What God taught me in 2020

2020 was a year of learning for me [sometimes through tears].  Some pretty major life events happened... outside of the corona virus AND learning to do virtual schooling with 4 kids!  [<---we all made it through alive and not hating each other!! 🙌🏻😂]  If you're new here, the hardest news of 2020 was my Mom being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Between walking through her journey to Heaven with her, corona and caring for/leading the church...I was being stretched in all sorts of new ways. But I am thankful, there was so. much. grace.  God still spoke and was faithful through it all. [Some day I plan to write more about my Mom's journey...but I'm still processing...bear with me 💗]  

When tough things in life happen, there's always something to learn.  Always something God wants to resonate in our hearts and lives.  Always something we can take away to apply to the next tough season we walk through.

Here are the top 4 things God taught me in 2020:

1.  He is faithful.

Even through the lowest valley, God is still there.  He never leaves us, He never gives up on us. [Deut 31:6] He is the true definition of faithful...we are the ones that struggle.  We just need to keep our eyes fixed on Him, He'll guide us through.

2.  Be quick to show grace.

Life is short and we all make mistakes.  We've all sinned.  Be like Jesus...show grace and forgive.  You won't regret it. 

3.  Being in God's house is a gift.

I've always known it. But trying to go through life without it [church services, church family, corporate worship etc.] is HARD.  We weren't made to do this life alone or in isolation.  I for real cried after being back in a worship service, it was so powerful.  There truly is nothing like it.

4.  We should love and serve through the hard.

Life is full of struggles and pain.  And Jesus is clear, we will have trials and sorrows [John 16:33].  But, when life gets hard, loving and serving God through the hard...makes walking through the hard much easier.

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There are honestly so many scriptures that the Lord used to speak peace and strength to my heart in 2020...I thought I would share 4 of the ones that literally carried me through:

• 2 Corinthians 12:9-10    But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest on me. That is why, for the sake of Christ, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

• Psalm 46:1   God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.
• Romans 15:13  May the God who gives hope fill you with great joy.  May you have perfect peace as you trust in Him.  May the power of the Holy Spirit fill you with hope.

• Philippians 4:8    Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things.

So, here's the thing...it's now a new year.  Isaiah 42:9-10 says:  "Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I declare…"  Instead of being glad 2020 is over...what if we asked God what we could learn about Him and ourselves from 2020?  What if we asked Him how we could learn to be more like Him this year?  Learning from our past isn't always the easiest, but I guarantee, when you let God have control of your life, He will bring about new things!  Here's to asking God what we can learn from 2020 and all of us looking toward "new things" in all of 2021!!