Hello, 29. 

Here we are (finally). Another year, another morning, another spontaneous, free-flowing post to write in one sitting. Please excuse the typos as I’m without internet connectivity here in Joaquin Redwood Regional Park. Let’s see where this goes! 

Longest Year Ever

28 has felt like the longest year in recent memory. I remember catching myself feeling genuinely surprised that the year has not finished yet but I say that in the most grateful way possible. In my post last year turning 28, one of the areas I really wanted to work was to just be in the moment more. To stop getting so anxious about tomorrow, my 30’s, the future and all the other pressures and expectations that can get so wrapped up in that. 

And it actually…worked. The practical stuff was important. Take more deep breaths, put your phone away on Sunday afternoons, meditate, journal, reflect and JUST BE in my Father’s presence more. It was almost like each day was stretched out and there was just more room and less noise to focus on what was important to me. 

So yeah, more of that for 29 please. 

Surrendering & Submitting

If the last couple years was about surrendering, this year was about submitting. 

“The end of myself” was the unifying phrase from previous years where I finally came to the realization that there is so much more to this life than what Albert could control, expect and do on his own. It was like pulling the weight of the world on my own back, not realizing that there was the Worlds Strongest Man just waiting to help. 

28 was about submitting to that truth and actually applying it in my marriage, career and relationships within my community, friends and family. And what a transformative year it has been with all the unexpected, difficult but important events that’s occurred, especially in the past 4 months. 

Submitting to me means obedience. Obeying the little things. Be kind, be generous with your time, talent and finances. Show up each morning in your devotionals. Let down your pride and have a real conversation with Noelle (still working on that, sorry babe). Obeying also means choosing faith over fear in the bigger decisions of life. Leaving Facebook to start my own recruiting consultancy. Saying yes to the calling God has on our life here in East Bay and committing to be here for the near future. 

Submitting is a lot easier when you’ve surrendered already. Surrendering is a lot easier when you know WHO you’re surrendering to. Everything ties back to just having a correct understanding of who my Father is. How much He loves me, How much He wants to provide for me. How much He wants to transform me into the servant-hearted, compassionate and loving God that He is. 

In my reflection time this morning, I was in  awe of how David describes the Father and His love for us. 

How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them. If I would count them, they are more than the sand. I awake, and I am still with you.

Psalm 139:17-18

On Eternity 

Noelle always tell me how morbid I am when I bring this topic up but it’s been one of the main drivers that’s allowed me to really appreciate and make the most of this life. It’s both frightening in the sense of having never experienced death and seeing what Heaven is like first-hand but also super freeing in knowing how that there is so much to come outside our time here. 

I liked how Ps Chip Ingram summarized it in one of his podcast I listened to a few weeks ago. Reflecting on eternity does 3 things. It gives us perspective in times of trouble, it allows us persevere and overcome temptations to give up and it shapes our priority when we’re under pressure. Everything we do here in our time matters! It connects to eternity. 

CS Lewis once said (paraphrasing), eternity is like a line stretched so far that you cannot see. Our time here on earth is a dot on that line. You’d have to take a microscope to look at that black dot to just get a glimpse of this year in 2020. Live not for the dot but for the line, for eternity! 

The world is hurting and there is so much we can all do individually to be a light. Focus on the things that are important and don’t distracted on the little things! 

Anyways, this is massive topic that deserves a sit down, over dinner type of conversation but in my reflection this morning, I’m just grateful that God has given me the courage to finally examine this topic more and pull the good things out. 

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Alrighty, time is up. My hand is freezing and there is beautiful day ahead to enjoy with my even more beautiful wife. 

Cheers for reading and please consider giving to Defy Ventures for my birthday.