What I've learned ...

I read something incredibly ponderous today that got me thinking about what life has taught me through the years. And as I pondered, I decided to pen my thoughts, post it on my blog and share them with you. I really enjoyed putting this list together because it really got me thinking about a lot of different things that have taken place in my life. I'm glad I took the time to sit quietly with my thoughts and to document this list. It was a wonderful writing exercise. Below you’ll find my list. As you read each one, read them slowly and think about how they speak to you. 

1. I’ve learned that giving birth is w-a-y easier than raising a child.  
2. I’ve learned that being a mother is the hardest job I’ve ever loved.
3. I’ve learned that how you view life changes with each passing decade.
4. I’ve learned that the only thing I can control is how I love God.
5. I’ve learned that trusting God is not always easy but it’s worth it.
6. I’ve learned that you will learn a lot about people when you learn to really listen to them speak, when you take the time to really listen to their hearts.
7. I’ve learned that you can tell a lot about a person and their character by how they handle stress.
8. I've learned that it's okay to not always be okay. 
9. I’ve learned that it’s okay to not always have an answer.  
10. I’ve learned that I will always have more questions than answers and that’s okay too.
11. I’ve learned that there is more joy in giving than receiving.
12. I've learned that living with gratitude is directly tied to soul satisfaction and increases the level of happy in your happy meter. 
13. I’ve learned that grace really is amazing and it’s not just a song written by an English poet.
14. I’ve learned that it takes courage, strength, and wisdom and sometimes a little time to forgive.   
15. I’ve learned that there is healing power in forgiveness, healing for self and healing for others.
16. I’ve learned that peace begins on the inside and it always starts by telling the truth to yourself and telling the truth to others.
17. I’ve learned that when you apologize sincerely, it’s incredibly healing for the recipient and incredibly healing for self.
18. I’ve learned that God works through some of the unlikeliest people to speak wisdom and healing into your life.
19. I’ve learned that every day there is something to be thankful for and to celebrate.
20. I’ve learned that I am deeply loved ... by God first and also by family and friends. I’m incredibly thankful for love.
21. I’ve learned that love has amazing power and it changes and heals people in extraordinary ways.
22. I’ve learned that I absolutely love everything about love.
23. I’ve learned that it’s impossible to love God as much as He loves me, but I'm pretty sure I will die trying to love Him more anyway.  
24. I’ve learned that life is filled with disappointments and when you embrace this truth, it becomes less shocking when disappointments occur.  
25. I’ve learned that life can be hard sometimes but it’s still beautiful even when we can’t see it.
26. I've learned that just because someone no longer loves you the way they once did doesn't mean they never loved you in the first place. 
27. I've learned that saying goodbye and watching someone you love walk away is one of the most difficult and painful things you will do in your life. 
28. I've learned that tears are never a sign of weakness but how God designed us to express emotions. 
29. I've learned that God will help you love the most difficult people in your life if you ask Him for help. 
30. I've learned that God gave me two ears and one mouth so I could spend more time listening and less time talking. How clever of Him! Perhaps this is why I blog. ; )
31. I’ve learned that when you get serious with God, God will get serious with you.
32. I’ve learned that every connection we make, every encounter we have, every season in life has something to teach us.
33. I’ve learned that the best is really yet to come and I like that.
34. I've learned that I love inspiring, encouraging and helping others. 
35. I've learned that I will probably always lie about my weight when they ask me at the DMV. ; )
36. I've learned that cooking is not my spiritual gift and I'm okay with that. : )
37. I've learned that I'm an encourager by nature and love to help people through their healing process as God slowly restores their brokenness. 
38. I've learned that I have more compassion and kindness than I realized and all the credit goes straight to God and only God! 
39. I've learned that God still works miracles in the lives of His people.
40. I've learned that sometimes the best gift you can give someone is the gift of time. 
41. I've learned that each new day is a new opportunity to love and to be loved, to make a difference.
42. I've learned that each new day is filled with God's mercy. (I'm so thankful for this!)  ~ Lamentations 3:22-23
43. I've learned that God loves me (us) ridiculously and unconditionally and I absolutely love that about Him. 
44. I've learned and witnessed that God can do exceedingly and abundantly more than I could ever ask or imagine. (Ephesians 3:20)
45. I've learned that living with faith is the key to everything. 
46. I've learned how powerful it is to pray God's promises over my life, the life of others and our circumstances. 
47. I've learned than I am more than just a survivor or a warrior or a woman but I am "more" than a conqueror. God's Word says so! More than a conqueror is pretty amazing!!!
48. I've learned that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. (Romans 8:1) I never feel condemned about anything anymore. Conviction maybe, but never condemned. When I fail, I repent and now know that God's grace and mercy is more than enough. 
49. I've learned that it's never too late to accomplish everything God places on your heart. 
50. I've learned that love is the most delicious thing in life that you could ever experience. 

How about you? What sorts of things has life taught you? What are you learning in this season?