It’s Never Too Late

As I sat down with my laptop to attempt to write an end of the year/end of the decade blog, with Return of the Jedi playing in the background, I was quickly discouraged. I briefly went through my goals I outlined for 2019 and sifted through some of my older blog posts.

When I sat down to write, I felt a stirring in my heart to start again, a stirring to encourage others to press on and pick up dead and dusty dreams that have been sitting on the shelf far too long. However, reading through my 2019 goals, I realized most of the goals I did not fulfill were because I chose not to pursue them not because I failed.

What was stirring in my heart began to lose momentum and soon ended in a dud as I realized I’m still beating the same dead horse I’ve been beating publicly for over a year and privately for five years. Yes, you read that right FIVE. FREAKING. YEARS.

If you’ve been along for the ride (hey, Mom!), you’ve probably noticed I don’t know what I’m doing, but what you might not have realized is that I KNOW I don’t know what I’m doing. I’ve been dipping my toes in the uncertain waters of blogging but have never truly dove right in.

How am I supposed to encourage you to press on and keep moving, if I’m still beating the same dead horse and never actually going anywhere myself?

For reference, all of this was occurring to me about the time the emperor started zapping Luke with his lighting hands. Darth Vader finally stepped in and (spoiler alert but you had 36 years to see it) threw the emperor off the ledge thingy. And then it hit me. It is NEVER too late. (Okay, smarty pants that wants to bring up the fact that the success in Return of the Jedi wasn’t as great as we all thought it was now that the last three movies have come out but just forget that for the sake of the analogy if you can.)

IT IS NEVER TOO LATE to make the right choice. It is never too late to start over. It is never too late to begin again. Sometimes God speaks to me in weird ways (like through movies I’ve seen a million times), and while Return of the Jedi didn’t bring me an earth shattering revelation. The words “It is never too late” are timely for all of us as this decade comes to a close.

What have you been putting off? What have you been afraid to do? What do you want to do but you struggle to find time, make time, or prioritize?

As January rolls into view do you feel as though you’ve fallen off the wagon too many times to ever really workout on a regular basis? Have you started budgeting and tracking your spending to be more financially responsible and then quit part way through the year or after life gets busy and chaotic? Is there an addiction or something you struggle with but you’ve resolved it is just who you are and there is no point in trying to change because you’ve tried a million times and never succeeded?

I have news for you. IT. IS. NEVER. TOO. LATE. FOR. YOU.

So, where do we go from here?

–   Let’s prayerfully consider and write down some specific, measurable goals.

• Let’s find some people to hold us accountable. (Not people who enable you and make excuses for you. Be mindful when asking for accountability.)
• Let’s not forget it’s okay to begin again.

Remember you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you! (Philippians 4:13)

I have shared this before and will probably share it again someday, not because I’m still beating the same dead horse but because it is just that good.