20 LESSONS LEARNED IN THE PAST 20 YEARS

Today is the big 4-0.  Here are the top 20 lessons I've learned between ages 20 and 40.  Hopefully I don't have to relearn them between 40 and 60!  Here's to learning many more new lessons as the years go by.

Twenty - You can think that what you have is perfect and you can plan the rest of your life around it.  You can imagine a future that is picture perfect and it can all be gone in an instant.  Better to plan your life around truth, character, and faith in God than around any one person, goal or achievement.
Twenty-One - It is good to have friends who you can trust, enjoy and laugh with.  They are worth searching for and they are worth celebrating and valuing when you find them.
Twenty-Two - Go for it!  Take a chance!  Risk, within the boundaries of God's goodness, is a boon to growth and is bound to make memories that last a lifetime.
Twenty-Three - However far you go in one romantic relationship (physically, emotionally, spiritually) will determine where you are likely to want to start from in your next romantic relationship.  It is a snowball effect that can lead you to jumping in with both feet when you don't really know someone well. Tread carefully.  The right partner is worth the wait in all aspects.
Twenty-Four - Be open to job opportunities outside of your area of education or expertise.  There is much to learn and many skills cross over between fields.  
Twenty-Five - When you think that your past experience is going to dictate your future, you are trusting in your own limited understanding.  Leave room for God, the author and perfecter of your faith, to write your story and allow yourself to wait breathlessly for the next page to turn.
Twenty-Six - A baby is always good news.  Always.
Twenty-Seven - Exhaustion can teach us lessons that we cannot learn otherwise.  Let it drive you to God and to those who are able and willing to help you.  Self-reliance will only get you so far.  Learn how to rest and how to share a load.
Twenty-Eight - Parenting is all about humility.  Children do not care about your reputation.  
Twenty-Nine - When something is a priority to you, you will make a way.  If there seems to be no way, pray and ask God to purify your priorities and help you reorient your life.
Thirty - Regularly meeting together with a group of people who share your faith, but may be completely different from you in every other way is a taste of heaven.  Look for it and dive in head first don't give a second thought to the temperature of the water or whether your bathing suit is appropriate.
Thirty-One - Leaving something that has been good in the past because it is becoming truly dangerous to you or others requires great strength and unswerving commitment to doing the right thing.  It is worth it.  Leave.
Thirty-Two - Starting over in a new place is hard, but doable.
Thirty-Three - If you seek Him, God will meet you in the most special and personal ways.  Truly He knows you better than you know yourself.
Thirty-Four - Money isn't everything.  
Thirty-Five - Changing course mid-stream is never efficient or comfortable, but sometimes it is absolutely necessary.  Don't be afraid; fear wastes energy that you'll need to persevere.
Thirty-Six - Mentoring can change your life just as much as the lives of those you are pouring into.  Keep your eyes open for someone younger than you who you can walk through life with.  You'll both benefit.
Thirty-Seven - There are thousands of children in foster care in our country today.  It requires less than you think to bless them and help them retain their sense of safety and self.  Open your home when the opportunity allows, and support those who are doing so when you cannot.  It is worth every sacrifice.
Thirty-Eight - You can sit through a completely devastating moment in time and come out the other side a fighter.  You can be embarrassed, humiliated, brought lower than low and still keep your head held high.  God is bigger and His plan for you cannot be thwarted. Learn what you need to learn in that low moment.  Keep your character intact throughout.
Thirty-Nine - There is beauty in big cities and in rural communities.  Do not be intimidated by what you do not know.  Recognize that what you have to offer is valid no matter your surroundings.
Forty - God is good.  He is faithful.  He will provide just what you need at the moment of your greatest need. Believe Him when He gives it to you and watch what happens.

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