As I look back and read over my journal and calendar from this past year, there were some obvious and reoccurring themes. That's the way it tends to be with me.
Here are (in no particular order) some lessons I have learned (and continue to learn) as a mother, wife, daughter, sister, friend, leader and precious child of God.
Let me just add that many were learned the hard way :)
1. God is trustworthy. I will wait on him. In the "land between", He is present, good and faithful. I will tether myself to his faithfulness.
2. Assume the best and not the worst of people. Love always trusts (1 Corinthians 13:7).
3. Don't overreact. Or blow things out of proportion. Nothing good comes about as a result.
4. Practice radical self care. And compassion toward myself. I can be way too hard on myself at times.
5. Be brave and courageous. "We have to be braver than we think we can be, because God is constantly calling us to be more than we are" Madeline L'Engle
6. Love myself. Part of loving God is loving myself (ties into #4).
7. Laugh. Often.
8. Eliminate hurry.
9. Get lots of rest. Fresh air too.
10. Let my yes be yes and my no be no. Say what I mean. Mean what I say.
11. Be ruled by love and not fear. Don't make decisions out of fear, obligation or guilt.
12. Let the kingdom of God be my priority.
13. Speak words of life. Words have power. Lots of power. Guard my tongue.
14. Refuse to be offended.
15. Don't tell stories that are not mine to tell.
16. Choose to be a person of clarity. Communicate. Communicate. Communicate. Over communicate if necessary.
17. I can only be responsible for myself.
18. God has not given me a spirit of timidity. Rather, one of power, love and a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7).
19. Be faithful in the small.
20. It takes humility to receive compliments. Practice humility.
21. Practice the discipline of celebration.
22. Tune my ears toward heaven. Listen. Yearn for the whisper of God. Act on the nudges and whispers of the Holy Spirit. Recognise and starve the enemy's whispers of lies, doubt and destruction.
23. The best gift that I can give someone lacking in self awareness is awareness.
24. Stand up for those who have no voice.
25. Build my spouse up. Especially in public.
26. Be true to myself. Listen to and honour my gut.
27. Start my mornings right.
28. God cares about my dreams.
29. God alone is my provider. Where God guides, He provides.
30. Seek and you will find. If you look for things to be thankful for, you will find them. If you look for things to complain about, you will find them.
31. My voice matters.
32. I crave silence and space.
33. It's important to renew my mind daily.
34. My hope comes from God alone.
35. Live in the light.
36. Choose to be present over perfect.
37. It's better to do something poorly than not to have done it at all.
So, there you have it! What is one lesson you have learned (perhaps repeatedly) in 2012?
