Happy New Year and I hope you had a wonderful New Year celebration yesterday!
I want to take a moment to offer my thoughts on 2022, as it was a busy year filled with many great things for me.
A Year In Review
Engagement & Marriage
The highlight of the year was definitely getting engaged and married this past September. I was a bit on the older side (47 years old), but God knew what He was doing.
He prepared a wonderful helpmate for me, and we are adjusting to married life as we continue in our careers and caregiving for Abi’s mom.
Buying a Home
We bought a home this year, and with homeownership comes the challenges of finding things that weren’t quite done great when we bought the home.
Since we purchased our home, we have had:
- Plumbing problems – fixed those
- Roof leaks that now required drywall to be replaced
- A tree came down in a storm this past week
Scripture says God never gives you more than you can handle, and that is true, but we would prefer if it would slow down just a little bit.
Location Transition
Since my bride lived in Pennsylvania and I am from California, I made the move to the Pennsylvania/Maryland area this past year.
I loaded up my car, and headed East on a 5 day road trip across the United States. Along the way, I stopped in to see one of my Treehouse friends, and enjoyed the open highway and seeing all that God has created.
When I arrived on the East Coast, I am in process of transitioning into a new role while still managing a team in California for the moment.
As I drove across the United States, I was reminded of the scripture that says,
“His blessings are new every day.”
When I wake up each morning, I strive to remember this simple phrase to help get me through the day that lies ahead.
Reconnection with Friends
Since moving out East, I have connected with new friends and colleagues, but I have also had the chance to reconnect with some old friends who made the move out East a few years before me.
My goal ahead will be to reconnect with them more frequently and build into them as they have built into me over time.
The Podcast
This year, I saw growth in the number of podcast downloads as I continued to produce weekly content.
As my wedding drew near, and life events got a little crazy, I gave myself permission to be okay with missing a few weeks. My Treehouse family also echoed that it would be okay to miss a few weeks, and if people weren’t okay with that, then that was on them and not me.
I published approximately 50 episodes over nine (9) series during the course of 2022. Even though I missed a few weeks, I am looking forward to getting back on track with my publishing as well as looking to add a little additional content throughout the year.
Missing the Mark
So…I have missed the mark in the following ways:
- Bible in One Year – I got behind and never recovered. Kicking off a new one for 2023 with Abi.
- Goals – I only achieved one (1) goal out of seven (7) this past year, but I’m okay with it considering all of the life changes I experienced this year. I am also re-thinking my approach to goals in the coming year.
- Systems Failure – many systems and processes I had in place to help me be organized went belly up, and I am doubling down in the new year to regain momentum.
This Year – 2023
As the new year is upon us, I am looking forward to a few things as it relates to this podcast.
I would like to:
- Grow my listenership by 10-15% overall
- Start a monthly or quarterly newsletter to share ways you can grow in your spiritual walk with Christ
- Encourage community to engage with scripture and with those around you
- Develop a devotional plan to be found on YouVersion.com
- Add a few more guests to the podcast (I already have a few ideas) 😄
Some of these goals or aspirations rely on other things to happen like rebuilding my systems and routines. I am excited for the year ahead, and ready for a little less change and transition.
Thanks
Thanks for being a part of the Rocking Chair Devotions community, and I look forward to building this community during 2023 to see what God will do in and thru each one of us.
I encourage you to build into your family, friends, work colleagues, and community. I wish you a wonderful 2023 filled with many blessings.
Our New Series
Beginning next week, we will begin a new series titled Distracted. It is an exploration into the life of Nehemiah, and the rebuilding of the wall around Jerusalem.
As we begin the year, we can become distracted with the return to work or school, new gifts and feeling overwhelmed. This series is meant to show us how to be focused while dealing with the distractions around us.
Please join me next week for this exciting new series, and tell your friends to tune in as well. You can find this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon, Google Podcasts or wherever your podcast player pulls from.
Thanks again for being part of this community in 2022. Let’s go make 2023 amazing!
Prayer
Lord, thank you for 2022 and what we accomplished this past year. I lift each listener up to you and ask that you would speak to them where they are at, and help them to dream big and accomplish amazing things for you this year. We love you and praise your name! Amen!
Spread the Word
We release a new podcast episode each Monday morning. If you love the podcast content, I would love for you to share it with family, friends, colleagues, or others who cross your path.
Please take a second to rate or review this podcast on your favorite podcast platform to help bring more visibility to this content. Thank you for being part of the Rocking Chair Devotions community.
Say Thanks
Listen On…
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