It’s August! That means that it’s my birthday month and time for me to continue my annual birthday month tradition of reflecting on all the valuable lessons that I have learned in the year. I like my responses to correlate with the number of years that I have been growing in these experiences. This marks the end of year “56” and welcoming year “57.”

This year my word for the year is “anchored.” My biggest growth spurt this year has been in anchoring in my identity. I am wrestling my way toward this truth:

I am God’s beloved before I am anyone else’s.

This was the year that I discovered that being anchored doesn’t mean the waters stop moving. It means I don’t have to move with them.

My circumstances have shifted.

My relationships have shifted.

My dreams have shifted.

But my Anchor has not.

Gosh, my learning has been steep this year but oh so good. Here are my “57” reflections from my year:

1. God is faithful even when life doesn’t unfold the way I hoped.

2. Grief and gratitude can exist in the same heart.

3. Healing is rarely linear.

4. I cannot control another person’s choices.

5. Love requires courage.

6. Boundaries are an expression of love, not rejection.

7. My identity is secure because it is rooted in Christ.

8. Shame loses its power when it is brought into the light.

9. Vulnerability is strength, not weakness.

10. Healthy relationships welcome honest conversations.

11. Conflict is not the enemy; contempt and avoidance are.

12. Trust is built through consistency over time.

13. I don’t have to rush God’s timing.

14. Waiting is active, not passive.

15. Obedience often requires sacrifice.

16. Peace is a better guide than fear.

17. God’s commands are invitations to flourishing.

18. Desire itself is not something to be ashamed of.

19. Emotional intimacy lays a solid foundation

20. Love is demonstrated more through daily faithfulness than grand gestures.

21. My worth is not determined by whether someone chooses me.

22. Fear tells convincing lies.

23. Faith answers fear with truth.

24. I don’t need every answer before taking the next faithful step.

25. Rest is productive.

26. Joy is often found in ordinary moments.

27. Laughter is holy medicine.

28. My friendships are one of God’s greatest gifts.

29. Healthy friendships can withstand disagreement.

30. Community is messy because people are imperfect.

31. Forgiveness frees my own heart.

32. I cannot heal someone else’s wounds for them.

33. Compassion and wisdom belong together.

34. I can love people without carrying responsibility for every outcome.

35. My children are adults with their own journeys before God.

36. Listening often ministers more than speaking.

37. Curiosity creates connection.

38. Encouragement changes people.

39. Kindness is never wasted.

40. My story can become someone else’s hope.

41. God still writes beautiful chapters after devastating ones.

42. Starting over is not failure.

43. Every season has something to teach me.

44. Beauty can emerge from brokenness.

45. My heart is becoming softer, not harder.

46. The Holy Spirit is a better guide than my emotions.

47. I am still growing at 57.

48. There is no expiration date on purpose.

49. I don’t need to have my whole future figured out.

50. Hope is a discipline as much as it is a feeling.

51. Love always carries risk, but it is worth giving.

52. Being a good mother does not always guarantee that my children will always experience me as a good mother.

53. I can take responsibility without taking responsibility for everything.

54. God’s grace continues to surprise me.

55. I can be a parent without being my children’s savior.

56. The best version of me is the one that looks more like Jesus.

57. Reconciliation cannot be manufactured.