A few weeks ago, The Will to Wake Up celebrated its 7th birthday. It’s surreal to think about all that’s happened in my life since beginning this blog. God’s brought me down many paths that I never would’ve chosen for myself.
Even when I’ve resisted His calling and wrestled with overthinking, He’s been faithful to lead me like a good shepherd.
What have the past 7 years looked like for you?
I’d encourage you to try this reflective exercise with me.
For each of the 7 years, I am going to write down one word that best captures that year and a brief description of the 1-3 most transformative experiences from that year.
2020: Rest
- COVID lockdown and finishing high school online
- Beginning a wonderful new job at a horse riding barn
2021: Grow
- Beginning college (and then moving back home)
- Painful friendship break-ups, while also meeting new friends
2022: Explore
- Receiving long-overdue mental health care
- Going on a transformative study abroad trip to England
- Switching universities
2023: Surrender
- Leaving several unhealthy situations
- Visiting family who I had been praying to see for years
- Moving to a new church
2024: Grieve
- Losing two close family members
- Beginning the writing program that completely changed my life in the best way possible
2025: Release
- Learning to forgive and ask for forgiveness
- Starting my photography business and deepening my trust in God, both with my identity and my future
2026: Restore
- Reconnecting with a long-lost friend
- Attending a writers conference and connecting with an incredible community
- Working through the healing process in multiple relationships, one small step at at time
Sometimes, it’s easy for me to only focus on the hard parts of my journey. But when I sit down and really reflect, God’s loving faithfulness is so present.
He only allows us to go through challenges and heartbreaks in order to draw us closer to Him and grow in godly character.
As you reflect on your past, how have you witnessed God’s faithfulness?
But Christ is faithful as the Son over God’s house. And we are his house, if indeed we hold firmly to our confidence and the hope in which we glory.
Hebrews 3:6 (NIV)
Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.
Hebrews 10:23 (NIV)
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