Looking Back, Looking Ahead
A Meditation by Rev. Cameron Trimble
“I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.”— Psalm 27:13
Before this year ends, we should acknowledge what we have lived through.
This year brought deliberate actions that reshaped the life of the nation:1
This year, the federal government eliminated hundreds of thousands of jobs and slashed entire agencies in the name of efficiency, removing experienced civil servants from roles that safeguard accountability and public welfare—while failing to deliver any meaningful cost savings.2
This year, the so-called Department of Government Efficiency, led by the unelected billionaire Elon Musk, illegally accessed and removed the personal data of millions of Americans, with no public accounting of how that information has been used or who now has access to it.3
This year, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. dismantled key components of the nation’s public health infrastructure, weakening preparedness for widespread illness while sharply reducing federal support for cancer and Alzheimer’s research.4
This year, the administration deployed U.S. Marines and National Guard units into Democrat-led cities, disproportionately targeting cities governed by Black mayors under the pretense of restoring order.
This year, the administration imposed sweeping tariffs during its so-called “Liberation Day,” acting in violation of constitutional authority and inflicting severe harm on small businesses and working families across the country.5
This year, the administration gutted the Department of Education, dismantling a cornerstone of student support and civil rights enforcement and undermining federal commitments to equitable schooling.6
This year, immigration pathways narrowed dramatically, even as the government detained and deported far more people with no criminal history than the “murderers, rapists, and drug dealers” used to justify the policy.7
This year, environmental protections were rolled back, regulatory staff were cut, and enforcement weakened, particularly around air and water safety.8
This year, public services such as Social Security slowed and became harder to access, as staffing cuts and policy shifts delayed essential benefits for millions of retirees and disabled Americans.9
This year, the administration rescinded federal funding for public media and civil rights programs, shrinking the space for independent journalism, civic education, and public accountability.10
This year, Donald Trump increased his personal wealth by an estimated $1.8 billion while in office, marking a level of self-enrichment and corruption unprecedented in modern American leadership.11
This year, the government targeted universities, corporations, and law firms that embraced diversity practices, while ordering the National Park Service and the Smithsonian to review and remove references to Black leaders and women from public history.12
This year, the United States military illegally attacked the sovereign nation of Venezuela under the guise of counter-narcotics operations—an action later acknowledged by the administration’s own officials as an attempt to force regime change.13
This year, in one bit of good news, the United States played a decisive role in ending the war in Gaza—an outcome that brought relief to many, even as it arrived far too late to prevent immense and irreversible loss.
And this year, millions of people across the country responded by taking to the streets in peaceful protest, including the No Kings demonstrations in more than 2,000 communities, demanding accountability, dignity, and democratic norms.14
None of this disappears simply because the calendar turns.
And still, here we are.
People showed up when it would have been easier to withdraw. Communities organized when institutions failed them. Teachers kept teaching. Caregivers kept caring. Neighbors protected one another. Organizers told the truth even when it came with consequences. Resistance did not always look dramatic. Often it looked like steadiness. It looked like refusing to become numb. It looked like choosing dignity over despair.
That matters.
Our faith traditions teach us to remember. Memory keeps us honest. Memory reminds us that we belong to a longer story than any single year or administration. When we remember together, we recover strength that isolation tries to steal.
We should not pretend that the year ahead will be gentle. It will demand clarity, stamina, discernment, and solidarity. It will require us to resist lies, to protect the vulnerable, and to remain human in systems that reward dehumanization. Hope that ignores reality will not sustain us. Fear that isolates us will not protect us.
Dorothy Day once said, “I really only love God as much as I love the person I love the least.” She reminds us that resistance rooted in contempt corrodes the very values it claims to defend. The work ahead will require moral courage without cruelty, conviction without dehumanization, and a love disciplined enough to tell the truth even when it costs us.
What will sustain us is relationship.
Today is not about reinvention or resolution. It is about gratitude and resolve. Gratitude for the people who stood with us when the ground shifted. Gratitude for communities that refused to give up on the common good. Resolve to continue the work that remains: to tell the truth, to choose justice over comfort, and to live our values publicly and persistently.
We enter the new year not because everything is fixed, but because life continues to call us forward.
We are still here.
We are still resisting.
We are still committed to one another and to the work of repair.
That is not naïve hope.
That is practiced courage.
We are in this together,
Cameron
Reflection Questions
What is one truth about this past year I need to honor before letting it end?
Who am I grateful for as I cross into the new year?
What kind of faithfulness feels possible—and necessary—in the year ahead?
