Each year around Christmas, we like to do a special episode where we not only celebrate the holiday, but also look back on the last year and all that God has been teaching us. The days and months can often speed by us, and that’s why it’s so nice to take a moment to pause and reflect.

We are reviewing the entire year before moving into 2026, including why Mark has been on the podcast more (and why he’ll be returning more next year!), what it was like to start the year off with our Life 2.0 Foundation work in Africa, and more.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• What we’ve learned in 2025
• The role that waiting plays in the context of Christmas
• Some exciting things that are coming in the new year
• And more!

From our family to yours, have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Give a matching gift to the Life 2.0 Foundation
• The Wait is Not Wasted Course
• As a thank you for listening, get your 3 free eBooks

My Key Takeaways:

1) Reflection is good for your soul. Taking the time to look back at the past year is so important for building self-awareness and seeing how God has been at work. We don’t always know what God is up to in every small moment, but when we look at the bigger story, we can clearly see how He has worked in our lives across the years.

2) God works on a different time frame. You know, when we started this year with a trip to Africa, we had no idea we’d be helping to create a school there in the near future. And yet, here we are—celebrating the creation of that very school! At so many times in our lives, we have admittedly worried that God was moving too slowly. Then, at other times, He has moved at a speed we never could have imagined! His ways are not our ways, and His timing is vastly different from our own. Each and every year, we are reminded to trust in His plan, knowing His timing will always make sense in the end.

3) Embrace peace this Christmas. There is always that one family member (sometimes more than one!) who gets on your nerves or is at the center of every conflict. This year, let’s make a conscious effort to surrender our expectations and receive grace from our Heavenly Father. Consider all the ways our family dynamics can change around the tree when we show up with grace, peace, and patience this holiday season.

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