Whew! If 2025 Was A Test… Sis, I Passed

Why, Hello Gorgeous! — let’s talk for real.

Because if 2025 did anything, it pulled up like, “Oh… you thought you knew yourself? Let’s test that.”

And honestly?

2025 taught me that I’m stronger than I thought.

Not the cute kind of strong. Not the Instagram-quote strong.

But the kind of strong that shows up when your knees are shaking, your heart is tired, and life still says, “Show up anyway.”

And somewhere between the tears, the prayers, and the late-night talks with God, I realized:

That saying — “God never puts more on us than we can bear” — isn’t just something church folks say when they don’t know what else to say. It’s real. Because God equips us before He tests us.

Just like a teacher doesn’t give a test without first teaching the lesson.

You either listen… take notes… apply it —

Or you sit there unprepared.

And life will expose which one you did.

So let me walk you through what this year taught me — sister to sister — not from a podium, but from the couch, barefoot, hair tied up, telling the truth.

📚 Lesson 1: God really does prepare us before the storm

Think about school.

A good teacher doesn’t just toss a test on your desk and disappear.

They review. They give examples. They repeat things until you roll your eyes like, “I got it, ma’am!”

But did you really?

Because when the test hits, that’s when you find out.

Life works the same way.

All those little moments:

• learning patience

• learning to trust

• learning to speak up

• learning to let go

• learning to rest

…were study guides.

And when the “exam” showed up — heartbreak, disappointment, setbacks, loss, pressure — God whispered:

“You already have what you need. Use it.”

Try this:

Next time something hits you hard, ask:

“What did God already show me about this?”

You’ll notice… the lesson was there before the test.

🧩 Lesson 2: Ignoring the lesson doesn’t stop the test

Let’s be honest — some of us skipped class.

We saw red flags and said, “Maybe it’ll change.” We felt God nudging us to move and we got comfortable. We heard the warning — and still did what we wanted.

And then the consequences showed up and we were shocked.

But this year, I had to own it:

Some storms weren’t punishment — they were retakes.

God saying, “We’re going to revisit this until you get it.”

Not to hurt us. But to grow us.

And listen… growth will humble you.

Quick reflection:

• Where do I keep repeating the same cycle?

• What lesson keeps coming back?

• What am I pretending not to know?

That honesty? It changes the game.

🙏 Lesson 3: God strengthens you quietly — not dramatically

We expect strength to feel like fireworks.

But it showed up like this:

• I cried… and still got up.

• I worried… and still tried again.

• I felt alone… but kept talking to God.

That’s strength too.

I thought strength meant I had to be unbothered.

Nah. Strength was me whispering:

“God, I don’t like this — but I trust You anyway.”

And He didn’t always remove the weight. Sometimes, He just made my back stronger.

✨ Lesson 4: Preparation doesn’t always look spiritual

Sometimes God’s “preparation” looked practical:

Learning to budget — because financial tests were coming. Learning to set boundaries — because emotional tests were coming. Learning to rest — because burnout was waiting around the corner. Learning to say “no” — because people pleasing was draining my soul.

God wasn’t just shaping my faith —He was shaping my habits, my relationships, my priorities.

A little homework:

Ask yourself:

“Where might God be preparing me quietly right now?”

Cooking skills? Communication? Self-control? Patience? Confidence?

It’s not random.

It’s rehearsal for something bigger.

💔 Lesson 5: Some pain is prep, not punishment

I used to take everything personal.

Breakups. Friendships shifting. Opportunities not working.

But I realized:

Sometimes God removes things before they destroy you.

And what feels like loss is actually protection.

That friendship ending? Prepared me for healthier connections.

That door closing? Prepared me for a door with peace attached.

That season of loneliness? Prepared me to hear myself clearly.

Did it hurt? Yes.

But it taught me:

Everything is not meant to stay — and that’s okay.

🗣️ Lesson 6: The test reveals whether we applied what we learned

Back to that classroom example.

Two students can sit in the same room, hear the same lesson, read the same book — and still have completely different outcomes.

Why?

One listened and applied. The other just heard it.

Life exposed me this year.

God had been showing me:

• Speak up

• Stop rescuing grown folks

• Pay attention to patterns

• Take care of your body

• Slow down when you feel overwhelmed

And when situations came?

Whew… I saw where I passed and where I absolutely fumbled.

But even in fumbling — God still loved me.

He’s patient like that.

🤎 Lesson 7: Surviving doesn’t make you weak — it proves you’re equipped

There were days I didn’t “win.”

I just made it through.

And I had to stop beating myself up about that.

Sometimes success looks like:

• Getting out of bed

• Sending the email you were scared to send

• Going to the appointment

• Telling someone “That hurt me”

• Choosing peace instead of reacting

That’s strength.

Survival counts as progress.

Stop acting like only big victories matter.

🔄 Lesson 8: Retesting doesn’t mean failure — it means growth is happening

Ever seen a teacher say:

“Let’s review and try again”?

That’s God.

He doesn’t embarrass us. He doesn’t drag us publicly.

He says,

“We’re going to work on this together — because I see who you’re becoming.”

What blessed me this year wasn’t the strength itself —it was realizing God never left during the lesson.

Even when I panicked. Even when I doubted. Even when I questioned Him.

He stayed.

🌄 Final truth: I wasn’t stronger because I’m special — I was stronger because I wasn’t alone

2025 didn’t make me invincible.

It made me: more aware, more rooted, more intentional, more reliant on God.

And now I get it:

God never puts more on us than we can bear —not because we’re superheroes, but because He equips, trains, prepares, and walks with us before the weight ever shows up.

Just like a teacher who refuses to let you fail.

A blessing for you, Sis:

May you recognize the lessons early. May you stop doubting your strength. May you see preparation where you once saw problems. May you trust that God is not setting you up to fail —He’s setting you up to handle what’s coming.

And when the next “exam” arrives?

You won’t panic.

You’ll breathe.

Remember the lesson. And say:

“Okay God… I studied for this.”

As always, I'm eager to hear your thoughts and experiences in the comments. Let's continue celebrating this beautiful creation of life's masterpiece together.