By Bishop L. Jonathan Holston. The famed Dear Abby advice column offers wisdom wrapped in empathy and practicality. One such insightful column includes ways to have a chance for a fresh start today. There is no need to wait for a new week, a new month, or a new year. We don’t need to feel overwhelmed by the enormity of the long term.

May we live out the hope found in the resurrection by continuing to participate in the life of our churches in helpful ways. Here are some suggestions. A column by Bishop L. Jonathan Holston.

Anticipation abounds in uncertain times. We want to know what to expect, what the prognosis will be—and we want to know now. In the face of the unknown, we can find ourselves overcome with fear and helplessness. By Bishop L. Jonathan Holston.

Followers of Christ are often called to walk by faith and not by sight as we live in the in-between times modeled through Scripture. To walk by faith, not by sight, requires you to go to places God will reveal to you even if they are not familiar and to cling to the dreams God has planted in your heart. A column by Bishop L. Jonathan Holston.

Once again, it is a new year, a time of listing the things we will resolve to do in the coming months. Some of these resolutions will be new, but much of the list contains “carryovers” from years gone by. Maybe the one resolution to make sure is on your list is to live beyond expectations. A column by Bishop Jonathan Holston.

Shalom. The Hebrew word for “peace.” Shalom is not the absence of tension, but rather this peace exists in the midst of tension. We sometimes fall into thinking that if we have God’s peace then there will be no tension, no conflict, no issues to face. However, the truth is that God’s peace is present in the midst of all this, despite the circumstances around us. A column by Bishop L. Jonathan Holston.

It is said that the first feast was a traditional celebration of the plentiful harvest to which the Wampanoag were invited as an act of gratitude for the ways they had helped the Pilgrims acclimate to their new environment. The two groups joined together for these few days. Yet we know that this temporary time of friendship and feasting did not last. Now, even as we prepare for traditional celebrations with family and friends, the complexity of our history must be acknowledged. While we are thankful, we need to remember that reconciliation is still needed. A column by Bishop L. Jonathan Holston.

Marie Curie said it this way: “Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more so that we may fear less.” A column by Bishop L. Jonathan Holston.

How we live each day matters and impacts others in ways that we may never even know. So, being intentional about living our lives as a reflection of the Gospel even when that is challenging or unpopular, is critical. That’s why becoming comfortable with being uncomfortable is key. A column by Bishop L. Jonathan Holston.

In a world filled with complexity and uncertainty, it is easy to get overwhelmed. And the best way to counteract this kind of paralysis is to do something for someone else. A column by Bishop L. Jonathan Holston.

Some of the final words we hear each year during Annual Conference are these: “Sine Die.” Adjournment indefinitely. The completion of the agenda. The time for everyone to go their separate ways back home. While this is a necessary action in accordance with parliamentary procedure, as People of Hope, we know that the conclusion of Annual Conference is not the end of our time together as Christians. As United Methodists. As disciples of Jesus Christ. By Bishop L. Jonathan Holston.

"As we breathe a collective breath together, it is my hope that we will stay in conversation with one another, focus on the things that unite us and remain steadfast in our mission to walk together toward a future with hope." An annual conference column by Bishop L. Jonathan Holston.