This is the time of year when we all have to get used to writing 2026 on things instead of 2025. In doing so, we’re reminded again of the passing of time. It’s a funny thing, time—it can feel so different from different angles, like trying to read a book through a glass of water when it’s all distorted and warped, too condensed in some places and too drawn out in others. It seems to me that time is usually moving too fast, and too slowly, all at once.
Too fast, because the children are growing up and our family life is so enjoyable and I’d like to pause everything or do it all again but time rushes on and when it really comes down to it I’m actually delighted that they’re growing up. Our oldest son will be finishing secondary school this year, and starting university. How did that happen? But I love it. Our middle son is playing The Artful Dodger soon in a school production of Oliver Twist, and our youngest daughter is about to finish her first year of secondary school and she’s nailing it. I’m so proud of them and I promise I don’t actually want them to slow down, not really. Just time itself, maybe. But it doesn’t—except in the things we have to wait for, the long-term projects and prayer requests and the areas of incremental advancement (like my “progress” at the gym). As I’ve looked back over 2025, I’m reminded that there’s a reason the Bible speaks so often about patience and endurance—most good things do take their time in growing. And that’s ok. When I step outside and look at creation, I’m reminded that this is how God made the whole world to work.
On that note, one thing that’s been growing slowly is the manuscript of my next book. The working title is, “The Harvest is in the Seed: Sowing and Reaping the Blessings of Wisdom”. So I guess you can tell why I’m thinking and talking about good things and how they grow. I still have a long way to go on the manuscript, but it’s been a blessing to think about and I’m excited to share it with you. In other writing news, I’m happy to announce that this year I will start writing periodically for the UK and Ireland magazine Evangelicals Now. Also, I’ll be speaking about The Language of Rivers and Stars at Hutchmoot UK this May, which is a conference put on by The Rabbit Room, and if you don’t know what any of those things are that’s ok, I’m still delighted and you should be delighted for me.
I hope 2026 is fast in all the right places for you, and slow in the best ones, too.
sethlewis.ie 