If I had to use one word to describe this past year, it would be “resilience.”

Resilience. Whether you finished strong or not, you are resilient. If you did finish, celebrate! If you didn’t get close to the finish line that you were aiming for, still celebrate!

I have learned so much about myself and the resiliency that Jesus so graciously offers. I have realized more than ever that resiliency resides within me because of the faith that keeps me going and going strong. Does that mean we have to look strong and have it all together? No friend, not at all.

What you and I can do is look back and see how the Father has given us strength. He has given us strength even when we didn’t finish. He has given us strength even in the hard seasons. We can celebrate the good memories of this past year and rejoice in the strength that has abounded because of Christ.

We’re not always going to be strong, but our Savior, Jesus, is. Jesus is always right there, full of grace. When I am weak, He is strong. And when I’m least expecting it, Holy Spirit speaks the truth. You are resilient. You are strong. Not because of your strength but all because of the strength found in the One you rely on.

This past Fall, I pruned my rosebushes. I am not a gardener, so I am not sure that I pruned them correctly. I could always “google” the proper way to prune, but my technique seems to work as they come back every year. There’s always grace, friends!

While it is wintertime, my rose still wants to grow. Even after I pruned it, there has still been enough warmth for a stem to spring forth. I smiled as I noticed one tall stem that seemed to grow overnight.

We, too, can still grow. Whether you feel like you finished well or not this past year, you have grown. Celebrate all the ways you have experienced growth in your life. And celebrate what is still forming deep within you.

Even in the dark seasons, you are growing. Our resilient Jesus within us reminds us to reach for the light, even in the dark. Like David looked for strength in God even in distress, we have that same strength within us.

“But David strengthened himself in the LORD his God.”

1 Samuel 30:6

It’s not about our own strength we had to rely on to finish strong this past year. It’s all about the strength we find in our Father God. And it’s not about finishing strong. It’s about finishing each day, solely relying on Jesus.

What a year of resiliency! We find so much strength in our Savior. And I have realized more than ever that I need to be flexible. Not everything is going to turn out the way I want. The unexpected is going to happen. But I am learning that when I choose to be flexible, His strength will carry me to a place of grace.

So, what have I learned this past year?

I have learned that resiliency is within me because of my Savior, who gives me strength.

I have learned that I find grace when I’m open to flexibility.

I have learned to love myself and embrace who He has created me to be. Along with that love, I am learning to carry that love into this new year and share it with others.

I have learned that loss makes me pause to reflect on what really matters.

I have learned that friendship and community can grow in extraordinary ways, in ways that you least expect.

How has resiliency guided you this past year? What have you learned this year?

As we enter into a new year, friends, I am confident that we are all growing strong with resilience.