As you look at what’s happening in the news—and if 2025 wasn’t necessarily the best year for you—it can feel normal to expect nothing better from 2026.
I want to speak to the person who has been so used to negativity that they no longer expect anything good to come out of life. The person who feels like disappointment has become their default mindset. When negativity stays too long, it slowly takes space in your soul, and you stop believing that good things are even possible.
But I want to remind you: it is possible to come out of that place.
It is possible to expect something positive again.
Many negative thought patterns are rooted in rejection and abandonment. And after rejection and abandonment, God desires to bring acceptance and love. Unfortunately, not everyone has the strength to overcome these internal battles—and that is heartbreaking. I used to believe everyone could just “be strong,” but Scripture shows us otherwise.
When the Israelites went to spy on the Promised Land, twelve capable leaders saw the same land. Yet their reports were completely different. Caleb’s report was filled with faith and courage. The other ten were filled with fear and discouragement. Those ten convinced the people not to move forward—and because of that, an entire generation never entered the promise.
That story taught me something difficult but important: some people surrender to negativity instead of overcoming it. They allow fear to decide their future.
But the Bible is a collection of stories where God continually does a new thing. Even when the beginning is painful—even when the process is messy—God always finds a way to introduce renewal.
A new year, a new month, even a new day is evidence that God believes in new beginnings.
So I want to send this word of hope to you:
Expect something different in 2026.
For me, 2026 is about inner work.
God has healed me deeply and given me peace and courage—so much so that I can write vulnerably, openly, and honestly like this. That would not have been possible without Jesus. I used to be bound by shame and fear of what people would think. I’ve been delivered from that spirit—not perfectly, but genuinely.
God does not expect perfection from me, but He does want growth.
So here are a few things I believe are important as we prepare for 2026.
Write a Vision Bigger Than Yourself
I want to encourage you to write a vision that goes beyond money, status, or validation.
Ask yourself:
-
What problem breaks my heart?
-
What injustice do I feel deeply?
-
Who do I feel called to help?
I remember standing at a bus stop in downtown Ottawa and seeing an elderly homeless woman who reminded me of my grandmother. Something broke in me. I didn’t know her story, but I felt overwhelming compassion. I prayed for her, blessed her, and promised God I would help her if I ever saw her again.
I saw her again—twice. Each time, I gave what I could. After that, I never saw her again. But that moment changed me. It led me to volunteer and to support homeless organizations in Canada, Europe, and Africa.
At the time, I didn’t realize God was shaping my heart for something bigger.
Sometimes the things you do “just because you care” are seeds for your calling.
Work on Your Patience
God has been working on my patience—a fruit of the Holy Spirit that is not easy.
Lack of patience often comes from expecting failure. I didn’t realize how deeply I expected things to go wrong until God showed me that my mindset was negative. That negativity came from abandonment, shame, and a subconscious desire to “prove” my unworthiness.
Patience allows you to pause, reassess your thoughts, and replace fear with faith.
It also prevents you from creating a “Plan B” out of fear. Just like the Israelites wanting to return to Egypt, impatience pushes us to go backward instead of trusting God forward.
You may look busy. You may look like you’re progressing. But without patience, you may actually be stagnating spiritually.
God is teaching me not to be obsessed with results—but with Jesus Himself.
Even if the results take time, He remains sovereign.
Waiting on the Lord does not mean doing nothing. It means obeying what He has already asked you to do—daily, quietly, faithfully—without anxiety.
Every child of God goes through the test of patience. You are not alone.
Loving Your Inner Circle
Another thing to focus on is the relationships closest to you.
I think we’re often so focused on wanting new relationships, new friends, or replacing what we’ve lost—a friendship, a loved one, or something we deeply hoped for that broke—that we end up neglecting the relationships that are already near us.
And one of the relationships we neglect the most is family—our parents, our siblings.
Because of trauma, many of us were taught to distance ourselves from family, to fly away instead of leaning in, to protect ourselves by disengaging. And sometimes that was necessary at the time. But healing changes perspective.
