30

I've been thinking a lot this month of the past 30 years of my life and the things I have learned. I can't wait to see a new list when I'm 60 :) As I've realized all that the Lord has taught me, I've come to see the beauty of each of them (albeit the difficulties) and how related to truth and God's word they are. He is in the business of redemption, and I'm grateful He's showing me that in my own life. So, here goes.

Thirty things I learned before turning thirty:

  1. Laughter is good for the heart (Proverbs 17:22)
  2. The Lord truly is so near to the brokenhearted and crushed in spirit (Psalm 34:18)
  3. Deep friendship is hard to find, but when found, invaluable (Proverbs 18:24; Proverbs 27:17)
  4. On this side of eternity, family is one of God's greatest blessings (Proverbs 23:22, 26; Ecclesiastes 4:9-12)
  5. In His love, the Lord will strip idols, often painfully (Hosea 6:1)
  6. Early mornings are my favorite time (Psalm 5:3)
  7. Prayer is essential (Ephesians 6:18-20)
  8. Grief, when dealt with the Lord, is not in any way sinful (2 Corinthians 7:10)
  9. God doesn't waste anything (Romans 8:28)
  10. Oftentimes, the most loving thing you can do is be silent (Proverbs 17:27-28)
  11. Sharing the gospel is not suggested, but commanded- and it brings about the greatest of joys (2 Corinthians 5:11-19; 1 Peter 3:15)
  12. Although confession of sin is difficult, it's where freedom is found (James 5:16)
  13. Releasing the grip of false control is difficult (Job 42:1-6)
  14. I never regret sacrificing time to spend it with those I hold dear (Romans 12:9-21;
  15. Sleepless nights are seen by the Lord, and redeemed for good (Psalm 63:6-7)
  16. Pursuing sexual purity is one of the most sanctifying and difficult acts of obedience (1 Thessalonians 4:3-12)
  17. Words can either speak life, hope, and healing- or they can breathe death and destruction (James 3)
  18. Healing takes time (Psalm 6, Psalm 42)
  19. A Christian should be the happiest of all people (Psalm 13:5-6)
  20. Studying the Word is studying God (Psalm 119)
  21. Every circumstance in life is used by God to sharpen and bring about holiness (Proverbs 3:11-12; Hebrews 12:6-11)
  22. Jesus understands every last bit of me- in struggle, in pain, in joy. (Hebrews 4:14-16)
  23. I love traveling and diving into other cultures and communities (Acts 1:8, 1 Corinthians 9:22-23)
  24. God's "no" isn't Him withholding to spite me, but to love me (Proverbs 16)
  25. When I take my eyes off Christ, I quickly sink into selfishness and fear (Romans 8:15; Hebrews 12:1-2)
  26. Flawless physical beauty is unattainable (Proverbs 31:30)
  27. I am never truly alone (Deuteronomy 31:6,8; Psalm 73:23-26)
  28. The deepest of pain can lead to the greatest of joy (Psalm 126)
  29. Life isn’t about me (Ephesians 2:10; 2 Corinthians 5:21)
  30. There’s no sweeter place to be than in the Lord’s presence- it’s in knowing Him that I am alive and full. (Psalm 34:5; 2 Corinthians 3:18; Isaiah 54-55)



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