2025: A Year of Structure
This has been a year of alignment. Now, it's time to move into it being a year of structure being built.
A year ago, when God told me 2024 would be a year of alignment, I was so excited and had such huge expectations for all the amazing things that I “knew” were going to take place.
There was a moment this morning when a thought popped into my head – “This year hasn’t been what I expected” and I was surprised by suddenly finding myself in tears.
Just as quickly as the thought came and the tears flowed, I heard, “What did you expect from a year of alignment?”
That gave me pause. As I allowed myself to engage in this holy invitation to conversation, I began to list off a few things.
- I didn’t expect certain friendships to shift and change and no longer be what they’ve been.
- I didn’t expect to strip away some things that have been a hugely important part of my world in favor of shifting time to other things I sensed God leading me to devote my time to instead.
- I didn’t expect Brian to walk out dreams fulfilled only to have that chapter close far sooner than we expected but still know God’s hand was on it all.
- I didn’t expect the sacrifices to be as great as they’ve been or for things to be so hard.
- I didn’t expect to not easily succeed at the things I felt God leading me into and to struggle with feelings of failure, shame, and internal shaking in a totally different way than I’ve ever experienced.
Yet . . . as I listed those things off in His presence and laid them all down before Him, I began to sense gratitude rising within me and my list changed.
- I’m so grateful for the depth of community that’s grown for me this year, even if it’s mainly across the world, and that it includes being part of a church family that is iron sharpening iron in ways I’ve never experienced before and I’ve grown exponentially in Him.
- I’m so grateful to be able to spend so much time with our grandchildren and support our “kids” as they’ve parented. I’m thankful to have devoted time to writing and seeing the fruits of that. I’m thankful to have had time to listen to others, pray for them, and pray for our nation and the nations of the earth.
- I’m grateful to have had more daily time with Brian, have a front-row seat to watching him grow and transform as he walked more fully in his calling, and to get to partner with him in a ton of new ways.
- I’m grateful that this year of “hard” has revealed my growth in Him, deepened my faith and trust even more, and shown me I really can be at peace and have joy, even during times of letting go of things dear to me and walking through challenges.
- I’m grateful that things not coming as easily to me has been an invitation to lean into even more conversations with God, seeking to know His blueprints (not my plans), learning to be okay in the tension of not understanding but still trusting, and allowing His truths to continue to sink in deeply to those places where fear of failure, shame, and self-image being shaken continue to be grappled with as I question Him about so many things . . .
- I’m grateful to have taken more risks this year than ever before and to be even more certain that He has my resounding “yes” however He may lead me.
Why am I sharing all of these personal things with you? It’s because while the particulars won’t be the same, I know the struggles have been similar for so many who can write their own lists of “I didn’t expect . . . ” sentences.
And, I’m here to encourage you to let your list shift to gratitude. Look at each of the “I didn’t expect” statements and allow God to speak His truths into what really happened. You may not have expected things to transpire as they have, but nothing ever takes God by surprise, and He can bring such beauty out of it all.
True confession – I haven’t ever been a lover of the book of Ecclesiastes, but in June of this year, God prompted me to reread it (even grudgingly), and it was as if a new book had been added to the Bible as the Lord helped me to see it through an entirely different lens. While I won’t delve into it now, chapter three’s wisdom of “to everything there is a season” has spoken deeply to my spirit and heart, especially as I’ve dug into the meanings of the words in verses 1-8 and allowed Him to give me a greater understanding of His ways.
Times, seasons, and cycles – they all change, and there’s change coming in the New Year.
As this year comes to a close, I’ve been reflecting on what’s past, and asking the Lord about what’s next.
I’ve seen alignments happen over and over this year, both in our lives and others’ – so many transitions, repositioning, and shifting taking place!
The alignments have been needed to position us for what’s ahead – the STRUCTURE that will be built. They were necessary to create a firm foundation to build on in the coming year.
There’s also been a digging deep – SO deep that it’s been painful, but the digging had to happen this year in order for the structural beams to have enough depth to be positioned in, creating stability for the structure to be erected on and remain firm.
This year has been so worth it. I’m thanking God for every single alignment and realignment and am looking forward to 2025 being a year of STRUCTURE being built in so many ways - more on that to come!
Remember . . . as a structure is built, it takes time to build it well. Trust Him in the process and celebrate each milestone. That will help keep you focused and moving forward in partnership with God and all He’s building!
Brian and I are cheering you on! We always say this, but we truly mean it – if you need prayer, please reach out to us. We’d love to hold you close to the Father’s heart and encourage you in any way we can.
I’m sending you so much love, my friend, now and always!
Living for Him,
Andrea
P.S. This is a worship list I created on YouTube and have had on repeat lately. I hope it blesses you!
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