If your year was like mine it was filled with successes and mistakes, wise, and less wise decisions, rich meaningful relationships that were deeply nourishing but also misunderstandings that needed sorting out, as well as fulfilled dreams and disappointments. But in between were moments, … moments of wonder, beauty and challenges … I hope you caught them.
Whatever the year brought for you, 2017 was a chapter in your life. A year you’ll never have again. We are not the people we were at the end of 2016. Maybe we have changed in small inconceivable ways or maybe for you this year came with monumental shift.
Maybe it's a year you'll always look back on fondly, or maybe you are just glad its over.
But before you go rushing, wandering or skipping into 2018, can I encourage you to take some time to evaluate the year just gone before it becomes a distant memory. Find a quiet place, some uninterrupted time alone with a journal or digital notepad and use the time to let God unpack for you the blessings and lessons that were tucked into 2017.
So often it’s only on reflection that we see what was there all the time and we were just too busy or preoccupied to see. Hindsight is full of wisdom.
- What was the highlight of your year?
- What two lessons from 2017 will you take into the year ahead?
- What was your greatest achievement?
- What was the lowest point of the year for you and how did you handle it?
- If you could live the year again, what would you do differently?
- Where did you see God at work?
- Make a list of the ways you saw God answer prayer
- What are you most grateful for as you reflect on 2017.