Real with Rue

I cannot believe that I am turning 27 soon, truly, where has all the time gone? I remember starting this blog when I was 18 years old, and part of me wishes I had kept all those blogs just to see how far my trajectory has come, but alas, such is life.

As I do every year, I take the first days of December before my birthday to pray and fast for the new year and reflect on the time that has passed. Here are some lessons I have learnt and hope to carry on into the future.

1. Man makes plans, but the Lord truly determines our footsteps. I cannot explain how much this year has not turned out at all, how I planned. I had many ideas, thoughts, and ambitions, and only one of them — passing law school — came to fruition. And even that journey was nothing like I imagined. But does this mean I won’t have hope or a plan for the future? Absolutely not. The righteous man falls seven times and gets up eight.

2. You have to make tough decisions when it comes to the life you want and the boundaries you set. I’ve had to make a few this year that I genuinely did not wish to make, but I always tell people that I respect myself more than I love myself. Love should be synonymous with respect, but it isn’t always, and I’m learning to be okay with that.

3. Health is truly wealth. This year, between the stress of law school and everything else, my twitching and muscle spasms came back. I could take all the magnesium in the world, but what I really needed was better rest, better care, and less pressure.

4. I’m learning to be okay with things not working out exactly how I planned. I saw a TikTok that said, “Even when you go down the wrong route, the GPS still gets you to your destination.” I agree — as long as you’re walking in the truth and light of the Lord.

5. Deal with your sins before they turn into iniquity. We all fall short, but it’s important to face those sins so they don’t harden into transgression. I’ve been intentional in the second half of this year about dealing with my stubbornness and my casualness toward sexual immorality — mostly by guarding my thoughts.

6. You can easily end up in cycles if you aren’t strict with yourself and aware of your emotions. With each year, I’m becoming more honest with myself and asking God to reveal the hidden things in my heart. Boundaries and restrictions are necessary; without them, life becomes an endless cycle of pain and excuses.

7. Friendship is such a gift. My friends have carried me this year in ways I hope to repay one day. In my pain, anguish, and sorrow, they comforted and celebrated me. I’m genuinely grateful that God brought such people into my life.

8. As I enter 27, I know evangelism has to be a top priority. So many people have never known or experienced the love of Christ, and it truly breaks my heart — He is the one who gave me my identity.

9. Choosing my husband will be the most important decision of my life. I haven’t taken that lightly this year, and I feel myself drawing closer to being found by the one whose rib I was formed from. I’m proud of myself for honouring my boundaries and not letting my emotions overrule me. Guard your hearts, people.

10. The world is loud, but we never see the behind-the-scenes. Everyone says social media isn’t real life, but I don’t know if we fully believe it. I’ve received compliments this year at times when I was quietly fighting battles that only the Lord and I knew about.

its been real,

Rue