Top 5 from 2025
Closing out 2025 with a look back at my year in writing.
Last weekend, our family boxed up 93 percent of our Christmas decorations. The jubilant, incarnational explosion of holly and whatnot has been replaced with the everyday items of normal life. The swapping out of the decor is an external sign of an inward reality that, yes, the new year is here and it’s time for a fresh perspective. For a new beginning.1
I like to ease into January. To let the 12 days of Christmas help inform my approach to the new year with a reminder that life is not about optimization. To find the balance between reflection and action. And with kids and life and work and all the other things hardly ever slowing down, I usually end up needing more time than not to finish reflecting on the year that was so that I have some amount of clarity and wisdom about what to set my hands to in the year that is.
Over the last few weeks, I’ve worked through YearCompass. My boss recommend it, and now I am recommending it to you if you are looking for a tool to help you close out 2025 and start up 2026 with clarity.
Looking back on my what I wrote in 2025 has been part of that process. And today I’m rounding up my most-read pieces of 2025 into a single entry. There are a few reasons for this:
As I mentioned, reviewing my writing output has helped put a bow on 2025. Much of what I write is directly connected to what I live. What does the trail of ink say about where I’ve been and what I’ve learned?
For those who have recently subscribed, consider this a very belated Christmas gift. Thank you for being here, and I hope you enjoy and get value out of this year-in-review recap.
Lastly, I hope that the re-upping of these posts will serve you in some way as you reflect on 2025 and put intention to 2026.
Okay, let’s get to it. Here are the five most-read posts from 2025, in descending order. (Ascending? I can never keep this straight.)
Honorable mention: My review of Rushmere by Mumford & Sons
While not a post on my own platform, it was one of the highlights of my year (writing or otherwise) and my first foray into podcast work for World News Group.
5. The one in which I make fun of Star Wars (and riff on the excellence of summer 2025)
4. The one about Charlie Kirk
3. The one about the leaves not dying (poem)
2. The one about Psalm 1 in the spring (poem)
1. The one about our cat
I don’t think I say this enough, so, thank you. Thank you for actually giving a portion of your very precious time and attention to the words I put on the page. It’s super humbling—and also life-giving. Thank you for being part of this journey.
And this happens to be your first time on this particular corner of the internet, t’would be delighted if you subscribed.
Here’s to more words, more stories, more glimpses of the Father’s spirit of adoption in the stuff of this world.
Blessings to you and yours in 2026. See you soon.
As of this writing, our Christmas tree is still up and decorated, and I kinda like that.