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A Year of Highlights: Reflecting on the Past to Move Forward

A Year of Highlights: Reflecting on the Past to Move Forward

Last updated on: December 30, 2024 at 12:48 am by Jeff McLain

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A Year of Highlights: Reflecting on the Past to Move Forward 2024-12-30T00:48:47-05:00 Jeff McLain

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Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash. A Year of Highlights: Reflecting on the Past to Move Forward.

In this blog post, I explore the highlights of the past year on the Lead a Quiet Life blog, reflecting on key moments, spiritual growth, and insights for slowing down and moving forward with intention.

The Discipline of an Annual Examen

This week, like perhaps many of you, I have been practicing an annual examen. This is about taking time to reflect on the past year, evaluating my progress against my own goals, and identifying areas where I’ve fallen short of goals and pursuits. At the beginning of 2024, I had created a new rule of life, set specific goals, and established a disciplined daily schedule. While I was largely able to stay on track, there were certainly some moments when distractions and challenges led to some plateaued progress and setbacks.

The purpose of this spiritual discipline of an annual examen, or an end-of-the-year reflection, is to help me recognize where adjustments to my goals are needed and to take inventory of where I’ve experienced growth. After completing my reflections, I plan to revise my rule of life, set new goals, refine existing ones, and fine-tune my daily schedule to better align with my values and aspirations for the year ahead.

Another Year Blogging on Patheos

Over the past week, I have also been reflecting on my journey to discover what it means to lead a quiet life. This Lead a Quiet Life blog on Patheos explores what it means to live a quieter life at a slower pace, discovering a simple faith that embraces downward mobility in a world and church often obsessed with excess. The journey to lead a quiet life is one of seeking contentment amidst the chaos, prioritizing meaning over many, awareness over achievement, and choosing intentional living over the demands of our fast-paced, success-driven culture. It is also about stewarding well what I have been given and learning to live in the moment, aware of what God is doing and saying.

For me, this Lead a Quiet Life blog on Patheos is a reflection of what I believe God is calling me to—a life rooted in simplicity, mindfulness, and a deeper connection with the Holy Spirit – a life defined by Paul’s challenge in 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12. As I enter my third year of focusing on 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 as a key verse for my life, I continue to be taken aback by how strenuous, trying, and difficult this journey toward a quiet life can be. The consumeristic pull of our culture is strong, and the pressure to conform is ever-pressing, but through disciplines of regular reflection, I’m learning to push back with discipline and God’s guidance. Each day brings new lessons on how to slow down and align my life more content.

I am also learning the pursuit of leading a quiet life is more about the journey than the arrival. As I reflect this evening by candlelight, I sense that I am still a few years away from unlearning old patterns and cultivating the neuroplasticity in my thinking that will allow me to develop new habits and paradigms that empower this way of living.

A Look Back at the Past Year for the Lead a Quiet Life Blog

Since January 2024, this Lead a Quiet Life blog on Patheos has welcomed over 6,500 unique visitors, resulting in approximately 9,538 visits. While these numbers may not compete with top-performing blog platforms, nor are they a top-performing blog on Patheos, for a blogger focused on downward mobility, I am not looking to set records, build a platform, or gain fame. Rather, what these numbers reflect for me is a genuine and growing interest in pursuing what it means to lead a quiet life.

The readership of this blog also extends well beyond the United States, with noteworthy engagement from the United Kingdom, Canada, India, Germany, and Australia. Regular visitors from Ireland, South Africa, the Philippines, and Norway join the conversation. This global reach may in no way be impressive, but it again highlights that the desire for a quieter, more contemplative way of living is not confined to any one nation or culture. Instead, it reflects a movement of the Holy Spirit, stirring hearts worldwide to seek simplicity and stillness in God’s presence and towards a 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 way of life. I choose to see these patterns as this – global readers are exploring the meaning of leading a quiet life, embracing downward mobility, and discovering ways to foster a deeper spiritual connection.

