“Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things” (Col 3:2).

At the beginning of each new year, I like to look back at what worked and what didn’t in the previous year. By discovering what went well, I can move forward and do more of those things.

In 2020, each of us experienced both gains and losses. It is hard to say that 2020 was good by any stretch of the imagination. I believe it is more appropriate to say that some good came from the events of 2020. For example, I wrote a blog post early in the pandemic about people delivering and dropping off groceries and prescriptions for those who couldn’t get out and shop for themselves. Good happened when people looked outside themselves and their comfort zones to help others.

Upon reflection, I have realized some of the good things in my life that came from 2020. A summary of the top five follows.

Perspective

It’s only when we look back that we can see a thing clearly. In 2020, I gained a new perspective about the important things in life. I’m familiar with Proverbs 16:9: “In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.” It’s never been clearer that my plans are not God’s plans. I had filled my time with important things, no doubt. But I had known for a while that I needed to pare down my schedule to devote my time to the things God had for me to do. When everything shut down early in the year, I reexamined my priorities. In fact, I wrote a post about rest and practicing the Sabbath that came from this time of examination.

Creativity

For some, the pandemic shuttered their creative drive. For me, the opposite happened. When events were canceled and my schedule opened up, I suddenly had time to think about what I wanted to create. That meant time to work on short stories for contests, my novel, and my business offerings.

Prayer

At the beginning of 2020, I chose prayer as a spiritual discipline on which to focus throughout the year. I read books about prayer, studied prayer in the Bible, and of course, practiced prayer. As a result, my prayer life deepened.

Friendships

Because in-person events were canceled, I made an intentional effort to stay in touch with friends, and they did the same for me. We set up Zoom and FaceTime calls as well as some in-person, socially distanced, outdoor get togethers in the summer and fall. Two things resulted. The first was that I lost touch with some who had other priorities. (Definitely a loss, not a gain.) The second was that the remaining friendships grew even deeper because of the time and effort we invested.

Technology

We used technology in ways that I never had before. I “saw” people via Zoom and FaceTime, and I participated in activities that I couldn’t have even before the pandemic, such as an editing conference in California. I joined online writing groups that are located far away from me. The members held me accountable to my writing goals. I also spoke to writing groups via Zoom and Google Meet, which opened up all sorts of new options for sharing information about writing.

What did you gain in 2020?

Dear Jesus, thank you for showing me what I’ve gained in spite of the difficulties of the previous year. Help me to focus on those things and continue to move forward. Amen.