8 Lessons I've Learned This Year

Hey, crew, it's Adam. I'm a husband, a father, a pastor, a follower of Jesus who, just like you, is trying to learn what it looks like to fully live and follow Jesus in the middle of real life. It is one thing to be someone on Sundays, but what about Monday through Saturday? And so here, we're gonna talk about faith and making a difference in the messy, ordinary moments where it's often the hardest to live out. Some weeks, I'll share what God is teaching me. Other weeks, I'll sit down with leaders, pastors, athletes, friends. There's no fluff, just encouragement and truth for your life between Sundays. I'm so glad you're here. Well, hey, crew, it is Adam's birthday today. Let's go. Do you wanna tell them how old you're turning today or are you gonna keep that? Hey, I'm 44 today, joining my wife. She, I married an older gal. Hey, there's nothing wrong. But 44, I feel like it's the last young year of your 40s. When you hit 45, you're officially over that again. Like you're just like, oh, you're like late 40s. I feel like when you hit 45. I hate to tell you when you hit 40, I think was the year you turned in. Jesus, shots fired.

But that's okay. You're all visually old. There's no young 40s. I mean, there's early 40s, I guess. How about that? How are you feeling today on your birthday? I'm feeling great. It's been an awesome day. I know so many wonderful humans and on your birthday, you just get reminded of that. So text messages, Facebook posts, people reaching out, donuts from the office. Yeah, got donuts in here today. I feel loved and celebrated. Good, good, good deal. It's good stuff. We are gonna get into some high low Buffalo here. Oh my gosh. Got a high, got a low? I got a high. We had Bob Merritt with us this last weekend at Embrace, the church I pastor. And Bob is awesome. So on the way to the airport, when I picked him up to the church and on the way to the airport, he just encouraged me the whole time and spoke wisdom into me, challenged me as well. And I just, that was a high for me. And then I'm trying to think of a Buffalo.

I don't know if I have a, I think I've mentioned this. I'm just loving it more and more and more. The Maverick City album, it would be it. The whole album. The longer you sit with it, the more you like it, huh? I think, yeah, I think, what is it? Make A Way is the name, one of the songs. So good. And then there's another song called Diamonds. And it's a great album to work out to. I've been trying to work out. That's a Buffalo. Oh, you have? Like just at home or? Just at home. My son, Wilson, has created a nice workout room. And so I've started jumping. In your house? Yeah. We just have this little thing and he keeps buying stuff for it. I'm like, this is- Do you have just weights in there? Yeah, three weights. We got an adjustable bench. I got a TV in there. So I've been listening to that Maverick City album. So I put it on YouTube and I, yeah. Dante Bo, I think is his name.

That guy fires me up. Does Wilson school you when you guys are working out? We have not done an arm wrestling match in a while. I'm a little nervous about it because he is getting thicker. I'm like, okay. He is clearly working out. And it's been fun to see him. Like he's getting gains. I think is that what they call it, isn't it? Okay, yeah. He's getting gains these days. I can tell him like, dude, your shoulders, arms. He's getting stronger. Way to go, Wilson. Shout out to Wilson. Shout out to Wilson. Way to motivate your 44 year old dad. I don't think I have any. My other high is the temperature on Saturday. My low is the temperature since Saturday. It made me so mad. I was like, and I knew I was just gonna get- 80 degrees. I was just bitter in my soul on Sunday night. I was like, I know it can be nice. I know it can be. It just was and now it's not. This is cruel. But to actually have a legit nice day in South Dakota,

instead of like South Dakotans saying 50 degrees is nice. South Dakotans, 50 degrees is not nice. I was getting like, I don't know if you feel this like warm weather guilt when it's warm outside. I feel like I can't step a foot inside my house or else I just feel bad about it. We left our back door open the entire day because there's no flies or mosquitoes out yet. So we left our door open. I had windows open. Everything was open. We have a fun giveaway. One of our partners of Life Between Sundays is Tommy John. Tommy John sends us gift cards for the year. So every week we give away a gift card to enter to get a gift card, which is an easy way to enter. You just need to share this episode or any episode on either your Instagram story or Facebook story. And tag us. And tag us. So tag my account, Adam A. Weber, on both Facebook and on, just tag away. You can do either one. And then as soon as you do that, you'll be entered in for every single week. So there's a chance to win a gift card every single week we draw. And if you win, we'll either contact you by email

