There are some aspects of this year that I wouldn’t wish on anybody. I had great aspirations for what I was praying I would accomplish sustainably:
- Helping Faith Simplified get off to a strong start.
- Completing a video series connected to Faith Simplified and growing the YouTube channel.
- Speaking once a month should the Lord provide the opportunity.
- Continuing to write weekly here with other outlets.
This is not what happened. The book is doing okay, but it’s looking to be a slower burn than I’d hoped. The video series is still in progress, but not complete. (The YouTube channel, consequently, hasn’t been going bananas because I haven’t had all that much content to feed it.) My speaking schedule remained mostly open throughout the year. And rather than writing more here and elsewhere, I wound up writing less than I have since 2021.
Whenever things don’t go the way I prayed and planned, whenever I’m disappointed, my first instinct is to blame myself. Maybe I should have or if only I had thoughts come all too quickly. Which is, I think, natural. And I’m sure there are things I could have done differently, but to be honest, I’m not really sure what they would be.
But here’s the truth—when I outlined my plans for the year, I was praying that I could accomplish these things sustainably. When 2025 began, it looked like I could even accomplish most, if not all, of these things.
And then my life fell apart.
God is Enough in the Storm
I don’t want to go into too much detail because the privacy of my family members matters more than sharing the specifics publicly. But in my Advent devotional, I shared how Christmas 2023 kicked off a storm that has been raging for over a year. Despite periods of calm, we’re still in the storm. We’re making it through but it’s been a hard year on top of a hard year. Grief and healing can’t be rushed. And sometimes healing brings more pain.
So I spent most of my time just trying to keep the wheels on the proverbial bus. Making what positive memories I could for my kids over the spring and summer. Helping them through different issues. Cheering Emily on in her healing, starting a new first new job in 18 years, and her renewed desire to make music. Sending my eldest to college and letting her learn how to be an adult.
But something else I shared in that devotional is no less true: We are still in the storm, yes. But God is still with me—with us—in it. He has not left nor forsaken me (Joshua 1:5). He has proven himself time and again to be my “refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1 NKJV). And he keeps showing this to be true.
Despite the year not turning out the way I expected, different opportunities to serve have arisen. I’m building relationships in the church I’ve been attending for the last year and finding places to serve. And God seems to be working through that. Even if the book hasn’t been a bestseller, made it onto a touted favorite books list, or been reviewed by a larger outlet, Faith Simplified is encouraging people—helping them to see Jesus more clearly and grow in their faith. So for me, even if the storm is still raging, even though I’m walking with a noticeable limp, as I plan for the year ahead, that’s enough.