For me, as I look toward 2026, God has really been showing me to lean more into my family. I have a great family—lovely people—and yet I realized how often I was seeking validation elsewhere: from friends, colleagues, and even people who barely know me. God has been gently redirecting my heart to cherish the relationships that have been there all along.
When I was younger, I ran away from home emotionally because home didn’t feel safe. But as an adult, God has healed me and helped me understand that it’s no longer scary to lean into home. It’s no longer scary to trust those relationships. I’m not that little girl anymore—I now have wisdom, boundaries, and a new perspective.
So for me, 2026 is also about rebuilding and strengthening my relationship with my family.
And I want to encourage you:
Don’t neglect the relationships close to you.
Your parents.
Your children.
Your siblings.
A friend who has always been there.
They may not be perfect—but they’ve been riding with you for a long time.
Don’t ignore them.
Don’t backslide from them.
Lean into them. Cherish them.
Spend more time with them.
Serve them.
Help them more.
Pour into them a little more than you did before.
Sometimes healing isn’t about finding something new—it’s about learning to love what’s already been there
Expect Increase In God's Power In Your Life
I also expect to experience God on a more powerful level.
Sometimes people think that experiencing God is only about the things He does externally. But it’s more about the inner power of God. As Christians, I really believe we need to tap into the power of the Holy Spirit.
The power of the Holy Spirit is felt within you, because God lives in us. We receive Him through the Holy Spirit, and by faith we walk with Him. Unfortunately, when people do not believe or lack faith, His voice becomes quieter—not because He leaves, but because when the flesh takes over, it becomes harder to hear Him. God is gentle and meek, and so His Spirit is gentle and meek. He does not force Himself.
So in 2026, I would say: seek to experience His power.
When He increases in you and you decrease, that means reducing the mindset that is centered on me—my needs, what I want, how I look, what people think of me. It’s about letting go of that “me, me, me” mindset and focusing on increasing the power of God within you.
When God increases in you, you should expect beautiful things to happen around you. It’s the inner power that allows you to do incredible things on the outside.
As you write your vision for 2026, ask to experience the power of God.
For two years, I kept writing prayers asking God to let me experience Him more—to make me a conqueror, to make me a warrior, to give me a strong mindset, because I didn’t have one. And in 2025, He answered that prayer. This blog is a living testimony of that. And in 2026, I’m asking for more.
So 2026 is about increase.
Increase in the power of God in your life.
Increase in the hand of God over the things you do.
Increase in elevation.
Increase in self-esteem.
Increase in self-love.
Increase in love for others.
Increase in service to others.
Increase in patience.
Increase in self-control.
Increase in kindness and gentleness.
Increase in strength to overcome obstacles.
Increase in faith.
Increase in the inner things.
So for 2026, I ask you to seek the increase of God.
Seek His increase.
Seek that He increases what is happening inside of you.
Grow in Faith (Not Wishful Thinking)
Faith is difficult—not because God is unreliable, but because we often expect Him to act like a magician.
God performs miracles, yes—but miracles flow through faith, not entitlement.
Faith is not:
“I want a million dollars even though I’ve never managed money.”
Faith is:
“God, I believe You can restore what feels impossible—even if I don’t know how.”
I used to struggle with when God would act. But God taught me to focus on that He will act.
I prayed to leave Cameroon for years. It took seven years before the door opened. Looking back, I see why the delay was necessary.
God was still blessing me during the waiting.
Do not make one unanswered prayer the measure of God’s love for you. His love is proven daily.
Submit Your Plans to God
Many people quit their vision halfway because they never truly submitted it to God.
When you write your vision with faith and surrender, you stop relying on your own strength. You don’t need perfect faith—just honest faith.
God is not asking you to do the impossible. He is asking you to trust Him with it.
Have a vision for 2026. Don’t drift through the year. Be hopeful. Be intentional.
Add comment
Comments