or message you on Instagram or Facebook. This is TMI. I'm wearing a brand new pair. TJs right now. And I'm just saying, it's the best thing that's ever happened. I stink in their PJs, their underwear, their shorts. I have TJ shorts. Amazing. They're amazing. So seriously, I, this is the, I would sign up for this every day of the week. Yeah, I know. It's, uh, I'm all in. It's a good deal. Fun to open up. Like when you open up Tommy, Tommy Johns, you're like, this is an experience. So share on your story. Take Adam for a chance to win the Tommy John gift card. There we go. Yes. Every week. Um, we have a fun episode today. Fun episode. You're going solo. I'm doing it solo. Adam is going to share eight things that he has learned this past year of life. There it is. Eight things that I've learned in my 43rd year of life. 43rd trip around the sun. It brought some good, some bad, and some otherwise. Here we go. Let's jump in before we get any further. There are just some awesome partners we'd like to thank for making life between Sundays possible. Adam, who we got partners today. Yeah. Our partners are amazing. Our first partner is Tommy John clothing. Back in 2008, my longtime close friend Tom Patterson and his wife, Aaron started Tommy John. Since then, they have sold thousands and thousands and thousands of pairs of TJs. Uh, and they have so many thousands of five-star reviews, uh, whether it's undershirts, underwear, polos, PJs, they are the best of the best. You will not regret it. Go visit Tommy john.com spoil yourself. If you have a friend who has a birthday, a significant other, go get Tommy John. You won't regret it. Our second partner is Verniti Mitsubishi.

Verniti motor cars is a faith-based employee owned company that strives to deliver dreams and transform lives and all that they do. Whether you're looking for an outlander, whether you're looking for an Acura, whether you're looking for a Honda CRV, seriously, awesome vehicles, no matter what you're looking for, they're going to have it. And no matter where you live, they'll ship it to you. Go visit Vern it.com. Vern it.com. I can't say enough about them. Best of the best. Hey friends today, I am going solo. I honestly don't know if I've ever done this in the history of the podcast, but I am jumping in nonetheless. And today I'm covering eight things I've learned on my 43rd year around the sun, my 43rd year of life. I turned 44 and I just want to look back. I've had other friends do this on their podcast, specifically John Acuff. And I was deeply touched and honestly impacted by it. And so I wanted to do eight things that I've learned in my 43rd year. These are in no specific order. I hope there's a few takeaways that you can pursue or put into action in your own life. Instead of just kind of hearing nice things. My hope is that it would honestly change you and encourage you and inspire you to maybe live life a little bit differently. So first thing on my list of eight, and this is going to sound like a pastor, but I promise it's just coming from me as a Jesus follower. My number one thing, spend time with Jesus every single day, every single day for years. Uh, as a new Christian, I was sporadic at best, which is not a abnormal thing as a new Jesus fowler. Uh, but when that starts bleeding into your 12th year of following Jesus and 14th year, and you're even a pastor and yet it's really hit or miss. Um, I feel like, uh, maybe then you need to be challenged. And, uh, so for the last four or five years,

I honestly think I've probably had a consistent time with Jesus every single day, rarely missing now, but this last year specifically, I really saw the importance of doing so. And the highs and lows of every single day and the highs and lows of every single week, that daily consistent time with Jesus and really seeing it as a non-negotiable for me, the, the busier my day is, the busier my week is, the more I need to spend time with Jesus in the past, my twenties and thirties, I would have been like, ah, I don't have time for Jesus. I really don't have time for this, which sounds horrible. And yet that's what I would say. And for me specifically in this last year, it's like, no, I need this time every single day with Jesus. So for me, what I do, this is look different in different seasons, but I go to a coffee shop. I'm usually there by 7am. Uh, sometimes I won't bring my computer in or even my phone in because I struggle with discipline, honestly. And so it's easier just to kind of remove it from the situation. I spend time reading scripture. Uh, lately it's not just been a chapter, but I'll read like two or three chapters, uh, just because I'm so excited about what I'm learning, what I'm reading. And then I have a journal and I just write down things I'm praying about, things, uh, people I'm praying for. Uh, but oftentimes even the last couple of days, it's just been thanking God for my life, thanking God for his faithfulness, his kindness, specifically on the days that I'm stressed or worried. I'll just process what I'm stressed and worried about. Sometimes it just feels good to process it with someone, specifically the Lord. And so I'll do that.

