What I Learned at 24

Hi guys! I hope you all are doing well! For the past two years I’ve done blog posts on “What I Learned at 22” and “What I Learned at 23” around my birthday, and this year I wanted to do one on what the Lord has taught me during my 24th year of life.

When I turned 24, I never would have imagined all that would happen this past year. I had just moved to a new town with my family a month before, and so the beginning of my 24th year I was still adjusting to living in a completely new place. I’m not a big fan of change, so initially I wasn’t really sure if I’d like leaving behind the only place I had ever called home, but overtime I realized how nice it was to have a slower pace of life away from the hustle and bustle of the big city. The Lord really helped me make my home here, and He never left my side the entire time.

This year was also the year that God brought along some of the best friends into my life I have ever had. They walked with me through some of the hardest times of my life, and saw some of the worst parts of me, and didn’t leave. Having deep friendships is something I value, and I’ve learned this year just how much I love and appreciate the amazing people in my life.

I think the biggest thing I learned this year is what it looks like when your plans don’t turn out the way you thought they would. For so long, I had desired to be married and have a family of my own, but the Lord hadn’t opened that door yet. But during my 24th year, I stepped into my first relationship. I was excited, but I think I began to realize that God was asking me to step away and surrender that part of my life fully to Him. But I was scared. I thought that if I let go, there was no way I’d ever be in a relationship again. I tried to convince myself that this was God’s best for me, even though I knew deep down it wasn’t. I made idols of my own desires, and cared more about serving myself than I did about serving God.

But God knew what was best for me, and was faithful even when I was faithless. The relationship ended, and I was left trying to process so many different emotions. I was initially mad at God, because to me it didn’t make sense why something that seemed so good and something I had desired for so long He would take away. But He kept on loving me and walked with me through that process, and with time I was able to see things for what they actually were. What I thought was His best for me actually wasn’t, and as time went on the more thankful I was that He had brought me out of that. He was protecting me, and asking me to lay my desires down fully to Him.

And since then, the Lord has shown me just how amazing He is, and how much He gives good gifts even though I don’t deserve them. Even though I failed Him, He still loves me, and forgives me every single day. I realized that though I may not understand what the Lord is doing, I want His plans for my life, not my own. Because His plans are flawless, and He cares so much for me, more than anyone ever could.

My 24th year was filled with some ups and downs, but God has been constant in my life when nothing else was. I’m excited to see what He has in store for my 25th year of life, and I know that no matter what comes my way, He will walk with me through everything.

I hope y’all are having a great day! What did y’all learn this past year?

-Hannah

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