It’s finally here. It’s the last day of 2020. You may have thought this day would never come, but at last, here it is! You may be celebrating with hope for what 2021 has in store, or you may be fearful wondering if 2021 will try and top the “unprecedentedness” of 2020, but wherever you are, we’re all entering a new year come midnight. But before we complete this trip around the sun, we want to invite you to spend some time today reflecting on this past year. What do you hope is different this year from this past year (other than a pandemic J)? Where do you look back and feel a sense of thankfulness? How have you seen God move in your life? In your family’s life? How have you grown this year?
We invite you to grab your journal, a pen, and a cup of coffee and find a quiet spot and follow the prompts below:
As we reflect on the past year, we’re going to walk through each season of 2020.
Winter: January – February
1. What new commitments did you make to yourself and God? Did you stick with them?
2. What hardships did you face? Did you find yourself trusting and hoping in God through them?
3. Looking back now, how can you see where God was moving in your life, even if you couldn’t see it at the time?
4. What are you thankful for this season?
Spring: March – May
1. What was going on in your family life this season? How were your relationships with the people in your life?
2. How was your relationship with God? Did you maintain a regular rhythm of spending time with Him?
3. What opportunities to grow did God place in your life? How do you see them now as opposed to how you saw them during this season?
4. What are you thankful for this season?
Summer: June – August
1. When you think back on this season, what brings you joy?
2. What do you wish you had done differently?
3. What happened during this time frame that confused you then, but now you see God using it to glorify Him?
4. What are you thankful for from this season?
Fall: September – November
1. Where did you see God’s hand at work this fall?
2. What stories of grace, rescue, or redemption have surfaced from this season?
3. What is something that God revealed to you? What is something you learned about yourself?
4. What are you thankful for this season?
As a final reflection as we head into this new year, prayerfully ask God to reveal a “word of the year” to you. It may be something that doesn’t make sense to you now but ask Him to give you one word for 2021. If you’re willing, we’d love for you to share what word He reveals to you in the comments below.