And then right now, and this has been true this last year, I'll have another additional reading that I'll read. So I'll read scripture, I'll spend time praying and journaling, and then I'll read something else that fills my soul. So right now, I've mentioned it before, I believe it's pronounced the Genesee Diary by Henry Nouwen. I've been going through that slowly. So I'll read maybe two or three pages in that, just along with my own time with Jesus, which has been so helpful. And then I find myself being able to run the rest of the day. The older I get, it's like, I have no love, I have no peace, I have no self-control, but God has an endless supply. And so by filling my cup up at the very start of the day, I'm able to run and live the day that I hope to live. And then throughout the day, spending time with Jesus here and there. So I'll listen to a quick music video. I've already done so this morning. So I'll listen to a music video just to kind of recenter myself, or I'll go on a quick walk. If I have a little bit of time between meetings, I'll go on a quick walk just outside or even in the building my office is in, just to reconnect with Jesus. It's not just this one time a day that I check with God,

it's like this consistent thing. I start my day with him, and then I talk with him throughout the day. Can't encourage you enough. Spend daily time with Jesus every single day. And again, the busier you are, the more you need it, the more complicated your life is, the more you need it, the more stressful your life is, the more you need it. Second thing, again, these are not in any particular order. Do less so you can do more. Do less so you can do more. Now, I wanna highlight, you may not be able to do less in the season that you're in. In my 20s, I couldn't do less. In my 20s, I needed to hustle. In my 20s, I needed to run things down. So if you're in your 20s and you're like, I'm gonna do less, and I'm just gonna kind of do this, and that can be, if you're pursuing big goals, if you're trying to get a business off the ground, you're probably not able to do less. You may have to do less outside of your business or whatever it might be, but man, you're just trying to keep the doors open on the place. You're the phone answerer. You're the close the deal person. So for me, I didn't have the ability to do less in my 20s. Otherwise, the church that I lead

literally wouldn't have stayed open. But the older I get, and hopefully the older you get, you're able to get more and more dialed in. So I'm saying no to more things than I've ever said no to because I wanna really focus my time and energy well. It's almost like water. If you have water out of a garden hose, you can't spray it very far. It doesn't have much power, but the more you do less with the water, the more pressure it gets and the more impact it's able to have. And so I've just been trying to dial that in more and more and more. I wanna say yes, and I wanna mean yes, and I wanna do things well that I say yes to. And so the only way that I've been able to do that is by doing less so that I can do more. The more focused you get, the more impact you're gonna have. Even spending time with my mentor, Bob Merritt, he was in town on the way to the airport. He just said, Adam, I wanna encourage you to do less. You need to do less so you can have more impact. And he's like, right now the church is growing and so you're gonna have more opportunities than you've ever had, but you need to say no to more opportunities than you've ever done

so that your impact can continue to grow. And so I just wanna challenge you, do less so you can do more. It might even be as simple as less time on social media or kinda less time doing this and that, some extra things that you're like, this isn't really increasing my joy in life. It's not really growing my character or growing my goals that you just need to start saying no to. So do less so you can do more. Third thing, find older mentors. Ah, I can't encourage you enough. Find older mentors. If you're in your 20s, try to find someone in your 30s or 40s. If you're in your 40s like me, try to find someone in your 50s or 60s that you can learn from. I only now am beginning to see just how important it is to have mentors. For me, I have several, I've mentioned them before, people like Jim Lake, people like Rick Milmer, people like Bob Merritt, but gosh, older mentors that can speak into your life, older mentors that can speak over your life. Just even one specific mentor has just spoken some deep words of encouragement. Hey, Adam, I can see what's coming. head for you. And I just want to encourage you of this season that you're stepping into. And this is someone who's had, had success in their own life when it comes to their marriage,

