New Year’s Eve festivities will begin soon, the walls of our home will ring with laughter and joyous chatter as we play games and eat our way into 2019. But for now, everyone, young and old alike rest up, everyone except for me.
Another year slips through the fingers while a new one emerges on the horizon. So I steal away, lock myself in my room and in the quiet, take time for reflection. The year 2018 carried so many life lessons brought on by deep losses and drastic changes. The tendency is to rush into 2019 giving little or no thought to the victories won in the trenches, hoping that the next year will bring less pain than the last. While new beginnings afford us the opportunity for hope to spring new, there is great value in reflecting on the lessons learned in the hard places. I would love to share a few lessons learned with you in hopes that you will be encouraged not to waste the pain of the past year, but face it and surrender it to the Father so that He can bring beauty out of the ashes.
The first lesson learned came out of a three-week bed rest brought on by pneumonia. This forced me to be still, pray and listen. In the listening, God began to give direction for the writing journey I am currently on. As a result, I gained momentum and a voice that never would have happened because my “Martha heart” would have kept me too busy to hear what my “Mary heart” needed to glean.
The second lesson learned came from a place of vulnerability. Many new opportunities have presented themselves, but all have required me to face deep-rooted fears. But in facing these fears, I have felt the peace and guidance of God when my heart felt as though it would beat right out of my chest. I am learning new things, meeting new people and walking into new adventures. This has caused me to quit relying on me and my strength. Instead, I am learning to lean into the Father in ways that reveal a part of His heart that I would never have known. His love is casting down the fears I have kept locked in the closet of my heart. What joy freedom brings!
The third lesson came from the valley of death. We lost several people near and dear to our hearts, including hubby’s brother. When you stand by the side of a loved one who is dying, the truth that our lives are just a vapor becomes the lens that you begin to view life through. Life choices are affected by this fresh vision and I am grateful. It has caused me to slow the pace a bit, soak in the moments, hug my family more, engage in face to face conversations, take in a sunrise or sunset with the lens of my eye rather than my phone, laugh more, weep freely, listen to a stranger’s story, turn down the noise, embrace the simple things for they can be breathtaking, listen more, talk less unless it is to build up hope in others, and share Jesus’ love unashamedly.
I don’t know what 2019 holds, but I will carry the lessons learned in 2018 near and dear with me into the coming year. My challenge to you dear ones is this…Give yourself permission to embrace the grace given in the hard places from 2018. Rest before your Father a bit and give thanks for what He has brought you through. Then pack up the lessons learned and take them with you into 2019. You never know who will need to hear your Grace Story in the coming year.
May God Bless you and yours in the coming Year. May His grace, love, and mercy be our anthem of hope as we move forward in this journey.
2 Responses
This spoke to my soul and offered comfort and hope – I’m so glad I stumbled upon your blog! You’ve encouraged me to start writing again!
I am so glad you stumbled into the Hope Journey as well! Just as excited that you feel encouraged to write again. You can do it!