I had a pretty great year! This year, I had a million reasons to judge God faithful. I looked back at my journey, and I saw Him fulfil every promise He had made. It wasn’t without its fair share of difficulties, but they all paled in comparison to the goodness of God. How was your year? Maybe more rough than mine, but I hope you are still able to look back and see that God is good.
In addition to it being a really good year, I also learnt some solid lessons.
1. Relationships Evolve
You can love someone deeply, but enter different seasons of your lives where your relationship changes and you get pulled in different directions. The love is still there, but somehow you are both different people, and so the relationship doesn’t look the same again, or perhaps it even ends.
2. Something can be imperfect and still be good
As an idealist, optimist and a dreamer, I see life through rose-tinted glasses. What this means is I take it hard when plans don’t follow through perfectly or when I see cracks in what I thought was a perfect thing (or person). This is still an ongoing lesson, but probably the most important one God is teaching me. We ought not let the fear of imperfection impede us from what can be really good experiences. People have flaws and can disappoint you, but they are still good people.
3. Guarding your heart is a fight
The devil always wants to whisper contradictions, but the key is to believe God, no matter how loud other voices are. This year was a lesson in renewing my mind, especially when it would have been so easy to accept lies.
4. Life is for the brave and for the people who ask
This is another ongoing lesson. Brave people win every time. Life belongs to the askers. I’ve tried to trace my hesitancy to asking, and I’m still yet to fully grasp the root, but I’m aware of it now, and I have vowed to continue to choose bravery. The worst that can happen is that they say no, and most times, they don’t.
5. Seasons pass, you’ll be okay
Time can give clarity. This is related to point 3. I went through a period midyear where I was so sure someone was trying to sabotage me. My logic was so clear, and every fibre in my being was telling me I was right. Barely a month after, the season passed, and as I write this, I’m still in shock at how wrong I was. I also had a family member healed this year after years of being ill. This is not motivation; you will be okay because you have God. When I was fighting my mind, it was the Holy Spirit who reminded me that it was He who had brought me this far and not anybody else and therefore, no one could actually sabotage me. He comforted me throughout the period this family member was sick and brought the healing I had desperately prayed for. You’ll be okay because you have the Lord, so hold on to Him more than the “realness” of your present season.
6. The dragons you don’t slay today will come back to haunt you tomorrow
I cannot emphasise this enough. Don’t push things under the carpet! Whether personal trauma or issues in relationships. You’ll think you have forgotten until the most unlikely thing brings it back in a more intense way. Try your best to seek closure; it’s not so overrated.
This year was a soft year. It is what I prayed for, and the Lord came through. I’m thankful for another year of walking with my King. I did not get every part of my devotion perfectly, and I’m trusting Him to hold my hand in the new year and take me deeper in Him.
I am dreaming big dreams for 2026, dreams only the Lord can bring to pass. At Reboot Camp, my pastor talked about the importance of contending with God – wanting what He wants for you with the same intensity. So here I am, may I never be content where God is calling me to contend.
2025 was just as God said it would be. I’m praying blessings and peace upon you and your family in this season and as we enter into the new year. The Lord bless you all.
All my love,
Fay.
Photo credit: Markus Spiske