when it comes to their walk with Jesus, when it comes to their kingdom impact, when it comes to their business. And so they have a track record. They're not just blowing smoke. And so, gosh, those, those words, like they inspire me. Um, even having a mentor that can say hard things. Uh, I had a mentor this last week who, who, uh, spoke into, uh, some, some areas of my life when it came to how I could do things more effectively. And, uh, I mean, when he started speaking, I had to be honest. I was like, okay, do I really want to hear this? And yet by the end of it, I'm like, man, what a gift, what a gift this is. Uh, even, even people who can just say, Hey, uh, you're running really fast. Uh, be careful. Uh, one of my mentors called last week and said, you need to drink more water and you need to sleep more. And I'm just like, that's the most bizarre, random advice. And yet I took it to heart and I needed to hear it. So find an older mentor. I've, I've talked about this before on the podcast, ask someone out for coffee, uh, and just, just come with two, three questions. Listen, be really mindful of their time, pay for their coffee, pay for their meal, say thank you. Afterwards, send a note in the mail. Uh, you could do that, or you could send an email. I, I heard this from John Acuff the other day. He said, before asking someone out for coffee, send him an email and just say, Hey, is there a book you'd recommend? And if they recommend a book, read the book. And then like a few weeks later, write them back, say, Hey, what a great recommendation. I read your book. I read this book that you, that you told me to read. And here's the three things that I've already acted on. Here's the, I, I really took it to heart and I implemented these three things. Not that I was struck by these three things. Who cares if you're struck by three things? No, I read the book and immediately took action. Is there another book that I should read? And so John just kind of lays that out, do that same thing. And then on the third, third time you reach out, Hey, could I grab coffee with you? Cause I'd love to ask three or four leadership questions or life questions. For me, that's been one of the simplest ways to find a mentor. I never tell someone, Hey, will you be my mentor on the first email or the first coffee date? That'd be like telling a girl, Hey, can we get engaged right now? I'd be like, ah, that's kind of weird. Uh, I don't really don't want to sign up for a life with you, but, and so it's like, it's like, just do that initial step, uh, find older mentors. And by the way, here, here's, here's the thing. If you're in your sixties, oh my gosh, I can't, you, you are in the most impactful years of your life. Okay. Uh, if you're on the sidelines, if you feel like a bench quarterback, that that's, I'm just going to say

this out of respect. That's on you. Uh, you're only on the bench if you want to be on the bench. Well, nobody values me anymore. No, you don't value you anymore. Get yourself back in the game, lead a men's group, lead a women's group. I just, I feel like I'm hearing that from brothers and sisters in their sixties. And honestly, it's starting to annoy me because of how needed you are. Uh, you're not a has been, we need you in the game. There's a whole bunch of people in their forties like me who are hungry for mentors. So many people in their twenties who need a mentor. So be a mentor to somebody else. Uh, fourth thing that I've learned in this 43rd year, God answers prayer. God answers prayer. It's pretty amazing that throughout scripture, we're told that God considers the things, uh, that we have to, we have to say that he hears us, that he listens to us. And I feel like I'm just in this last year have seen so many prayers answered, uh, specifically in my own family. And so that, that person you've been praying for, for two years, man, I, I, there's been things that I've been praying for, for two years that I've just seen answered in the last week. Don't stop praying. Don't stop bringing those things to God. Don't stop like this, like crying out to him and saying, Hey God, would you, would you answer this prayer? Would you do this thing for me? It's, it's, uh, uh, Jesus says, ask and it will be given to you. Uh, I, that thing that you want or that thing that you've been praying for, have you asked him, uh, for, for so long, I didn't get specific in my prayer requests. Cause what if he doesn't come through? Like what if he doesn't actually respond to the specific things that I'm asking him for? And so I honestly, this is, this is in the last three months, I've just gotten really specific. I'm like, God, would you do this? Would you do this? Would you answer this prayer? I've just gotten really specific. Um, and I've been amazed by how those prayers have been answered. That's one of the cool things about a journal is being able to go back and revisit your prayers that you prayed and the things that you've requested. And just to see how God answers so many of them now, just to ask, he's not a, he's not a. Jeannie in a bottle, he's not a lottery ticket. So if you're asking for a billion dollars to spend on yourself, probably not gonna happen. But when our hearts are connected with him, going back to that first thing, when you're spending time in his word,

when you're spending time in prayer, your words, they become more and more like his words, that your will becomes more and more like his will. And he loves to answer and provide for us. He loves to answer our prayers and to come through for us. So I've just really seen God answers prayers. So get specific, write down exactly what you want and are asking God to do and see what happens. What's so cool is our God is good and he's faithful. And so there's times when he doesn't answer my prayers and yet I've just come to see that he's just so good and faithful and his plan is so much better than my plan could ever be. And so even if it's a no, maybe it's a not yet, God is good and he's trustworthy. And I've just seen him answer prayer in this 43rd year, like in ways that I never thought possible. So God answers prayer. Fifth thing I've learned is you prayed for this pressure. You prayed for this pressure. God, will you grow my business? Then God grows your business and you start having a staff and you're just like, oh my gosh, this is really hard. Well, you prayed for this pressure or you're pursuing something big. Right now at the church, we're pursuing a huge goal. And over the last couple of weeks, I'll just be honest, I've had a complaining spirit. I've had kind of a martyr syndrome.

