While the lessons I learned from 2018 were tough, I know they will help me conquer 2019 with courage and hope.
MINDFUL MONDAYS ARE BACK
Welcome to the first Mindful Monday of 2019, fellow travelers! I am so thankful to have you walking alongside me as we take on a new year together.
I have taken a break from writing and blogging for over a month to press pause and ponder…and it has been a very productive time of insight and growth. Journaling, reading, and solitude have helped me reflect on the tough lessons of 2018 with greater purpose and clarity.
Upon this time of reflection, I came up with 5 tough lessons that 2018 taught me. Hard, difficult, yet oh so valuable, lessons. Some attribute this quote to C.S. Lewis while others dispute it, but either way it rings true:
Experience: the most brutal of teachers. But you learn. My God, do you learn.”
C.S. Lewis
So, I have decided to start off this new year by sharing these 5 tough lessons with you. Each Mindful Monday for the next 5 weeks we will break down each lesson using scripture verses, song lyrics, and quotations that have helped me ponder and absorb these simple yet profound life lessons.
These lessons are not new or radical. I am sure you have learned some of the same things along your journey, so I hope you will interact and participate by sharing your own experiences in the comment section each week. I want this to be a interactive, collaborative process where we can learn from each other!
5 TOUGH LIFE LESSONS FROM 2018
- TRUST GOD EVEN IF…
- CHOOSE COURAGE OVER COMFORT
- KNOW WHO IS IN YOUR TRIBE
- BUILD A BETTER BOAT
- REALIZE YOU ARE BETTER FOR IT
I know that 2018 was a difficult year for many of you filled with loss, pain, and doubt. It is tempting to turn our backs on what was and forget the past, but there are worthwhile lessons to glean from our mistakes, hurts, and regrets. I believe that God does not waste anything in our lives and can use it all for our good and his glory if we are willing and open to see, hear, learn and grow.
I challenge you to spend a few minutes alone this week to think back over 2018…the good, the bad, and the ugly…and ask God to show you what it is he wants you to learn. The only way we have the hope of making 2019 better is if we learn from the lessons of 2018!
It is so very good to be back with you on this Mindful Monday. I look forward to the next 5 weeks together as we unpack the lessons of the previous year to crush it in the year to come!
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Sarah says
Looking so forward to this series and January is a great time to reflect on the lessons we’ve learned and make small changes with big impact!