It is humbling to witness this shared journey – as individuals from diverse backgrounds, united by a longing for a life marked by greater peace and purpose, journey at our own paces and in our own ways. In 2025, I not only want to grow in my capacity to lead a quiet life, but also to share the resources, theological insights, and reflections that will help others who are on this journey. I hope you’ll stay and continue this journey with me. These numbers reflect a significant shift from last year, reinforcing the belief that a growing, global response is emerging. It’s encouraging to see that the pursuit of simplicity and a deeper relationship with God resonates across cultures, pointing to a broader spiritual awakening.

The Top 5 log Posts of 2024 on Lead a Quiet Life

In the spirit of reflection, I wanted to highlight some of my top-read articles from the Lead a Quiet Life blog on Patheos. These pieces have seemingly sparked meaningful conversations and resonated deeply with readers in the past year. These five blog posts, in this order, have garnered the most attention on my Lead a Quiet Life blog on Patheos. As I post them here, I hope they challenge you, and I hope they invite you to want to read more – but I also hope they resource you to go deeper into this journey of leading a quiet life.

If you missed any of these blog posts, here is a quick recap of my 2024 Year in Review:

6 Proverbs for Ambitiously Leading a Quiet Life The Proverbs are full of wisdom, and these six proverbs offer timeless advice for those seeking to lead a peaceful, intentional, and purposeful life in a chaotic world.
The Lord’s Prayer: A Help in Leading A Quiet Life This article explores how the discipline of the Lord’s Prayer can serve as a guide for cultivating contentment and navigating life’s challenges with grace and intention.
The Transformative Practice of A Daily Prayer Rhythm Building a daily rhythm of prayer can be life-changing. In this post, I share a prayer routine that nourishes the soul and helps quiet the mind amidst the busyness of life.
Mary’s Magnificat: A Prophetic Hope for the Humbled In this blog series, I dive into Mary’s Magnificat and how it speaks to God’s promises of hope, peace, joy, and love through the birth of Jesus.
Lead a Quiet Life: A Costly and Sacrificial Way of Living Leading a quiet life isn’t always easy. This post explores what it means to make space for a peaceful, intentional life in a world full of distractions.

As we approach 2025, I’m eager to continue sharing insights, reflections, and spiritual practices with you. Whether you’re revisiting familiar topics or exploring new ones, I hope this season inspires you to focus on what matters most and create content that reflects your heart’s purpose.

Invitation to Practice the Annual Examen

I also invite you to embrace the spiritual discipline of an annual examen, or the practice of an end-of-year reflection. Drawing from the influence of Phil Strout’s How Is Your Soul booklet (Vineyard Resources), I’ve found this framework deeply helpful:

Reflective Stillness – Quiet your heart, become aware of God’s presence, and reflect on the past year. Ask God to reveal moments that shaped you and write down anything you need to release.
Reflective Gratitude – Look back on the year with thankfulness, recognizing God’s presence in both the joys and challenges. Take time to write a prayer of gratitude for all that the year has held.
Reflective Hope – Look ahead to 2025 with expectation. Ask God to bring clarity and direction for the year to come, trusting in God’s guidance for growth and renewal.

This simple practice can help align our hearts with God’s purpose, allowing us to step into the new year with faith, hope, and courage. I look forward to continuing this journey together as we seek simplicity, stillness, and a deeper connection with God in the year ahead. Let’s step into 2025 with open hearts, ready to embrace what God has in store.

Closing Thoughts

I’m always interested in a good conversation or a cup of coffee. Let’s connect! I love hearing others’ stories and sharing my own while finding ways to support others on their journey. Feel free to reach out to me via email—I’d love to hear from you. Online you can also connect with me through Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X, Bluesky, Threads, TikTok, and YouTube.

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About Jeff McLain

In the Lead a Quiet Life Blog on Patheos, Jeff McLain shares about the journey of downward mobility toward simplicity in a chaotic world. As the Practical Pastoral Theologian and Pastor at Water Street Mission and River Corner Church, and a Doctoral student at The Kairos University, Jeff combines his passion for faith, theology, and service. His unconventional path, from activism to hitchhiking, shapes his practical and pastoral approach. Jeff lives in Lancaster, PA with his wife and three daughters. He enjoys outdoor family moments, baseball, boardwalks, beaches, and books, embracing a vibrant, balanced life. You can also find Jeff on the Discovering God Podcast. You can read more about the author here.

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