Does anybody else on the team know how much I'm shouldering right now? Does anybody else know what I'm doing? Hey, Weber, you prayed for this pressure. And also you would complain if you weren't experiencing this pressure, if you weren't pursuing this big goal. And so I think so often it's like, we just begin to complain and whine about the things that we've asked God for. Lord, will you provide these children for my wife and I? Lord, will you move this mountain? Will you open this door? Will you allow this big thing? And then God does that and we just begin to whine and complain. It's like the Israelites escaping Egypt, like they're freed from slavery and yet the moment they are, they begin to complain and whine and whatever else. And that's just been true for me. And so I like really begin to evaluate like the things you're complaining about, and I'm talking to myself here, evaluate are these things that I've prayed for? And then instead of complaining, it's that cheesy thing of instead of saying I have to, I get to. And for me, I'm so grateful God convicted me just even again in the last like three, four days

of just my whining, complaining spirit. And it's just like, no, this is, I get to do this. You prayed for this pressure. And so, yes, talk about it with God. And if that talk about like, man, this is a burden, I'm struggling with this. Seek out mentors that can speak into you and encourage you. Spend that daily time with Jesus, all those things, process it all, journey it all, but you prayed for this pressure. A lot of the things that you're complaining about, at least it's true for me, are things that you'd pray would come to fruition. Sixth thing that I've learned in my 43rd trip around the sun is life goes by quickly. At the risk of sounding like I'm 98 years old, it just goes by quickly. And so something I thought about, so my brother passed away on his 45th year. For me, it's my 44th year. And it's just a constant reminder that I have no idea how many days I have on this earth. And so I wanna live it really well. Someone I care about in my life, last time I talked with her a week or so ago, she was doing great, and then she had a stroke. It's just amazing how quickly life can change. And so I have no idea how long I'll be on this earth. And so what I wanna say is, that thing you've been talking about,

that thing that you've been dreaming about and hoping about, go do it. Don't wait, pursue it. If at all possible, try and make that trip happen. Try and do that thing. Book that ticket to that concert you've said, gosh, wouldn't it be fun to see them live? Like, just don't wait. That business that God has placed on your heart, that book you feel like you're supposed to write. Well, I don't have a book deal like you, Adam. Who cares? Go write the book. Whatever you feel like you're supposed to do, whether it's even grabbing lunch with your mom, just because it's been too busy and you haven't grabbed lunch with your mom lately, or reconnecting with a college friend, whatever it might be, life goes by quickly. Don't wait, don't put it off. Don't be foolish with debt, obviously. but if you're at all able to do it, maybe it can't even be to the extent that you wanted to do it, just go do it. Life goes by quickly. It's something I'm learning more and more and more. This 44th year that I'm stepping into, I don't want to wait for anything. As far as things that I just feel like I'm supposed to do, fun things that I know I'm supposed to do.

So life goes by quickly. Seventh thing, faithfulness in the same direction pays off. Faithfulness in the same direction pays off. Several examples of this, marriage. Faithfulness in the same direction pays off. I feel like Becky and I are just in a really sweet season of our marriage because we've been faithful in the same direction for a long, long time. We're continuing to pour into our marriage. I believe later this week or next week, her and I have a counseling appointment with a Christian therapist. Why? We want to have a great marriage. Making time for each other. Prioritizing each other. Compromising for each other. Just valuing each other. Faithfulness in the same direction pays off. Even taking care of our physical selves for each other. It's like, I don't want to lose my wife and then hit the gym afterwards so I can find somebody to get married to. It's like, why don't I take care of my physical body for my wife that I already have, that I already love, that I already value. So just faithfulness in the same direction. I'll even say it with character. Just faithfulness in the same direction. I'm so imperfect.

