before us and behind us (see Isaiah 52:12 and Psalm 139:5). Each and every day, He is there beside us. He is holding onto us, even when we forget to hold onto Him. He is our guiding Light. What a gift He is!
You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore. – Psalm 16:11 ESV
If you had a word for 2024, I would love to hear how it shaped your year.
Also, please let me know how I can pray for you in 2025. If you don’t want to share in the comments, you can email me at bridget@bridgetathomas.com. Please say a prayer for physical, spiritual, emotional, and mental healing for some of my family members. Thank you!
I hope you all had a Merry Christmas, as you reflected on the Light of the world. And I pray 2025 brings an abundance of blessings.
© 2018-2025 Bridget A. Thomas. All rights reserved.
Bridget A. Thomas 
“But our feelings and emotions aren’t always a good reflection of truth. And the truth is that God is always with us, whether we feel Him or not.”
Amen, sister. This is a great reminder for the holiday season. God doesn’t cease to exist, or stop working on our behalf, even in the most difficult times.
I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I. Psalm 61:2b (NIV)
Thank you for your prayers going into the new year. I am praying for you, as well.
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You said that well. And I’m so grateful that the Lord is always there and always working on our behalf. Even when we don’t see it yet, we can hold onto His promises. Thank you for your prayers too, brother! 🙏
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Hi Bridget! Thanks for your post and for sharing Psalm 116. My word was persevere, and you’re right, our words are not just for the current year. The words, as well as the lessons we learned from them, apply to every day of our lives. It has certainly been a year of learning to persevere through challenges at work, in relationships, my faith in God, and personal growth. Thank you for your prayers for me this year my friend. I am continuing to pray for you and your family. Have a blessed weekend 💕
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Thank you for sharing about your year. It’s interesting because you didn’t know how the year would unfold. But when the Lord guided you to the word persevere, He knew. Thank you for your prayers too, my friend 🙏♥️
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Amen. I pray my own surrender to God only deepens and strengthens.
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I have also learned a lot through your weekly posts on surrender. I appreciate you sharing your journey with us. Surrender is something I think we all have room for improvement, with myself at the top of the list. I’m so glad the Lord doesn’t give up on us. ♥️
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Amen 🤗
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Being in his presence reminds me of Isaiah 40:31- but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. In his presence we can be renewed, given strength, and receive guidance.
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So good! Being renewed, gaining strength and guidance are definitely areas that we all need for our daily walk on this earth. Thank you, big brother.
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I didn’t have a word for this past year, but His presence is exactly what God has been impressing upon me for the past while. I am so grateful that He is Right Here, always.
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I’m so glad too, Kathy. It’s amazing how He never leaves us. What a precious gift. 🎁♥️
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Bridget, thank you for sharing how your word for the year shaped your learnings of the presence of God. You are so right that the word is not just for the current year but hopefully the focus we have on it through the year takes us to a new level of awareness of a particular aspect of God nature and character. This year has been challenging for me. Thank you for your prayers, they are very much appreciated 💙
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You said that so well. I really love how our words for the year can help us grow in our relationship with the Lord. That is such a gift and a goal for every day of our lives. I’m sorry about the challenging year you faced. I am continuing to pray, my friend 🙏♥️
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Great post, Bridget! Got me thinking about my own word of resonance. How we perceive God’s presence and what he reveals to us depends on our distance from Him, how much time we spend with Him, and never His distance from us because He’s always near. Even when we’re in darkness, He is the light we need to get through to the other side, we just have to draw close. ❤️ I pray the new year brings more of His presence and renewed spirit for us all 🤗
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“Even when we’re in darkness, He is the light we need to get through to the other side, we just have to draw close.” Such a beautiful thought! ♥️
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Happy New Year, Bridget! It’s the perfect post to begin a new year!
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Happy New Year to you too, Gail! 🥳♥️🎄🎁📚☕️
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