Another Year, Another Journey

Today I have officially lived for a quarter of a century. Each year the Lord brings new blessings into my life. Every year has its own hardships, joys, trials, pain, and laughter. When I was 20 I knew I didn't know everything, but gosh I thought I knew a lot more then I really did. Just 5 years later and I look back on me as a 20 year old and think, I didn't know anything! Ha! I know I still don't know everything, but I have grown a lot especially in the past year and here are some things the Lord taught me as I was 24.

1) People who truly want to be your friends will make the effort to spend time with you. If they don't, then they weren't really a true friend in the first place.
2) In life, you are seldom going to have more than 1 or 2 really good friends. If you have even one, you are blessed.
3) Sometimes God will bring trials into your life when your focus gets off of Him in order to force you to put your focus back on Him.
4) Sometimes the Holy Spirit prompts you to do things that aren't comfortable and that others may advise you not to follow.
5)Listening to God and following Him is always better than listening just to people. It's ok to get godly advice from Christians, but remember that you follow God first and foremost.
6) Sometimes it is better to step back from a situation and take a break for a while, get some rest for your weary soul, and regroup. Of course do all of this while praying. 
7) Do not wrestle with the Holy Spirit's prompting on your life. It just brings you heartache. Always follow the Lord's leading, no matter how hard it may seem. He will give you the strength.
8) Always be ready to forgive those who have wronged you and be ready to seek forgiveness from those whom you have wronged. Go back and make things right if you need to.
9) Never stop praying for someone. Even when you can't find the words, God knows your heart and He hears.
10) Besides the Lord, one of the best things you can find in life is a good accountability partner to study the Bible with.

I learned a lot more lessons, but those are the main ones that God has really just been showing me this past year. I look forward to what I will learn and how He will move in my life this year. Last year He took me from heartache to hope, called me to step out on the water, and gave me the strength to make difficult decisions. I have never felt so free and it's all because of His amazing grace. I went from having a broken heart to having a heart that was mended and more open to loving children He places in my life. I went from single to being in a relationship with one of the most godliest guys I know that points me to Jesus daily. I am beyond blessed and I can't wait to see what 25 brings. I know with God by my side, even through the tough days, it's going to be a great and joy-filled year.