Goodbye 2018...
It is funny how the our lives are broken up into year's. This long, or not so long allotted time to us, and we get to take a breather every 365 days, reflect and reset and essentially, try again.
Here are the things I am most grateful for the grace to have done this year:
1. I started a new job teaching Media Studies and totally loved it and finished the year!
2. I wrote a couple of kids books that are being illustrated (my goal at the end of last year was to write a book, I had in mind another kind but reflecting now, I did accomplish this goal, just differently to how I pictured in the beginning).
3. I travelled! God knows I love travelling!!! I was blessed to be able to go on an all expenses-paid trip to Mexico earlier in the year and was able to even take the kids on my own to Australia, Gold Coast and meet my parents there.
4. I travelled locally with the kids. One of my goals earlier this year was FUN! Adventuring together is the best kind of fun. We went to Rotorua twice, Tauranga, Hamilton, Cambridge, Mangawhai... just getting out of Auckland, anywhere counts, really?!
5. I started running again! Not a huge feat for many but it was for me. I was so unfit and getting back into gym and running a few times a week has been a huge achievement (and all the mums with no time, I can hear your 'Amens!'?)
6. I started a business project. This was something I had always wanted to do! I came up with a concept I enjoyed doing, created a website and started up a Christmas gift basket company that was such a fun project to work on over the last few months!
7. I have seen huge improvements with my kids in small but significant ways. I won't go into them all, you know, their privacy and all... but small things like Jed having stopped biting his nails nervously and the kids all despite a few hiccups at school, finishing with good reports and teacher reviews.
8. My greatest achievement this year has absolutely got to be my relationship with God. It's amazing what happens when you're in a season where you make SPACE for God. Night times have been my space. Not always easy if your kids (like one of mine in particular) is a night owl and often only falling asleep around 10pm... But out of everything this year, I wouldn't trade this life-changing time with God for anything. It's in these seasons of uncertainty in the natural that making God's Word, His promises and His reality, our reality, is the only way to move forward. I have learnt it is absolutely possible to wade through the muck on earth with your heart set on Heaven and your eyes set on Him. I have learnt what it is to lean on God, not like a friendly hug but like a 'if I don't have your help, I won't make it through' kind of leaning. I've learnt that fear only has power as long as we give it power ; as long as we keep our heart and mind steadfastly rooted in God's word, fear goes and love and hope fill us with expectation for all that is to come.
One thing I realised earlier this year is just how many prayers God has answered that I've prayed (and sung) over the years. Prayers like 'Break my heart for what breaks your heart', 'tear down every idol'... and all the other lovely one-liners we bust out every now and then (with great intentions, of course). I sat the other day, having a good chat to God and He totally revealed to me how He had answered my prayers. I realise that in this year of walking closer with God, having my heart broken the way His is, every single day, feeling the pain that people are going through... my heart is literally moved in a new level of compassion when I hear of people going through things. When I pray for people who are fighting battles waging against them. Let us never despise the seasons God takes us through to soften us and make us more like Him, no matter how hard they seem.
I am so grateful for this year. If I have to sum it up one way, all I can say is God has provided. We lack nothing when we have Him. It's when we look to people that we fall into the fear trap, the trap of worry and anxiety over whats to come and how it will all work out. When we know and understand that we have a Father who loves us, who has moved mountains to call us His, who knows our end from our beginning and says His plans are GOOD, how can we worry?
My scripture from earlier this year, the one I've decided I want engraved on my tombstone is (yes, I know that's morbid but as I read the verse that's literally what popped into my head),
"She judged Him faithful who had promised" (Hebrews 11.1)
My encouragement to anyone of you amazing people reading this is to grab a hold of whatever promise God has given you in His word for your next season and don't worry so much about HOW the promise will work out, put your heart to knowing the promise-keeper. He is so, so good, he is limitless in resource and He has so much good in store for us. Yes, there's a process that involves the state of our heart and not our happiness, but if we make Jesus our great reward, everything will fall into place. God promises that.
So, that said (and I had to get that on here because my heart is bursting with the faithfulness of God and I pray that whoever needs that encouragement to go into a new year, feels that right now)... Happy New Year! Realistically, this will probably be my last post for the year. SO bring on 2019! I hope and pray you go into it remembering the wonderful words of Mary Poppins
"Everything is possible. Even the impossible" (and I'll add, 'with God' ;) )
Have fun out there with your families, snuggle your babies extra tight, stay safe out there and remember your best years are ahead of you!
Comments
Post a Comment