As 2025 comes to a close, I found myself thinking about something different on the way to work one morning. Instead of listing all the things that happened this year, my heart went straight to gratitude for what didn’t.
Because sometimes the biggest blessings don’t arrive loudly.
They come quietly.
They come uneventful.
They come as peace. ✨
This year, I didn’t get a phone call saying something happened to my parents, my children, or my siblings—and if you’ve lived long enough, you know how heavy that sentence could’ve been. 📞🙏🏽
There were no car crashes.
No ambulance rides. 🚑
No house fires or home break-ins. 🏠
No broken bones.
No bills falling behind.
No lack of food or resources.
No constant fighting.
No lost friendships.
And honestly… not too much weight gain either 😂😂 (we calling that grace too).
All my cousins are still in the land of the living. And that alone is a blessing I don’t take lightly. ❤️
I also walked through a year where—despite outside noise, tariffs, and uncertainty—there were no calls from HR. No job layoffs. No sudden loss of income. Bills stayed current. I wasn’t scrambling, borrowing, or robbing Peter to pay Paul. Stability held me all year long, and I’m thankful for that. 🙌🏽
One prayer I now realize was answered through absence is this:
confusion and inconsistency left my space.
When people showed me who they were, I believed them. When disappointment came, God gave me peace instead of panic. That’s growth. I’ve learned that peace doesn’t always come from things working out—it comes from understanding what’s no longer meant to stay. ✨
This year didn’t feel like survival mode. It felt peaceful. It felt like I’m finally doing something right. I set boundaries. I set goals. And I stopped playing about me.
As a parent of grown children, I know how quickly your heart can jump when the phone rings—because you don’t always know where they are or what they’re doing. But God covered them. Seen and unseen. Another year. Another blessing. 🛡️❤️
My faith matured in 2025 because I didn’t only recognize God in chaos. Chaos was limited this year, and I loved that for me. I love the space God placed me in—knowing Him, loving Him, and even going home alone every night. At one point in my life, I was forcing love and companionship. Not anymore. Solitude became a blessing, not a punishment. 🕊️
The old version of me would’ve been waiting for something to go wrong—looking for the shoe to drop. But God spoiled me in 2025. He loved on me in quiet ways.
No, I don’t have everything I want.
But I have everything I need—and then some. 🙏🏽
Peace looks different now. It’s joyful. It’s watching a movie alone, eating popcorn 🍿, and my phone not ringing with nonsense, lies, or promises that never happen 😂. And honestly? I love it here.
So I’ll say it plainly:
God, thank You for what didn’t happen—especially another failed relationship.
As I close out 2025, I’m setting goals and working on things I once only dreamed about. I’m excited about 2026—not because I’m perfect, but because God still gives me vision, dreams, and direction. He continues to show me that things don’t always have to make sense to people to be meaningful. He’s after hearts—and going forward, that’s my goal too. ✨❤️
To everyone who supported LAB, read my blog, shared a post, sent encouragement, or simply stayed connected—thank you. Truly. You are part of this journey, and I don’t take that lightly. 🙏🏽
Here’s to protection.
Here’s to peace.
Here’s to growth.
And here’s to everything that didn’t happen. ✨🖤
Love, BrandiJ