Looking Back and Looking Ahead

What year end and new year rituals do you have?

While December is typically a busy time with the holidays, family time, and traveling, I carve out some time towards the end of December each year to reflect on the previous twelve months and set a course to springboard into the next year with momentum.

In this edition, I will provide a brief glimpse into my year end process. This reflection ritual is not perfect but has helped me tremendously. Feel free to incorporate whatever parts work best for you.

Continuous improvement is very important to me. To that end, I’d love to learn from you and hear what traditions you have; drop me a quick note at scott@scottkline.com to share what has worked well for you.

Looking back to 2025

I am thankful for what God has done in my life this year. I enjoy scrolling back through the photographs on my phone from the previous twelve months and reminding myself of God’s provision.

Some of the blessings that I have received this year include:

​

• Spending time with family, especially my granddaughter
• Traveling with my wife to Disney World in January
• Witnessing my favorite college football team, Ohio State, win the National Championship in Atlanta
• Watching God work in unexpected ways to provide a new ministry opportunity at Grace Polaris Church, even though leaving the wonderful people at Northwest Chapel was difficult
• Attending the Charis Fellowship Conference in eastern Pennsylvania
• Becoming a volunteer ambassador with Branches Worldwide and having the opportunity to travel to the Dominican Republic to visit the Grounds coffee shop
• Meeting new people and building new relationships
• Reconnecting with friends and past teammates from my time at Nationwide, especially witnessing several of them thrive in new roles
• Expanding my website and creating new products, including newsletters, eBooks, etc. You can find these products at deeprootedbelievers.com/resources​
• Watching my daughter perform in her first college theatre performance at the University of Dayton

​

For my personal reflection, I ask myself these questions and write out the answers in a notebook with pen and paper:

​

• What successes did you have in 2025?
• For what are you thankful?
• What do you want to keep doing?
• How did 2025 surprise you?
• What fell short of your expectations?
• What do you want to stop doing?

​

I have found that reflecting upon these questions prepares my heart for the new year by thoughtfully thinking back about the previous year and allowing myself the opportunity for a course correction when needed.

Looking ahead to 2026

After I have completed looking back at the prior twelve months, I begin to map out what I want the new year to be.

By the way, you don't have to wait until January to get started on this process.

There will be things that happen in the new year that you cannot foresee; we are not omniscient. However, mapping out an intentional plan on paper lays the foundation for me to move in my intended direction.

Below are some of my annual practices for looking ahead:

​

• One Word – I have found that setting a one word theme for each year tends to be very clarifying and works better than setting resolutions. I have set a one word goal for several years. It’s amazing looking back over time at how those words set the standard for each year in ways that I could not have envisioned. For more information about One Word, visit getoneword.com.
• Goal setting – write out 4 or 5 realistic goals across all areas of your life. It is very important to put pen to paper, as it increases the likelihood that you commit to making these goals happen.
• Who can assist me accomplish my goals for 2026? – How will you learn from these individuals? Will you pursue mentoring or coaching? Will you follow them on social media? Will you read their books, listen to their podcasts, etc.?
• Who can I mentor and serve? Helping others brings purpose and significance to your year. You are best suited to help the person who you used to be. Who are those people in your life? How will you come alongside them?
• Fasting & Prayer – I follow these spiritual disciplines in January to put God first in the new year and commit my year to Him. I have found that seeking God first has a profound impact on my year through a proper perspective of who I am and how dependent I am on God.

​

By looking back and then looking ahead, I enter the new year with a plan and the confidence needed to kick off the year on the right path.

---

Follow-up to “Am I Too Comfortable?”

In October, I asked the question if I was too comfortable, as I was preparing to travel to the Dominican Republic on my first trip as a volunteer ambassador with Branches Worldwide.

The short answer is yes, I was too comfortable, as God blessed my travels to the Dominican Republic and allowed me to meet some wonderful people there.

The trip was truly life changing.

I am thankful that I stepped out of my comfort zone and went on the trip.

To see my post about my trip, please visit this link.

I strongly encourage each of you to prayerfully consider how you can grow by stepping out of your comfort zone and trying new things.

You can learn more about Branches Worldwide here.

---

Mentoring Opportunity

As mentioned above, one of my new year’s goals is around mentoring and serving others.

As a way to serve you, I am offering to mentor 5 people for an hour per month over the first 6 months of the year.

The mentoring meetings will occur online or in person, depending on the mentee’s location.

The direction of each session will depend upon each individual's need.

If you think that I could help you in some way over the next several months, send me a note at scott@scottkline.com to be added to the list.

The 5 spots will be filled on a first come, first served basis.

---

I thank each of you for reading my newsletter and wish you all a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Rooting for your success,

Scott