Since I was a teenager writing in my well-worn journals, I’ve always felt it’s important to look at what has been, before we move on to what’s ahead. I feel this is especially true in the New Year. In the past, on many December 31st’s, I have literally made lists of all the big things that have happened in the year. I have taken the time to be grateful, grieve, and most importantly, think about what I’ve learned in hopes of being better in the New Year.
In this spirit, before truly beginning 2018, today I am sharing things I have learned in 2017. Some are things I thought I knew, and others took me by surprise. All are lessons I hope to take with me into this year.
Routine Is Good
At the beginning of the year, Tony and I decided to add some new routines to our schedule. We’d heard a few successful creatives/leaders talk about how being disciplined with their schedule was key in their success. Their words made us think. If we were going to bring a few of our endeavors to another level, we needed to be more disciplined with our time. So, as if we were kids again, we gave ourselves a bed time, set our alarm clocks earlier, and stopped watching TV a few nights a week. Just these few tweaks helped us create dedicated time in our schedule to work towards our goals, and overall, we felt healthier because we were getting the sleep we needed.
The Best Leaders Take Notes
In February, I had the incredible opportunity to travel to Houston for a one day conference with one of the greatest bible teachers of our time. Beth Moore wanted to encourage, empower, and challenge women who felt called to write or teach others about God. So for two sessions, she taught us the things she has learned in ministry, and then at the end of the day, had a panel discussion with four other powerhouse women leaders.
There were so many things I learned that day, but one of them stands out the most to me. Throughout Beth’s first two sessions, the women who were going to be on the panel that night (Christine Caine, Jennie Allen, Priscilla Shirer, etc.), sat in the front row and took notes the whole time. None of them acted as if they had arrived because of the books they’ve published or platforms they’ve created. No, rather they sat with the rest of us who have so much to learn, pen and paper ready. Though I’ve know on a small scale level that a leader should never stop learning, it was powerful to see women I’ve learned so much from, living that out before me.
Church Can Happen in a Hotel Pool
About a year and a half ago, my best friend floored me. She told me she had never been baptized and she wanted me to baptize her. It was humbling, and of course I said yes. So we made a plan, that on some warm day we’d find a river or waterfall—somewhere in nature—and I would baptize her. Only, that day never came. So instead, my friend rented a room at a hotel in town. She invited her closest friends and family, and on a Saturday night, in the hotel pool, I baptized her and her daughter. This experience further taught me that being the church isn’t about having titles or fancy baptismal pools; rather is it walking with each other as we seek to choose Jesus in our lives more and more.
The Driest Seasons Really Do Produce the Sweetest Grapes
In September, when we were in Tuscany, we stopped a vineyard in the Chianti region. There, before tasting wine, we took a tour. When we went out to the grapes vines, we could see the grapes were small and almost pea size. We asked our tour guide about it, she explained that they had a significant drought there this summer. The grapes didn’t get enough water to grow to normal size. But she also said that this made the flavor of the grapes more concentrated and sweeter.
In the past, I had heard people compare the hard and dry seasons of our lives to seasons of drought for crops and harvest. But I’ve never heard such a clear metaphor for how those seasons have the potential of creating a very sweet harvest in our lives.
What did you learn in 2017?
How do you hope to grow in 2018?
As I’ve never like one-sided conversations, I would love to hear what you have learned. So drop me a line here or on social media, and tell me what 2017 has taught you!
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Love looking back and forward! God has challenged me to dream big for 2018, so I’m excited to see what comes forth. Happy 2018!!
Very cool, Taylor! It will be great to see what’s in store!
The Lord has really been impressing upon me lately about fruit in the wilderness, it’s the same concept about drought making the sweetest grapes. It’s something that doesn’t seem to equate in our minds when we go through hardships and ‘wilderness’ or ‘drought’ seasons. Some of the most powerful and life-changing times have come out of these seasons – some pretty sweet fruit. Thanks this analogy!
absolutely, Amy! Producing fruit in the wilderness seems impossible in the midst of dry seasons, and yet it seems God is able to bring about things we could never have dreamed through allowing us to go through those times.
I love how you took the time to reflect and look back at what God taught you this year. God’s taught me a lot about trusting Him while I wait for Him this past year. His timing is not my timing, but I know He has my best in mind.
Heather Bock
Oh Heather, I so relate to the waiting! I have been in a long season of waiting too, and remembering that He has our best in mind is something I have to almost daily. Thank you for sharing.
Love the story of the hotel pool baptism! Beautiful!