2017, Thank You For The Learnings

Few minutes from now, the clock will move it’s hand the same way it moved for past 364 days, but this time it will be so much different, because as the hand move, we will welcome a new year. 2017 will now become a memory and 2018 will be a year to look forward to.

I would like to share my learning from this year,  what it taught me and how it changed me.

• To never let fear control me

I welcomed 2017 with so much fear, I can still remember how I lost the confident happydheyyy during that time. I was diagnosed with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) which caused all the pimples I had in my entire face. I used to have a clear face that’s why it really killed my confidence and I almost questioned the Lord why it had to happen to me. This is the first time I open about this maybe because I already had the answer to my many questions. If my confidence will always be based on how I look, on the appraisal of others, on how many likes I have on facebook and on how many guys would chase after me, I will never be truly happy. People will always ask for more, regardless of how hard you try they will always see something lacking in you and you will always have to prove something to someone and that is so tiring that you will end up thinking that something is really wrong with you. I had to go through all the pain and humiliation for me to finally see that my worth, my confidence and my value only depends on how precious my father in heaven see me, that as long as He says I am beautiful, I am worthy and I am loved, I’ll be okay. 🙂

• To come out of my comfort zone

A person I truly admire once said that “Comfort zone is a beautiful place, but nothing grows there”. It marked in my heart and I did something this year that made a whole difference in my life. I took a risk of resigning from a workplace that made me feel like home, being away from people who became my family and leaving a leader who inspire me to reach for my dreams at my young age. I had to leave because I had to fulfill my dream, I had to grab an opportunity that I prayed for. I realize that sometimes, you had to leave jobs, people, workplace, family or simply your comfort zone for you to see the beauty that is waiting for you.

• To trust in God’s time

We’ve been through a lot as a family this year, it may be too confidential to share but I still want to become an inspiration to people whose almost losing hope right now. As cliche as it may sound but the things that you have overcome for the past years molded you to become who you are today. The pain, the heartaches, the disappointments, the failure and the things that almost made you quit made you a lot stronger and braver so never ever stop now, it is always too early to quit. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and He will give you the desire of your heart. Yes, you matter to God that anything and everything that matters to you matters to Him. Put your faith to Him who is not being shaken, He will carry you and He will get you through this.

• To learn to listen

They say that we should listen to the elders because they are always right, but there is this new perspective which I agree more. “Listen to the elders not because they are always right, but because they have more experiences of being wrong”. Listening and hearing are two different things, as young people I noticed that we are more on hearing and not on listening.

There are a lot of mistakes I committed this year simply because I failed to listen.

• To learn to forgive

I know that saying sorry  can’t bring back what was lost but saying sorry is better than saying nothing at all. I remember a friend calling me complaining about one of our friends who had hurt her feelings, when our friend knew about it she immediately bought her favorite drink with a note saying ” I’m sorry”. I asked her why is it so hard for her to forgive even when she already received an apology, she rant and said she was badly hurt, then I told her this: If ever our friend did not recognize her mistake and never said sorry, wouldn’t you say, “If only she would say sorry I will forgive her”. She was silent while I do the talking and after that she realize that she already have enough reason to forgive, because someone is already sorry for hurting her feelings. You see, sometimes we tend to neglect the little things because we are too consumed with our own feelings. People around us are fighting silent battles we know nothing about. If we are already forgiven even on things we are not sorry, who are we not to give the same forgiveness that we received.

I am closing this year with a heart full of gratitude, from all the people who made me feel I am important and needed, for all the learnings that I’ll bring with me, for all the kindness I received, for all the kind words uttered to me, for all the love I was given, for the Lord, because He has been so good.

I am welcoming 2018 with an expectant heart and a much higher hope that this year will be filled with answered prayers, more radical young people to disciple, that I may receive countless revelations from the Lord and to become a vessel of God’s love and grace.

My lips will always praise you Lord.