Welcome to our guest writer, Laura Acuna!
I don’t know about you, but an ideal New Years Eve for Pat and I is quiet, cozy, and uneventful. This year, we had a fun and early dinner out, then came home to a movie and a relaxing evening. Perfect!
Even though I am not much for partying on New Year’s Eve, I do like to take a look back at the year that is ending and ponder what God has taught me along the way. Each year – without exception – I’ve looked back and been able to trace God’s faithful provision and care.
Here are 5 things I’ve learned in 2019:
Lesson One: I don’t know everything.
Let’s just start off with this lesson! I don’t know everything! A few months back, I made a leadership decision that was misunderstood. There was quite a bit of upset and feelings were hurt. Without going into all the details, I learned several lessons through this painful experience, but the most life changing was when God held a mirror up to me. He never misses an opportunity to correct us, if we are paying attention!
I realized that many times, I have jumped to the wrong conclusion, about someone’s motives, based on what I have heard or what I am seeing. In both cases, unless I have gone to the source, seeking true understanding, I’ve had a very limited view and only partial information.
Therefore, God reminded me that because I don’t know everything, I should not be concluding anything.
He brought these two questions to my mind:
- How many times, Laura, have you reacted negatively and questioned, both at work, church and elsewhere, why leadership made decisions you didn’t care for or understand?
- And…as a result of the decision impacting you, how many times have you gone directly to the leaders with kindness & sincerity asking them to help you truly understand the decision that was made?
My answers were yes to question one and rarely to question two. Ouch. The mirror doesn’t lie.
So, my mantra since then, is to say to myself, “I don’t know everything” before I jump to conclusions and wrongly believe I know all I need to know. This has not been easy for an over-thinker like me, but I keep working at it. As always, God always gives me plenty of practice when He is teaching and correcting!
Lesson Two: The enemy is relentless, and shame is his favorite fiery dart.
I knew this before, but this year I have realized it in a new and deeper way. Shame is one seriously debilitating emotion and it attacks the very core of our belief system. It is pervasive in Christian women and it does not come from God.
We must be alert for what Brene Brown calls, ‘Shame Storms.’ They can sneak up on us before we know it, with the proverbial accusing inner voice that says,
“Who do you think you are? Sit down and be quiet!”
People who use shame to control others are toxic and need to be kept at an arm’s length or even farther away. Which brings me to lesson #3… Continue reading this great post on Laura’s site and while you are there, subscribe to her blog. You won’t be sorry!
Laura Acuna exudes warmth, fun and authenticity weather speaking to her Bible study sisters, in front of a large group or in a one on one conversation. She passionately shares the truths the Lord has taught her through His word and through life lessons learned along the way.
She is a graduate of Liberty University where she earned a degree in Christian Counseling and a Minor in Biblical Studies. She’s the co-founder of Sisters in Faith Ministries which includes The Manorwood Café Bible Study, Step Up Coaching for Women in Ministry and Sisters in Faith, a day conference which is in its 20th year.
Visit Laura’s blog: www.Laura-Acuna.com
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