2024 Felt like a bust until I did this one thing…

I’m not sure how you felt, but 2024 felt like a bust. The mundane seemed all consuming. The toils of tiredness elongated the hours. And the sleepless nights made my feet feel like cement.

But then I got out a notebook and decided to do one simple thing:

Reflect.

Yes, that’s it. I asked myself,

“What did our family make in 2024?”

By the end of my few minutes, I had 45 bullet points (and counting)! The list included things I had made, my wife had made, and things our kids had made.

By the word, “make,” I do not mean the things common (though you could include those) to our day such as, “I made 3 meals today.” I am more thinking about the actions and words of benevolent intentionality. The playful expressions of joy and purpose. The hands and feet of Christ expressed.

Make fruit.

Take a look back at 2024, and ask yourself:

• What tangible thing(s) did you make?

• What service did you make for someone?

• What moments did you create to bless another?

• How did you make the love, peace, joy, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-controlling nature of Jesus manifest for others?