Inspirational Quotes for the New Year

By 7017444915 July 27, 2026
ROCK VALLEY—Hope Haven has announced CEO Matt Buley will resign from his position effective July 15 to accept a new role as CEO at Hammer & NER in Wayzata, MN. The move will put Buley and his wife, Theresa, in closer proximity to their four children and five grandchildren. Buley has been Hope Haven’s CEO for nine years, helping lead the Rock Valley-based nonprofit organization through growth, transition, advocacy and continued commitment to its mission of supporting individuals with disabilities locally and around the world. “Serving Hope Haven has been one of the great privileges of my life,” Buley said. “I am proud of this team, our global community and all that we have accomplished together. I will be watching with gratitude and cheering for Hope Haven’s continued success long into the future.” Hope Haven was established in 1964 and is committed to serving individuals with disabilities through a wide range of services, including community living, children’s services, day services, mental health and recovery services, employment services and international wheelchair ministry. The Hope Haven Board of Directors appointed CFO Terry Meyer to serve as interim CEO. Hope Haven strengthened and expanded services across their organization during Buley’s tenure. “Over the past nine years, Matt Buley has guided Hope Haven through significant growth and progress while keeping our mission and the people we serve at the heart of the work,” said Hope Haven board president Ron Boote. “On behalf of the board, I am deeply grateful for his leadership, dedication and the strong foundation he leaves for Hope Haven. We are well-positioned for continued impact in the years ahead.” Buley helped Hope Haven advocate for and secure a revision to Iowa’s funding structure for children’s services, a change that is helping bring children back to Iowa for care. Hope Haven also navigated the COVID-19 pandemic and the historic flooding of June of 2024, leaning on the strength, unity and dedication of its staff, leadership and community. Hope Haven International Ministries doubled production during Buley’s tenure while Double HH Manufacturing expanded its building by 35,000 square feet, increasing space by 85 percent to support future growth as both a manufacturer and an employer of people with disabilities. Hope Haven also completed 11 building projects that expanded or improved space for program services and office operations while homes were built or renovated to support the growth of their residential services. “Excellence courses through this organization, and it has for 61 years,” Buley said. “That has never been about one person. Hope Haven is strong because of the people who show up every day with skill, compassion and commitment to the mission. That mission is in very capable hands, and I believe the organization’s best days lie ahead.” Similar to Hope Haven, Hammer & NER’s mission is to provide people with intellectual and other disabilities the opportunity to live life to its fullest by providing individual-centered support, including customized 24-hour group home supervision and independent apartment programs.. Meyer has been employed with Hope Haven for 17 years and brings extensive organizational knowledge, financial leadership and a deep commitment to Hope Haven’s mission. He also will be closely assisted by Lisa Schwanke, Hope Haven’s chief of staff. Hope Haven’s board expressed confidence in Meyer’s ability to provide steady leadership during this transition while continuing to support Hope Haven’s staff, programs, partners, and the individuals served. Hope Haven’s Board also has engaged JobfitMatters, an executive search firm for Christian leaders in Franklin, TN, to recruit the next CEO. JobfitMatters led the search that led Hope Haven to hire Buley in 2017 and it has led searches for senior leadership at Dordt University in Sioux Center and Northwestern College in Orange City.
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We are blessed at Hope Haven to witness inspirational moments every single day. A lot of what we see and hear and feel can’t be put into words; however this is where the internet can be an immensely valuable tool. Here are five of our favorite inspirational quotes that sum up what we teach our clients and how we inspire ourselves. Here’s to leaving each person and each day better than we found them. 

Start. Use. Do.

Arthur Ashe started playing tennis when he was seven years old and his consistent commitment to the sport made him the only black man ever to win the singles title at Wimbledon the US Open and the Australian Open. Coupled with his work raising awareness for HIV and AIDS and supporting its patient communities he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1993 four months after he died from complications of the disease. His life was a testament to using the gifts we are given and the experiences we have earned to make the most of what we have to offer the world.

“Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.” Arthur Ashe

Be the best YOU.

This is something we strive to teach our clients—and ourselves—every single day. Happiness isn’t derived from comparing ourselves to others (quite the opposite actually). Happiness comes from embracing where you are in this moment and how it relates to where you’ve been and where you want to go. We appreciate that the author of this quote hasn’t been discovered as it forces us to focus on the words and to inspire ourselves to make the most of each day.

“The only person you should try to be better than is the person you were yesterday.” Unknown

Plant good seeds.

In this day and age it’s hard not to focus on the outcome—how much you’ll get done how much money you’ll make if in the end you’ll be happy or successful or liked. This quote reminds us that to focus on the harvest means you could lose sight of what it takes for it to grow. Placing your time energy and love in the planting ensures a good harvest whether or not you are able to see all the ways it ripens.

“Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds you plant.” Robert Louis Stevenson

Decide to try.

At 5’ 3” Yolanda Gail Devers packed explosive power within her small frame and is only the second woman in history to successfully defend an Olympic 100-meter title adding a third gold medal in 1996.

“Every accomplishment starts with the decision to try.” Gail Devers three-time Olympic gold medalist.

Join together.

It’s hard to believe that there are generations entering the world who have never heard of Helen Keller an American author political activist and speaker who was born deaf and blind in 1880 and who went on to redefine abilities and disabilities for millions of people.

“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” Helen Keller

While this quote image is impactful with its combination of 10 strong words from an equally strong woman it’s worth representing here in this paragraph in its entirety.

“My Teacher has told you how a word from her hand touched the darkness of my mind and I awoke to the gladness of life. I was dumb; now I speak. I owe this to the hands and hearts of others. Through their love I found my soul and God and happiness. Don’t you see what it means? We live by each other and for each other. Alone we can do so little. Together we can do so much. Only love can break down the walls that stand between us and our happiness.”

Are there any quotes that inspire you to be the best version of yourself? Please share them with us and we could feature them in an upcoming post!