A Prayer for the Day
A Prayer At Year’s End
Faithful Presence, we bring you this year as it was— its harm and its courage, its grief and its persistence. Thank you for the people who stood with us, for the strength that surprised us, for the love that endured. As we step into what comes next, steady our hearts. Sharpen our discernment. Bind us more deeply to one another. May we meet the coming year not with fear, but with resolve rooted in justice and care. Amen.
Spiritual Practice
Crossing Together
Before midnight, take a moment to name—out loud or in writing—three things:
One loss you are releasing
One relationship you are grateful for
One value you are committing to carry forward
You do not need to make promises about outcomes. Simply name what matters.
Let this be your practice: crossing into the new year grounded in truth, accompanied by community, and oriented toward the work of love that continues.
Upcoming Events That Might Be of Interest…
January 6, 13, 20, 2026 - Protest and Action Chaplaincy Training with Rev. Anna Golladay. This live, online training offers a framework for providing compassionate, grounded spiritual care during protests, advocacy gatherings, and social movements. Learn more here.
January 15, 2026, 7-8pm EST - FREE Online Webinar: When the Internet Hurts: The Hidden Online Dangers Facing Our Teens and How Faith Communities Can Respond, Join me in conversation with Sharon Winkler, survivor parent and nationally respected youth online-safety advocate. Sharon’s son, Alex, died at age 17 after experiencing cyberbullying and algorithmically targeted pro-suicide content. Since then, Sharon has dedicated her life to helping parents, educators, and faith leaders recognize online dangers and build safer communities for young people. Register here.
NEW!!!! February 5, 2026 - Margaret Wheatley and and I are launching a new online course called “Leading with Spirit,” a six-session journey into soul-grounded leadership designed to deepen your trust in guidance, nurture perseverance, and rekindle imaginal wisdom for our fractured world. Take a look at the course outline. We are really excited and hope you can join! Scholarship are available if needed. Learn more here!
February 11th and 25, 2026 - Join Our “Building a Culture of Leadership Within Congregations” Cohort facilitated by Rabbi Benjamin Ross and me! A two-session course for ministers and faith leaders ready to strengthen how their congregations and ministries identify, develop, and support leaders. Learn more here.
July 19-24, 2026 - Join me and amazing co-facilitator, Victoria, on retreat in the back-country of beautiful Wyoming. The Art of Wilding is a 5-Day Expedition for Women Leaders. We will spend the week reconnecting to nature, exploring our inner landscapes for change, and engage the wisdom of spiritual teachings. Click here to learn more.
I drafted a Strategic Framework for Congregations as we move into the coming years of increased authoritarianism around the world. If interested, you can download it here.
Fun Things My Friends Are Up To…
I get to work with such amazing, creative people. This section is my way of celebrating them—no paid promotions, just joy in what they’re creating.
My friend and Buddhist teacher, Isa Gucciardi’s center, the Foundation of the Sacred Stream, has just released their 2026 calendar of events. I can’t recommend her courses enough. Check them out here.
Have you heard that Dr. Matthew Fox is taking a group to Italy?!? It’s a week-long retreat in Sardinia on May 25-30, 2026 focused on the theme of Awakening the Divine Human, rooted in the teachings of Matthew, C.G. Jung, and the ancient wisdom of the land. I so wish I could go, but I am already booked. You should consider it.
I just finished listening to Rachel Maddow’s new podcast called “Burn Order.” I realize I can’t exactly claim Rachel as a “friend” since we have never even met, but I still want to recommend the podcast to you. It’s pretty incredible.
Have you heard about the Buddhist monks walking for Peace? The Monks and their dog, Aloka, are walking from Texas to Washington, D.C. to promote peace and compassion. You can follow their progress in real time here.
If you are a leader or member of a congregation looking for consulting support in visioning, planning, hiring or staffing, please consider Convergence.
The war in Gaza is NOT over, Cameron. Genocide continues. There are fewer bombings yet Palestinians continue to be shot, humanitarian aid limited, Palestinians are homeless living in freezing, rainy flimsy tents, settlers are daily taking land, destroying olive orchards and the livelihood of Palestinians. Genocide continues. Why is the Palestinian crisis so hard for you to see or acknowledge? Read Amnesty International’s reports, Churches for Middle East, Doctos Without Borders.
When I think of what I’m grateful for in 2025, you’re right at to top of the list, Cameron. Your your insights and words of inspiration and encouragement have helped Keep me afloat over the past year. Thank you for so willingly sharing your heart with us.❤️