Lessons Learned 2025
As we come to the end of the year, I always like to take time to be reflective and think about all that transpired over the last 12 months. I flip my journal entries, look at photos captured and remember the stories that were part of each moment. It always seems that there are quite a few lessons learned as I trekked through the months. Let me share some of the personal ones with you.
1. God establishes what I place in His hands.
Again and again, I saw that when I surrender my plans, my ministry, my emotions, and even my uncertainties, God steadies me. He really does secure, settle, and provide in ways that go far beyond what I can see.
2. I’m stronger than the seasons I walk through.
There were moments that stretched me : loss, transition, loneliness, and shifting environments. Yet every time I thought I might break, I found resilience rising in me. Not because life felt easy, but because God met me right where I was.
3. Small, faithful steps matter more than big, perfect ones.
Community calls, leader connections, prayer sessions, quiet encouragements- these weren’t spectacular moments, but they added up. Fruit grew in hidden places because I showed up with consistency.
4. Grief and gratitude can coexist.
This year reminded me that it’s ok to feel the ache of what’s changed while still thanking God for what remains. Letting grief move through me, without rushing it, became a form of healing all its own.
5. My calling hasn’t changed : only the scenery has.
Even as teams shifted and roles evolved, the core of who God created me to be stayed steady. Shepherding, encouraging, equipping, caring - these things are woven into me no matter what’s happening around me.
6. Rest is holy, not optional.
From fasting to long walks to quiet devotional times, I rediscovered the power of slowing down. Rest didn’t make me less productive - it made me whole.
7. I am never without purpose, even in uncertain places.
There were days I wondered if I still fit, still mattered, or still had anything valuable to offer. Yet God kept placing people in my path who needed what I carry. Purpose showed up in conversations, prayers, guidance, and unexpected “only God” moments.
8. Change is not proof of loss : sometimes it is preparation.
As people came and went, as departments shifted, and as old chapters closed, I learned not to fear transition. God was pruning, realigning, and preparing me for something deeper and stronger.
9. Love still leads me.
Whether it was compassion for hurting friends, joy in family moments, or simple acts of kindness, love threaded through every month. It reminded me that ministry is not a task. It is a heart posture.
10. Hope is my steady companion.
Even when emotions dipped, hope kept whispering that God wasn’t done. And He wasn’t. He kept opening doors, creating connections, and building something inside me that isn’t easily shaken.