Why I’m Thankful for the “Worst Year Ever”

Can I be real?

2020 had more than its fair share of horrible moments. Our family experienced more loss and heartache in the past 365 days that we have in any other single year. If I listed all of them, you may be shocked that we are still vertical. In fact, we journeyed through more pain than the previous decade combined. Most of it had absolutely nothing to do with COVID-19. In fact, only a few of you know that I contracted COVID three weeks ago. I have no idea how, as we were following all precautions and guidelines. But I thank God I only had a mild case. I mean, it was VERY unpleasant, but nothing like the illness that some of my extended family and friends have experienced. No one else in our home contracted it. And on this final day of 2020, the whole home is officially out of quarantine.

Even with 2020 ending in mandatory quarantine for us… I am thankful for 2020. I’ll say that again.

I am THANKFUL for 2020.

This has been the single greatest year of:
Personal Growth
Business Growth
Marital Growth
Family Growth
Authentic Connection with Friends

Wait Nathan, didn’t you say this was a pain-filled year? Yes. Yes I did. Growth can sometimes be PAINFUL… or at the very least, quite uncomfortable. But COMFORT IS THE ENEMY OF GROWTH. Was anyone else uncomfortable this year? Did anyone else GROW?

• 2020 taught me that life is fleeting
• 2020 taught me that trust is more precious than gems
• 2020 taught me that I’m not as strong as I thought I was…and that’s awesome because in my weakness HIS power is made perfect (2 Corinthians 12:9)
• 2020 taught me that THIS TOO SHALL PASS is true of both our greatest moments and our most difficult trials
• 2020 taught me that no matter how lonely you feel, you really are never alone

Mindset
This year brought far more lessons than I could possibly script in this post. And for that, I am thankful. The details really don’t matter for you, my friend, because you have pains too. Am I thankful for the pain? No, I’d rather skip the pain part entirely and get right to the growth. But you don’t gain muscle without tearing down muscle, and that too is a painful process. Growing pains will come, but our response to these pains will determine whether we grow through them, or shatter beneath their weight. Your mindset will determine your response. So I challenge you to set your mind to GROW into 2021.

We will never forget 2020. And I’m okay with that. Now let’s turn the page to begin anew, thankful for what we have learned and how we have grown; ready to activate the hope within us to change our lives and the world for the better!

Question: What are you thankful for in 2020? How will you activate hope in 2021? Comment below and help others to grow.

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Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash.