5 Reasons I'm Not Writing an "End of Year" Newsletter
You can thank me later
Isaiah 43:18 says, "Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old.”
While I’ve never sent a “Year in Review” newsletter, I know many writers who do. I’m not against recapping the year, connecting personally with subscribers, and sharing highlights of the writer’s journey. But while this year has certainly been one for the books both professionally and personally, I’ve again decided to forgo the tradition. I have five reasons why.
1. I’m not ready to relive the pain.
You will surely forget your trouble, recalling it only as waters gone by. Job 11:16
This year was one of great pain and loss, and writing about it means opening the wounds and feeling the hurt again. It takes time to face it all. I’m sure that eventually, the traumatic events of the last year will fade a bit, time dulling the sharp edges. In June, I was led to write a devotional for spousal caregivers; in doing so, I knew I would again open up the wounds left from my husband’s death. But I found that I had done much healing in the last five years, and while there was still some brokenness, I was not nearly as broken as I had been. The pain was as “waters gone by.”
2. I’m not healed enough to publically proclaim it.
See! The winter is past; the rains are over and gone. Song of Solomon 2:11
For the past five years, I have been involved with a wonderful group called Flourish Writers. The mentors of this group, Mindy Kiker and Jenny Kochert, have told us to always “write from a place of healing.” Public writing is about the reader and how they can benefit from our words. Private writing, what I pen in my daily journal, is where I work out the pain, find gratitude for what God has done, and make a path to move forward.
3. I’m still processing the lessons I’ve learned.
For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope. Romans 15:4
Trauma always holds lessons for us when we are ready to seek them. I am still working on learning those lessons, peeling back the many intricate layers that made up the year 2024. I need time to reflect and generalize it, seeking nuggets that might help someone else in their earthly journey. I need to release myself from any regrets that linger. Most importantly, I need to build my trust in God and His ways.
4. I’m not yet at the end.
Your beginnings will seem humble, so prosperous will your future be. Job 8:7
The stories of these events are not yet finished but continue to play out in my life and the lives of my children. While we are all slowly moving away from the angst of the last year, we are moving cautiously, taking one day and one step at a time.
5. I’m moving into the new.
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come:[a] The old has gone, the new is here! 2 Corinthians 5:17
When I made the decision last January to retire in June, I had good reasons—100 of them.
They are all still really good reasons, but other reasons have been added to them as I have felt the Holy Spirit lead me in directions I did not anticipate. As I continue to process this difficult year, I will need to move into the new that awaits me while learning the lessons of the past.
How do you feel about the tradition of Christmas letters or End of Year newsletters? Do you write them? Do you read them?
Hi, Readers, I’d like to ask a quick favor. If you’ve enjoyed this post, maybe even learned something from it, would you consider sharing it on your own social media or email or even restacking it here on Substack? I’d appreciate it as I try to spread the realities of adult autism and widowhood.