30 things I’ve learned in 2019

More than half of 2019 is over. It has been filled with rich and vibrant memories. And lots of teaching, learning and reflection. And God moments.

When the year began, I had just graduated college, we set new, ambitious goals, and we were still wondering what we wanted to do when we grew up.

Since then, we’ve learned to ride roller coasters, found that things aren’t always as they seem, stumbled across quite a few good books we’d never read and discovered again and again why God brought us together after all these years.

Here is a list of 30 things I’ve learned thus far in 2019.

1. You can do what you love and love what you do.
2. You gotta have a plan. You gotta write down the plan on paper and you gotta stick with the plan!
3. Life happens!
4. God knows all along when life will happen!
5. Make priorities. Some things aren’t as important as you think.
6. Focus: Doing the most important thing is always the most important thing.
7. Long obedience in the same direction is sound advice!
8. Attitude — good or bad — is the difference maker!
9. It’s all in your head! Your thoughts control your destiny!
10. Play to win, don’t play not to lose!
11. Don’t complain about what’s wrong. Do something about it!
12. You gotta get started, because you can’t steal second if your foot is on first base!
13. Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you handle it. What to do with my 90%?
14. You really can make a difference and have the time of your life doing it!
15. Life is about who you are and who you are becoming.
16. If you try to chase two rabbits, you won’t catch either one!
17. Success is about doing the right thing, not about doing everything right.
18. Don’t fear big. Fear mediocrity.
19. Habits make or break you. You decide your habits, your habits decide your future.
20. Bad stuff can turn into good stuff. God is at work in the heavenlies, even when things seem to be going good.
21. You can come alive, but it’s all meaningless if you don’t go do it!
22. I’m 60 going on 35 and some mornings still wake up wondering what I want to do when I grow up!
23. You gotta live the dash and hold onto your fork.
24. If you live like a dog, it could change your life.
25. There’s a kid in me trying to get out.
26. God doesn’t know the meaning of “lucky”, “coincidence” and “routine”.
27. IMPORTANT: You are the sum of the 5 people you spend the most time with. Choose well!
28. You can no longer talk reasonably with people about politics, religion and sex.
29. Life happens. Learn to live it!
30. God’s still got plenty of work for us to do.