As 2024 comes to a close and I process the truths of my reflection, I’m in a state of peace, contentment and gratitude. I once took a personality test that characterized me as a “Thinking Socializer” and it resonated before I could even read to learn why. Before sitting to write this 2024 recap, I did a lot of thinking and reading to plan for the year ahead. The most helpful resources beyond memory were:
notes from daily journals, goals and last year’s reflection
my financial statements and budget
photos
Now the extraverted side of me would like to share some highlights.
Faith and service are a huge part of my life and major highlights of this year. In 2024, I spent more time pursuing God. I’m grateful for the opportunities my church, Mariners, provides to fulfill its mission to inspire people to follow Jesus and fearlessly change the world. One of the reasons that I made Mariners my church home was because there are so many opportunities to serve through Mariners, and I love it. I've served in most of our ministries because:
It genuinely brings me joy.
We’re called to be salt and light, hands and feet.
There is a great need within our church that I’ve seen firsthand.
and even greater need beyond our campuses that we, as a church, are helping to meet.
I served more this year than I have since I joined Mariners. Participating in the How to Study the Bible course with our first lady, Kaye Geiger, was transformational for me. There were a lot of tips and best practices from the course that really enhanced my time with God and my understanding of the Word. If you're near Irvine I encourage you to take the course. My pursuit of Christ this year helped me grow in my relationship with Him and many other areas of my life.
A double rainbow above the chapel and worship center of the Mariners Church Irvine, CA campus. (photographer unknown - The photo was shared with me and much better than the shot I captured. ;))
New Experiences & Adventures
My favorite reasons for traveling are learning and experiencing people, places and cultures I haven’t before. In 2024 I spent time in Montana, Wyoming, Las Vegas, Texas, Louisiana and Hawaii.
In Montana, my favorite experience was the Grizzly Encounter. We met rescued bears and learned how to respond if ever faced with one in the wild. Views of nature and the thermal geysers in the Yellowstone National Park were most fascinating during the hours we spent in Wyoming. The Maroon V residency in Las Vegas was truly a treat. Throughout the performance, I sang, laughed, danced and even had moments of reflection while enjoying an awesome show. It left me wanting more. Experiencing the “aloha” of Hawaii was the best part of my experience on Oahu, Hawaii and every rainbow brought new excitement. I saw more rainbows in our week there than I’ve seen in a year in Southern California. It was beautiful. The Polynesian Cultural Center was my favorite adventure.
Louisiana and Texas are home because home is where your family is, and I always leave both states with lasting memories. In Louisiana I visited my alma mater to celebrate my 10 year graduation anniversary with one of my college BFFs, enjoyed a birthday dinner at Juban’s and experienced Southern University homecoming the same weekend. It was great to catch up with my Southeastern family and see all the changes to campus. I also felt right at home at Southern. My brother gave me an awesome experience from box views and introductions to all of his contacts to post-game field access for the final band showcase.
This year, we spent Father’s Day and Christmas outside the Houston area of Texas. Time with my dad, nephews and siblings is always filled with love and laughter. Movie nights have become staples of our visits. Some of my favorites this year have been Bad Boys: Ride or Die, Carry-On and Six Triple Eight.
I was also blessed to be a part of the 2nd Annual E.M.B.R.A.C.E Outreach marriage and singles retreat in Galveston, TX, where I presented on my journey of single life. I enjoyed hearing from married couples in the joint sessions most.
In my second home of Irvine, CA, I gained a new level of peace in being alone and enjoyed several solo dates, built a reading habit (and finally finished 12 books), and tried various scratch recipes from cookies to mac & cheese. Dating apps was one of the things I wanted to leave in 2023. I had been in a cycle of downloading, swiping, chatting, dating and deleting since 2019 and wanted to get off the hamster wheel. On December 31, I matched with a guy on Hinge and deleted the app. A week into 2024 it was done. Thank you, next. On August 1, I tried the cycle one last time and then deleted all of my profiles to officially end the cycle. I spent one week on dating apps in 2024, and I’m proud of myself for taking back the time I spent swiping, hoping and waiting for a guy to choose me.
Other achievements in 2024 that made me proud include:
Strengthening and nurturing relationships with family and friends.
Learning to fly a drone and flying it solo for the first time.
Joining the IPR Next community and receiving my first formal mentor.
Participating in my first book club at work. In our final session, I earned the highest score on a quiz, and it satisfied a deep insecurity of the grade school Jasmine who struggled with comprehension.
Continued mentoring students on their college and career journeys. I love supporting students.
As I close this post, many great experiences and moments didn’t make it in, which leads to one of my plans and intentions for 2025 to document more of my adventures and recommendations. I enjoy reading past posts and sharing with others like you.
I hope you take time to reflect on your year and celebrate the blessings of 2024. I wish you many more in 2025 and the years ahead!
Hugs & Handshakes,
Jasmine C. Tate