2025 - Storms

I probably should’ve posted this closer to January, but sometimes reflecting on a calendar year can be more useful when you give it some space to see how 2026 is shaping up compared to 2025. My previous writing about “February” gave reasons why our year should start in March (when things are looking up). So here’s a 2025 recap with a modified ending to include Jan/Feb 2026.

Storms - there’s my summary for 2025. It was a year to learn how to deal with the storms of life. When the heat, headwind, & hurt are given in double portion. When looking to 2026, I suggest some old / ancient practices over any new trends / fad(s).

We started 2025 with heartache. Dad’s six year struggle with Lewy Body Dementia gave way to his passing in February. I know I write and talk a lot about this, but I’m still learning how to grieve and sharing helps. Thanks for listening.

I also come to share hope. 2025 also helped me press into the ancient practices in my life of #prayer, #reading, & #running. Especially in the information (I mean “distraction”) age, prioritizing time alone in silence & solitude has been a lifeline in the tornado of raising kids, running a small business, various other responsibilities, & usually wanting to live up to my name as “class clown” or “life of the party”. Well, sometimes the clowns need to cry too and my time reading, praying, & running continue to provide the space to do so.

Being around more youth again and #coaching has also been life changing. There’s much more to say, but those 14 to 18 year olds have no idea how they’ve impacted my healing this year. In my own running I targeted a few races and each seemed to have a significant storm the night before. Grandmas Marathon’s heat lightning delayed the start and gave humidity, heat, and cramping that stopped me in my tracks. A South Dakota snow storm in November and Portland’s relentless rain the night prior in December gave way to energy-zapping ice and mud in my own XC fun.

Yes, I’m older and (a little bit) slower now, but this year it was the storms that helped me slow, stop, and continue to ask the all-important question … not “what am I achieving”, but rather “WHO AM I BECOMING?”

Yes, the tragedy and the destructive storms of our past will be life changing, but so are the ancient practices we use today to help us as we await future glory when all things will be made new and all the tears are wiped away (Revelation 21:4).

So regardless if your footing this next year is solid, it slips in the mud, or it even causes you to take a head over heels glorious fall to the ground … press on!

Human - there’s my summary for January / February. We celebrated 20 years of marriage in Costa Rica (90’s degF and humid) and I also escaped to a solo-hike-in yurt for 3 days in Northern Wisconsin (-7 degF with no electricity). The contrast of these experiences gave me great pause to keep fighting my ancient practices - prayer, reading, running - no matter how busy life gets. I’m excited to preach on Palm Sunday (3/29) at our church and my best insights into God’s word and story are consistently being alone in prayer and alone on the run. Eliminating distraction. Focus. Finding the “why” behind each large chunk of life (job, kids, vacations, etc) but also each corner of the schedule in each DAY has been a big focus. Mission statements can be incredibly cliche, vague, and unhelpful if they don’t help us make decisions … or they can continue to be life changing if they help you find your “why” in the micro and macro seasons of life. Maybe one day I’ll share mine.

For now, I’m volunteering from time to time seeing the distance runners on the track team, getting ready for the Boston Marathon, and diving in the deep end with big changes with our business. I’m feeling human - which means I’m feeling many things - which is better than feeling numb or only sad. I just told my wife the other day …. “the spark is coming back”. Creativity. Purpose. Communion with God. Communion with others. It’s been a great start to the year.

Thanks for reading.

-Adam

Some recommendations…

Book: “Praying Like Monks, Living Like Fools” by Tyler Staton. The copy I read was borrowed from my mom which had notes in the margins. Notes of when she read it during dad’s most difficult days I believe. Thank you mom, dad, & Tyler. Any word short of “life changing” would miss the mark.

Heavy reads: Joshua, Judges, Desiring God (Piper), and more

Fiction reads: The Hobbit, Harry Potter, and more

I have a few books on deck including a biography on Abraham Lincoln recommended by Steve Magness … and he never gives bad advice.

Music - Jarvis Campbell’s “Good Grief” album has been on repeat for months as has Psalm 139 and Psalm 23 by Shane and Shane … and many others

Sing devotional (also by Shane and Shane) ...

https://sing.theworshipinitiative.com/