10 Things I Regret from 2013 {And 10 Things I’ll Never Regret.}

Well, friends, 2013 is coming to an end.

Today, I’m reflecting on the past year and praying about what God has for me this coming year.

Sometimes reflecting brings discouragement. Let me encourage you, though, that a bad day does not make a bad year. A bad experience is a singular event, and not a reflection on the whole person.

*Caveat/Warning: some of you tend to become full of despair when you overly reflect. I think it’s a personality thing, and I don’t really understand it fully, but I want to encourage you, that if reflection is too bitter, just do the next right thing today. “Forget the things that are behind and press on to those things that are before.” Failure is under the blood, friends. It’s not hanging over your head.  There’s always hope, always. And thankfully, our failures do not affect our standing in Christ. Christ always looks on His children with love. Always love. Don’t let performance thinking scare you away from coming back to God when you’ve strayed or failed.

Things I Regret about 2013:

1. Not loving people as I should.
2. Wasting time that can never be recovered.
3. Worrying about myself more than I considered others.
4. Not treasuring my Bible as much as I treasure other things.
5. Not tapping into prayer as I should. I mean, really–God’s the only One who actually is in control of all events, and some days I forgot to ask Him for help with little things.
6. Being impressed by the world and its things. A love of the “shiny” trinkets of life does not speak well of a woman who knows the King of Kings.
7. Caring more about my own reputation than the reputation of my God.
8. Spending too much time worrying about people and problems that I cannot change and that I have no control over.
9. Wishing for circumstances and people to be different than they really are. (read: discontentment)
10. Not loving God with my whole heart. Loving the created more than the Creator at times.

Things I’ll never regret from the past year:

1. Spending time with the kids. Beach trips, homeschool days, music practice, teaching little minds Bible truths.
2. Loving Peter.
3. Reading my Bible. Journaling what I’ve learned.
4. Opening our home to others. All of the work is always worth it. It’s such a blessing to use your home to encourage others.
5. Spending time one on one, talking to women about God’s truths. Whether they are an expectant mom full of excitement, or a hurting friend who doesn’t know where else to turn, God’s truths are always central and stabilizing! I am never happier than when someone stops over for tea and we get to talk, heart to heart.
6. Encouraging our teen youth group girls in basic truths. Teen girls have big hearts and dreams. Encouraging them to pursue God first and to find their satisfaction in Him is always a delight.
7. Helping others in the church. Peter and I are jack of all trades and master of none in our church. We pick up slack, we do whatever is undone and we like it that way. I’m Peter’s helper at the church. I know that this is looked upon as subservient in our culture, but I think I’m in good company: the Holy Spirit is also called our helper.As far as helping out friends, If you have company coming over unannounced, I’m happiest running over to your house to “blitzkrieg clean” for you, then disappear. If you need to pack up your house, I’m all in. If you need a last minute appetizer for a party, I’d love to deliver it to your door. If you’re sick, I want to bring you a meal, or tea and cookies.
8. Listening well, then forming judgements. Using words as tools of life and encouragement, instead of for evil.
9. Spending time with loved ones. Time is a gift that can never be recovered once lost.
10. Using the gifts God has given me for His glory and stewarding them well. I’ll answer for how I used what He’s entrusted to me.

Are you making goals for the new year? I realized after journaling my New Years Resolutions that:  

What you desire most and dread most will end up making its way into your goals. Your actions and pursuits will be guided by these two things.

If you can identify those two things, you can evaluate them against the Word of God. Is your desire a godly one? Is your fear a rational one? Is your fear really a tool being used by God to bring you into a closer relationship with Him? Teach you dependence? Strip away rough, unattractive edges in your character? (Answer: yes. All trials are designed to produce holiness in our lives. 🙂 )

Make loving God and finding your satisfaction in Him your main goal, and the things you dread will pale in comparison to the joy you find in knowing Him.

Happy New Year, friends. May you grow in grace and in the knowledge of your loving God in 2014!