Say Goodbye To 2020, But Give It An EXIT INTERVIEW First.

We know not to fixate on the past, right? We know to leave life’s pain behind (and 2020 had plenty of that). We know that God wants us to move FORWARD stronger than we were before. We know all of that. But there is one more step in the process—reflecting on the road we’re coming off before jumping on the next one. Think of it like an EXIT INTERVIEW.
  
ex·it in·ter·view a meeting between an employee about to leave an organization and their employer to discuss why they are leaving what it was like working for the organization.
  
This is the last leg of the CHANGE RAMP to 2021 we have been building together throughout December.
  
It’s taking a serious look in the rear-view mirror before casting our gaze to the front window and what lies ahead. It’s moving forward into 2021 after we identify what we learned from God in the past year. And, finally, it’s TRULY leaving the horrors of 2020 behind.
  
YOUR CHALLENGE: What is your most important “Learning Takeaway” from 2020?
  
It will take you less than ONE MINUTE to identify the singular LEARNING TAKEAWAY you will take into your journey ahead. C’mon…give it a try. I’ll give you a jump start by sharing my personal LEARNING TAKEAWAY from 2020:
  
“Trusting God in and through UNCERTAINTY is one tough job. But I just proved to myself that with God’s power—and my surrender–I can do it. That I am stronger now. That I am ready to face the next stretch on the HIGHWAY of UNCERTAINTY.”
  
SO WHAT IS IT FOR YOU?

• Evaluated the condition of your faith walk?
• Became more compassionate, content, thankful?
• Recognized your blessings more than ever before?
• Worried Less? Trusted God More? Stopped being controlling?
• Learned that tough times require innovative and creative responses?
• Realized God does bring good out of bad and community is important?
• Accepted that life is not all about you and there is no entitlement in life?

We know how important reflecting on the past is in the life of a Christian. But if we fixate TOO LONG on our pain in the rear-view mirror, we’ll miss God’s unfolding and majestic glory. We’ll miss the cobalt stillness of the sea. And we’ll miss the hushed music of towering trees waving in the forest winds.
  
I ask God to help me limit my time looking back in life’s rear-view mirror–AFTER I identify what I learned in the past 12 months–and focus, instead, on looking forward through his front window to the future.
  
WHAT ABOUT YOU?
  
Have you looked back in 2020’s rear-view mirror and grabbed the learning God wants you to take into 2020? It will take less than ONE MINUTE to identify the singular “learning theme” you need to take with you on the journey ahead. Will you do that right now?
  
“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” Psalms 34:18