So far so good, 2017 has been amazingly good. As a matter of fact, everybody has been chanting of how awesome the year has been. Sure it’s been God all the way!!!
Nevertheless, does it means 2017 was all rosy without challenges?
Could it be that the year was really smooth and hitch-free? Definitely, the answer will be a NO.
There would have been times of deep and secret tears, depression, difficulties, falling, pains, etc but through it all, you can still can’t your blessings.
Personally, the year has been the best so far. But when I say best, that doesn’t means things were perfectly okay. In spite of all, I could count numerous blessings. There were a lot of forming and reforming, learning, moulding, bending, et al.
I learnt various things in 2017 but there are 10 main ones I can’t ever forget which I will/must still consider and make use of in 2018 and beyond.
…and now, I found it fit to share them with you as the year wraps up.
Here we go;
1) God Factor: At a point during the year, I sat down and thought through of all that had happened just in 2017 and all I could say is “I thank God for God”. The statement sounds funny but really deep.
God is alive and real. His works are amazing. Without Him, you wouldn’t be reading this post right now. Do you believe that?
Of course, He has our lives in His hands.
His mercies kept us till today. I remember whenever I get tired of things(especially God’s work a times) and tell my dad , He will always say something that “My dear, remember the life you have isn’t yours, it belongs to God.”
In 2017, God has been there during my pains, joyful moments, etc. He is my succour and shield.
I have learnt never to do anything outside His awareness. He works in mysterious ways I can’t really fathom. I have come to learn that “Being in tune with God and His will are the best I can ever have”.
If anyone reading this doubt the existence or power of God, oh, you are missing. I will plead with you to come and taste out of His goodness.
2) Friends are priceless and precious: Wow, one of the big achievements I made in 2017 is making friends. Friends that are there to encourage and edify. Friends that spur me up to achieving your goals. Friends that never gives up on me. Friends that constantly pray for me. Friends that are ready to spend and give.
I have come to learn better in 2017 that roles of friends can’t be overemphasized. When I am going weary, I fall straight into their hands and they are there to bring you up.
At the same time, there were friends I totally discarded and sieved out of my life. Not that they can’t be my friends but rather I wish they should not because they can easily kill my dreams and pull me down.
As much as it is good to make friends, wisdom is profitable to direct. Not everyone will add values to my life.
3) Purposeful living: There are a lot of seminars on Purpose I attended & participated on this year. All these seminars shaped and reshaped my life. Purpose goes beyond what you want to achieve in the future alone. I learnt each day of my existence on earth has it’s purpose.
Strive to live daily with a purpose.
4) Having plans: There are times I go out of my room without having plans for the day and mostly tends to waste so much time on days like that. I have come to understand the power of planning fully. Apart from the plans I have for the year/month, I have come to learn that daily plans help a lot.
Planning gives you a focus of what you are to do with your time for each day. You won’t find yourself just wasting time unnecessarily.
Some of my coursemates do complain why I like rushing back to the hostel immediately after class. It’s just because I have plans for that day which I must surely accomplish.
5) Tolerance&Understanding: This year has been a thorough learning process of being tolerant. I have come to learn better that there are huge differences between personalities.
Learning to understand people better give chances of living together peacefully.
People are of different genetic makeup, backgrounds, educational achievements, exposure, belief, tribes, etc. This calls for greater grace to be able to tolerate, understand and live at peace with all.
6) Forgiveness: If God could forgive me of my numerous sins, and transform me to His child, who am I then not to forgive my fellow beings. The truth remains that people definitely stepped on my toes so much in 2017. Some of them which made me cried, withdrawn at some point, etc. Nevertheless, I leant to have a forgiving spirit. It even makes me get over past hurts easily.
7) Time is life: One of the previous assets God blesses everyone with is Time. I don’t joke with time because I know the effects of times I wasted in the past had on me. I wrote on Time some times ago. Time is precious. Time is life.
8) Determination: Decisions I make in 2017 wouldn’t have been achievable if I wasn’t determined. Determination and Decisions work together.
No matter how rough the journey might be, when you are determined you surely get to your Destination.
9) Readers are leaders: Right from primary school, I have enjoyed reading storybooks/novels. People around me even suggested I go for any of the Art courses. At a point in my life, I grew to love more of romantic novels. I was so much caught in the web that it affected me negatively.
Sincerely, friends that we make and books we read plays key roles in our lives.
I got to a point in my life that I needed to change what I feast my mind on.
To be renewed in mind, I have to do away with those novels and dwell more on Spiritual books. But truth be told, those spiritual books doesn’t often seems interesting then. Right there, I developed a strategy of starting with Spiritual books in form of stories. Yes, it took a lot of determination to do such. Not too long, I discovered I found more interest in those that aren’t in form of stories as well. Although, there were a lot of books I started but couldn’t finish. Nevertheless, I made an attempt to read more in 2018 will be better.
Out of the books I read which I can’t forget include: 1)40 marks of the Pharisees
2) Proverb 31 woman
Will still love to read them again.
Did I mention that I bought books as well and I visited more of Christian blogs?
The books I read sure added to me.
Yes, reading widens our horizons but be careful of what you read and digest.
Read more of the Bible, it’s the best book you can ever read.
Read Christian literatures
Read Spiritual books
Visit Christian blogs
Buy books that are profitable.
I’m dwelling much on reading because I know how far at which books can either make or mar destinies, be Wise.
10) Build yourself: In 2017, I have so much learned that big&successful people I admire worked tirelessly on themselves. They don’t just sit and pray for miracles to happen without acting. I really learnt to work on my confidence, talents, self esteem, relationship skill, walk with God, academics,etc
There are things people won’t be able to do for you except yourself. You’ve got to sit up and do something.
Yes, mistakes will abound but they make you a better person when you have right attitudes towards those mistakes.
Learn never to settle for average because the world awaits your manifestation.
Be teachable and learn to accept responsibilities.
In this aspect of building oneself, I will still love to talk more on it in 2018.
There is a YOU in YOU,build and develop it.
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Thank you so much for reading through. It’s been a lovely time with you all along. Thanks for being a follower of Botapreneur blog .Cheers to a fruitful 2017. See you in 2018 by God’s grace.
Never wish for a better 2017 but rather a better than the best 2018.
Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man(Ecclesiastes 12:13)
Botapreneur loves you ❤
Shalom.