Your Year End Story - Let’s Review

As another year comes to an end, what questions are you asking yourself about the life you just lived this past year?

So, it is almost over. Another year. I always slow down around this time and take inventory.

What did I get done? What goals were actually met? What was wasted or never accomplished? How far did I get ahead, if at all? Did I grow, or did I just stay busy?

How did I improve, change, and mature over the last year?

I keep coming back to the same six main areas of life, usually in this order. Spiritual. Physical. Educational. Professional. Family. Social. Then I ask myself a hard question.

On a scale of one to ten, how would I honestly rate myself in each one?

Here is why the order matters to me. Spiritual comes first because walking with God sets the tone for everything else. Physical matters because staying healthy allows me to keep showing up. Educational matters because knowing God’s Word and actually living it are not the same thing. Professional matters because working hard at purpose and calling is part of how I honor God.

All of that prepares us to serve others well in the remaining two areas. Family and friends.

So I ask myself direct questions. How is my relationship with God? How have I improved my physical health this year? How much more do I know about God’s Word, and am I living it or just learning it? How hard am I working at purpose, goals, and calling in my life and career?

I say calling because I do not believe retirement is biblical. I believe God always has work for us to do. It may look different over time, but purpose does not stop.

“We are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:10 NCV)

I believe Jesus summed up life’s purpose clearly. “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul and all your mind and all your strength. The second command is this: Love your neighbor as you love yourself.” (Mark 12:30–31 NCV)

At the center of all of this is the gospel. Jesus asked a question that I come back to often. “It is worth nothing for them to have the whole world if they lose their souls.” (Mark 8:36 NCV)

Why is this most important? Because every one of us will die, and what happens then lasts for eternity.

I am not trying to earn God’s love through discipline or improvement. Jesus already paid for my sin and lived the perfect life I cannot live. He took my guilt, my brokenness, and my failure to live this out perfectly. His death paid the price. His resurrection gives me life, healing, and hope.

“But God shows his love for us in this way: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8 NCV)

This time of year also reminds me that goals need deadlines. Deadlines create urgency, a plan, and a finish line. Saying I want to lose twenty pounds is an objective. Saying I want to lose twenty pounds by January thirty first is a goal.

Deadlines create clarity, urgency, a plan and movement.

Still, decisions to change should not be seasonal. They should be for the rest of our lives. I want to grow permanently and keep growing until the day I die.

“The righteous will grow like a palm tree and become strong like the cedar trees of Lebanon.” (Psalm 92:12 NCV)

As someone who has walked through leukemia and now lives in remission, I see life differently. Every day feels like a bonus day, and gratitude sits closer to the surface and I’m more thankful than ever.

I want to honor God. I want to be a good steward of my health. I want to know and live God’s Word. I want to maintain purpose and mission. I want to love my family well and continue building friendships that inspire me and allow me to encourage others.

This is a wonderful life, or it can be. It is the life you and I can choose. God will bless it. It is not easy, but it is simple.

Get ready. The new year, and the rest of your life, is about to happen.

“Teach us to count our days carefully so that we may be wise.” (Psalm 90:12 NCV)

LORD, help me be a good steward of it all. IJNIP amen ♥️