Four Pics, One Year.
Even though four pictures aren't enough to tell 2024's story.
Hi, beautiful readers of Beautiful Words. It's been a while. I hope this update meets you well. Right. So, it's that time of the year where we all do cliche stuff like:
Appreciation posts (this one is stressful though).
The Year Wrapped (might to do this on my IG).
2024 in review.
What the year taught me.
And like me on here: four pics, one year.
Blah, blah, blabetty, blah, blah.
I won't make this post too long, since we're only a couple of hours away from the new year. Okay! Let's dive right into my FOUR PICS, ONE YEAR…uh…stuff?
The first picture represents how 2024 started for me. You know when someone you know loses someone they love and you tell them to take heart and that everything will be fine? Yeah. 2024 taught me grief. I learned grief in a very painful way. In all, I learned that nobody can ever understand what your grief feels like—only you. Because you will not be okay for a long time. You will want to cry and cry and cry until you can't anymore. You will intentionally play sad songs so you can cry. And in some cases, though I didn't reach that point, you will want to die too. That's how grief feels. And from the bottom of my heart, I hope you never experience it. May God keep us all.
The second picture tells the story of how God walked with me this year, constantly reminding me to trust Him. Trusting God goes beyond saying, “God, I trust You!” Trusting God means holding on to Him when you have nothing—especially when you have nothing. It means choosing to believe and accept that you, as a human, have no control over your situation. It means choosing to see and choose God as supreme over your life. This year, I relearned what it means to trust God. It was real hard, I'm not even going to lie, but it was worth it. Trusting God is always worth it.
Picture three explains the increase in my growth, passion, and love for music. Just like writing, I've loved music since I was a kid. When any of my favorite songs were played on TV, I would stand in front of it, nodding as I sang along. But now, it's more than just the child-like love I had. God surrounded me with people who helped groom me. Train me. Lead me. And direct me. I got to understand how singing and ministering are two different things. I got to be a better singer (and minister). Plus, I'm not bragging or anything, but my voice got sweeter—if that's actually possible. I listened to many beautiful songs. And because of what my Pastors taught me, I became a lot more intentional about song lyrics. I'll write about music one day, but before then, I'll leave you with this: song lyrics are very important.
The fourth picture tells my “people” story. Long story short, God blessed me with the gift of men. People who understand the love of God and how to express it. I learned to let loose and let people in, because well, as evil as this world is (in that sense), not everyone is evil. And even though I'm still a bit socially awkward (it doesn't really show these days except you know me well), I was able to meet more people and make friends. And more than the previous years, it was easy to call people my friends and genuinely say I love them, because if I have the love of Christ—which is poured out in my heart by God's Spirit—it is possible to love people, and love them for real. In spite of it all.
Overall, 2024 was not the smoothest. It was a hurricane at some point. But you know, it was worth it. Because God loved me enough to see me through every single hurdle that came my way. Honestly, I want to say more, but let me leave y'all with:
Although, the song that wraps up my 2024 journey is Flowers by Samantha Ebert, I'd like you all to listen to my most-played song of the year, according to Spotify: I Still Believe by For King & Country. Because “in the hearts of the lonely spread around the world…I still believe that walls are burning down ‘cause His love is a fire.”
At every point in your life, don't ever forget that God is looking out for you.
A quote from my Book of The Year, 100 Days of Sunlight by Abbie Emmons, “There is nothing you can't do.”
And last but not the least, accept you and be you. It's cliche, I know, but it's true.
I believe we will do greater things in 2025. No, I'm not fully armed for everything life will throw at me next year; but I am fully armed, anyway, because God always has my back. And He has yours too. Here's to a better year ahead, you guys.
Happy New Year In Advance.
Till next time (whenever that will be),
~ Ife.