I've made so many mistakes. But just character over time in the same direction pays off. By the way, if you do anything big for God or you do anything outside the norm, you will have haters. If you don't have haters, I would probably tell you you're not doing anything big for God. So literally, if you're a hater and you're quick to criticize, that's probably because you've never been criticized. That's a hard thing to, yeah. If you are quick to criticize, it's probably because you haven't stepped out in faith. You haven't stepped out of your comfort zone and been criticized. Because if you're criticized a whole bunch, you're really slow to speak. But if you step out, you will be criticized. But here's what's powerful. You can't argue with character over time. Just that consistent, same person. Again, I'm so imperfect. I feel like I'm all over the place. I wanna be more consistent just with my team, my family. I hope they encounter the same person instead of who is Adam gonna be today? Is he gonna be crazy, uptight, or whatever? But so just consistent character over time pays off. And I think the only way to do that is time with Jesus. It's time with Jesus.

It's older mentors like we talked about. It's close friends that can challenge you. It's giving people permission around you to say, hey, you're kind of hard to deal with today. But just faithfulness in the same direction. For me, the number one thing I look at is what God is doing right now through the church. It's definitely not me, but I do think there's been something about just faithfulness in the same direction. And it's almost like if you start depositing $100 a month, I think you deposit $100 a month, it's starting at 17, you'll be a billionaire by the time you're 40 or something like that, give or take a couple of zeros. But I genuinely, all joking aside, when you just are faithful in the same direction with a talent you have, with something you're pursuing, it really is amazing just to see what God does. And I think so many of us, we quit before it starts paying off. We quit or we give up before we see that move of God or those big doors starting to open. Whatever big doors means for you, that goal that you're pursuing, I think oftentimes we get discouraged and we're short-sighted in what God wants to do. And so faithfulness in the same direction pays off. Number eight, eight things that I've learned in my 43rd year is this,

spend as much time and energy on your family as you do on your career. Spend as much time and energy on your family as you do on your career. This is something that I was most definitely guilty of until probably seven or eight years ago. For me, and again, there's seasons where things you just have to work. You just have to pay bills. You just have to keep the doors open. But I probably did that too much if I'm being honest. And I had to go through a really hard season in my life to realize there's a whole lot of people that will come and go. And Lord willing, your spouse and your kids never will. And so you might wanna start treating the most important people in your life like they are the most important instead of treating them like they're the least important. It's been, so that was a wake-up call for me. And I thought that I would spend the most amount of time and energy on my kids when they were little, in the diaper phase, or just keeping them alive phase. And yet I've actually realized, I think they might even need more time in their teens and late teens. And what's different from the time early on, this is probably true of every season with kids, but you can't really schedule it. Sometimes with little ones,

you can schedule a nap time or whatever. With your older ones, you really can't schedule a heart-to-heart conversation because when they wanna talk, you need to talk to them and you can't really put it off because an hour later, they might not wanna talk. And so I've really had to realize when they come into my bedroom after I'm already sleeping at night and I can tell they wanna talk, it's time to sit up, it's time to wake up, and it's time to engage them because that's so critically important. Because I would do that for my job. If I knew there was an important thing and it was kind of a surprise phone call, I'd instantly be up and I'd have my clothes on and I'm ready for whatever. But with my kids, a lot of times it's easy. Like, I'm tired, whatever else. And it's like, no, you wanna have this conversation. Like, this is critically important. Get up, go to their bedroom, sit on their bed, have the conversation, go on a walk, go on a drive with them. Don't mail it in basically. And spend as much time and energy on your family as you do in your career. When you do that, there's no promises that your kids are gonna love you.

There's no promises that they're gonna follow the Lord and live the life that God has for them. But I can tell you, it'll be worth it. When you spend as much time and energy on your family, on your marriage, on your kids as you do on your career, it will be, it'll be worth it. And so those are the eight things that I've learned on my 43rd trip around the sun. There's probably a whole bunch of other things. God has taught me so much. Maybe the last thing I'll leave you with is never stop learning and growing. For me, my 43rd year was a year of growth and a year of learning. And I pray that would be true of my 44th year. And Lord willing, if He gives me enough years, I pray it'd be true of my 80th year as well, that I'd never stop growing, that I'd never stop learning, that I'd never stop getting curious and asking questions because God just has awesome plans for our lives. That doesn't mean your life is gonna be up into the right. If you read the book of Acts, it definitely wasn't true for the early disciples, but His plan is so much better than our plan could ever, ever be. And so whatever year you are on your trip around the sun, I pray that God would be stretching you, that God would be encouraging you, that you'd start every single day with Jesus and see what He has for you.