Over the past few weeks, I’ve seen numerous posts, statuses, and memes, of people sharing why 2016 was one of the worst years of they’ve ever experienced. They’ve reneged on the declaration that it was “their year”, and chose to put all memories of it behind them.
Well……..I have a few reasons to share with you, declaring why and how 2016 WAS MY YEAR! All 365 days of it!
So…here goes……..
I grew up! During the course of the past few years, I have had to learn pain and struggles that I’d previously not had the “pleasure” of knowing. God also let me know that in order to REALLY be prepared for what He has in store for me, I would have to “grow up”! I mean, you don’t give a steak to an infant (we won’t speak on those that do), you give them milk and at the top of the year, I wasn’t AT ALL ready for steak blessings. But over the course of the year, I sucked it all up and ‘grew up’!
I gave in! To God’s will, that is. Nothing in my life, that is good, has occurred because of my awesomeness; quite the contrary. Everything has been due to the grace and favor of God alone! This past year, I learned that the good things in my life that I was expecting were (are) directly connected to His will for my life. I had to give in and, 2016 caused me to GIVE IN!
I learned how to pray! Yes, I am saved and I pray but, 2016 TAUGHT ME HOW TO PRAY! Between life circumstances and the 90 day prayer vigil at Christ Church (my church home), I truly did learn how to pray. And with the promises and purpose over my life, I have to be prepared to war in prayer AT ALL TIMES! Ever heard the saying, “new levels, new devils”? Well, I now know that each level higher that I go, comes with the requirement of a higher level of a prayer life.
I learned how to let go! There were some things, including “how things used to be”, that I had to let go of. Old expectations had to be gone out of my life. Old ways of thinking, old habits, old insecurities, all that old stuff…..I had to let it go! Not necessarily people and things (those inc luded), but mindsets; including what I expected of people. I also had to learn that, “I am enough” through Christ! He made me ENOUGH to do what I’ve been called to do. Otherwise, I wouldn’t ever be able to begin what He created me to do. So I had to let go of what I thought of myself and think about me how He thinks about me!
I learned how to trust God! Yeah…yeah…I was supposed to already have that down, but I didn’t. I thought I did, but I found myself trying to do stuff MYSELF. I was micromanaging God! WHO DOES THAT???? All of us, at some point. We pray and ask for Him to do something, or work something out, then we try to fix it ourselves. He made it plain to me that He DID NOT need my help! And if I focused on His business and what He’d instructed me to do, then He would gladly handle mine. So…I began to trust him…not just say that I did.
I learned to be ME! I mean…everywhere…at any time…in front of ANYONE! Yes, there are many things that I keep to myself, but I learned to be the genuine me all the time. By that, I mean the goofy, quirky, awkward me. The one that can’t help what she thinks is funny and answers questions by simply saying, “Yes!”, when they obviously were not “yes or no” questions. The me that will break out dancing to the music that’s in her heart and not necessarily on the radio. The me that speaks what God says, without hesitation or apology. Yeah…that me!
I learned that I was indispensable! Nope…it’s not cocky or conceited to KNOW this about yourself. I had to understand that what is within me is NECESSARY! That without the knowledge and skill that I have, some things won’t get done. And that is a good understanding to have. Yes, I am to pour into others and help them to, ultimately, be BETTER than I am; but even still, I am necessary to their success and without what I know, they won’t. I had to learn how to share what was within me so that others could learn from it…grow from it. So, yeah, I’m indispensable! I’m irreplaceable! I am necessary!
I learned how to PARTY! No…not in the way that you are probably thinking. But I learned how to celebrate, even the small successes. I even learned how to celebrate my failures, because they’ve taught me what not to do the next time. I learned how to party by myself, for myself, and to be happy about it.
So, to a new beginning (the number 8 is significant of that). And, you see, 2016 was MY YEAR! My year to learn what was needed in order to be UNSTOPPABLE in 2017. Some say that 2017 is just another year and January 1st was just another day that nothing will change. But I say, like anything else, it depends on YOU! If you feel like nothing will change, it’s because you’re not ready to change. This may be just “another year” but it’s another opportunity to take a new set of 365 days and make something different happen. It’s all in how you look at it. Some folk see the glass as half empty…some as half full. Me, I drink what’s in the glass and run back for a refill because I’m tired of staring at that glass and doing nothing!
Whatever your choice…however you view last year…do something AMAZING with this year!
Love y’all!!!! (I really do!)
Ms. A.M.White