Reflect.

Do you struggle with FOMO (fear of missing out)?  I often times find myself in a constant state of thinking that I am missing out on something. 

When you are 27 and still single, the enemy does a really good job of trying to keep your mindset in this sad and somewhat lonely state. I mean, I’ll be honest, the past 5 years of singleness haven’t been easy. It’s been a daily decision to trust that God knows what He is doing, that He knows my heart’s desires, and the plan that He has for my life is better than anything I could ever dream up or imagine (Ephesians 3:20) and, man, that is a sweet promise that I have full confidence will come to fruition, in His perfect timing – but this post isn’t about my season of singleness; don’t worry, it’s coming – this post is about reflection and what better way for Jesus to reveal Himself to me then through a reflective exercise like a “Year in Review”. 

One of my favorite things to do is to take pictures. I love making and capturing memories, even if it is just a random dinner date to Chili’s, I want to remember. 

Because I love taking so many pictures and documenting almost everything I can, storage can become a problem. Sometime last year, my friend, Michelle, introduced me to Google photos and my world has been forever changed. Anytime I take pictures, I create an album in Google photos, title it the event that just happened, upload the pictures, and then I have an instant memory catcher and no more problems with storage space filling up. Thank you Google! 

When 2018 was coming to a close, Instagram was filling up with people’s “2018 Year in Review” stories; a “Year in Review” is basically someone’s personal slideshow highlighting their favorite or most impactful memories from each month in that year. Well, being a photo fanatic, I jumped on this train almost immediately. I went to Google photos and started finding pictures from each month starting with New Year’s Eve 2017 right before ringing in 2018. 

As you can imagine, this was quite the venture. I spent most of this year’s New Year’s Eve sitting on Michelle’s couch, as we watched a movie with our friend Hannah, creating my “2018 Year in Review” and, as I was reflecting, goodness, did Jesus show up. 

Up until that point, I had struggled with the thought and the fear that I was missing out and had caught myself, multiple times, almost believing the lie from the enemy that my life wouldn’t reallystart until I get married, but man, the enemy has never been more WRONG! 

As I created my “2018 Year in Review” I was overwhelmed with the memories that filled this past year; looking at those pictures and placing them in their correct month slot caused my cup to be in a constant state of overflow. 

When I was internally battling the thoughts of another year has gone by and I am still sitting in this same season while my friends, yet again, are beginning to move into new seasons, fearing that I am missing out, Jesus showed up and He showed me just how much I wasn’t missing out on. 

Where the enemy was trying to keep my eyes fixed on feeling like I wasn’t moving because my love life was still at a stand still, that I was missing out because I wasn’t in the same season as my college girlfriends, Jesus met me in my reflection and reminded me that He has been present this whole time, growing me, moving me along, while intentionally weaving each memory and every moment to meet my heart’s needs in this season. 

I have not been at a stand still. I have been seizing the day and making the most of this season.

2018 was a year full of fun trips, intentional time with friends, quality time spent with family, another year at my dream job doing what I absolutely love, and continuing in an ever deepening relationship with God. 

I am not missing out; I am constantly being reminded what it means to live fully in my lane and what a sweet and glorious lane it is! 

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I am thankful for times of reflection. 

I am thankful for pictures that capture precious moments in time that we get to forever cherish. 

I am thankful for Jesus knowing me well enough to meet me in a moment of scrolling through pictures to create a “Year in Review”. 

I am thankful that we are loved by a Father that intentionally pursues us and provides what our hearts need in the season we need it. 

I am thankful for my lane and all the glorious things God is doing in the midst of it.