This week we close the book on 2020 and look forward to the beginning of 2021! For many it may seem like a more significant event this year than it was in previous years. I have two specific wishes for all of us as we transition into a new year. These are not typical New Year’s resolutions, so allow me to explain.

Let’s go back 15 or 16 years. I was having a very difficult time embracing the reality that the four original founders of Master’s could not stay together to see our firm advance to its next stage of the business cycle. It just was not going to work that way. During this time an older gentleman in my church was mentoring me. I will never forget the first time I shared our business challenges with him. He offered to pray with me, but instead of praying that things would be “fixed”, he prayed that this difficult time “would not be wasted”. I was taken aback but then contemplated and understood his request. He was asking that my faith would grow stronger, lessons would be learned, and I would be better prepared for the next chapter of life because of going through this storm.

Here are a few of the lessons we have learned in this challenging year that might better prepare us for the future:

• A slower pace can be refreshing; busyness is not always better.
• Every single day that we experience good health is a tremendous blessing.
• It is important to do things and follow procedures out of care and concern for others.
• People and meaningful relationships must be a priority in our lives.
• God is still in control; not one of life’s challenges catches Him by surprise.

In summary, my first wish is that the challenges of 2020 would not be wasted and that lessons learned would be remembered and applied to our lives for a long time!

The second wish focuses on the importance of hope, something that is essential for the wellbeing of all mankind. The events of 2020 certainly challenged all of us to re-evaluate what brings us hope. Our schedules and routines cannot be our source of hope. The stock market and economy cannot be our source of hope (remember March?) The election and who will sit in the oval office cannot be our source of hope. I personally believe that the only true source of hope is found in Christ and trusting in the love, mercy, power, and perfect plans of our Heavenly Father.

So, my second wish is that we all would be filled with hope for the future and that our hope would come from the only reliable, unshakeable, and always trust-worthy source.

We would love to hear from you. What lessons have you learned this year? How have you made sure your hope springs from a reliable source? Your comments and feedback are always welcome!

From all of us at Master’s, we wish you a Happy New Year! May your new year be filled with hope while you remember lessons learned.