Year in Reflection: Finding God’s Presence and Building Meaningful Community

Every year, I set aside time to reflect using the Examen tool—a spiritual practice where you ask God: Where were You? Where did I miss You? Where did I reflect Your light? This reflection covers the past year's significant events, struggles, areas of growth, moments of deep gratitude, losses, and the overarching spiritual themes that emerged. It’s a chance to notice God’s presence across different areas of life—relationships, health, vocation, and more.
This practice always grounds me. It helps me see the year as it truly was, not just the curated version we often present on social media. If you’ve never tried this, I encourage you to give it a shot—it’s never too late.
Then comes the fun part. After reflecting and jotting down your insights, you can shift into a posture of dreaming and praying over the new year. Ask God what His plans are for you in these key areas:
- Relationships (including marriage and family)
- Vocation/School
- Friendship/Community
- Fun
Write down whatever you sense or hear. Sometimes, specific words, phrases, or scriptures will stand out, becoming anchors for the year ahead.
One of my anchor words this year is content. Instead of focusing on what’s missing, I want to lean into gratitude for what’s already showing up in my life. My grounding scripture is 1 Timothy 6:6-7, 11.
But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness.
One of the things I’m most grateful for is this church called Orchard. I’m thankful for a community that prays together, worships together, and engages in honest conversations about hard things. Some of the most meaningful moments happen around a table.
Pastor Nick and I are part of a Table Community that meets weekly to share a meal, study scripture, and pray together. Our vision for Orchard Church is to see these Table Communities spread across Dane County—places where people can gather, share life, and grow in faith together.
If you’re seeking community this year or want to deepen your relationships, we’d love to help you start or join a group. Together, we can create spaces for meaningful conversations, safety, and spiritual intimacy.
"They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer." — Acts 2:42

Leiah Fundell
Co-founder and Pastor of Prayer and Community
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