“In daylights, in sunsets, in midnights and cups of coffee? …”
Don’t worry, I’m not going to go all musical on you- but really, how do you measure a year?
As I sit here and go over the last 365 days in my mind, I can’t help but get nostalgic. Words like cancer, change, and goodbye have been tossed around. Phrases like “I love you”; “I’m thankful for you”, and “God is so good” have been said in abundance. People have walked in and people have walked out, all of them teaching beautiful lessons and creating precious memories. There’s been a lot of growth- some that was welcomed, and some that left me internally screaming for a few minutes. 2013 taught me a lot about letting go gracefully of the things I can’t change, realizing maybe some things are exactly as they should be according to His purposes, not mine. It was a year of getting back to the basics, learning about life from the eyes of a child. It was a year of remembering where I came from and embracing it– good and bad. It was a year of learning how to love again- and a year of learning how to let myself be loved again. It was a year of learning about the resiliency of the human spirit, and how some of the worst circumstances can produce the most genuine smiles. It was a year of building back what I tore down in my own heart and letting God really start making me new. I must admit- my story is one that I never thought would be mine to tell- but I’ve learned this year that it’s okay. My story is one of redemption and rehabilitation. A story about the daily attempt to walk in love, grace and simple kindness.
As I sit here and think about this last year, I just can’t help but smile with a heart of thankfulness. God has blessed me with people who have loved me, despite all things me. He has flipped the script on a lot of things this year. However all in all, the main thing I realize about this last year is that He has carried me. And He will continue to carry me throughout all of my years this side of heaven.
So for all of you who have loved me so well, thank you.
For all of you who have literally been like Jesus with skin on to me, thank you.
For those of you have taught me about life, thank you.
For those of you who have pointed me to Him, thank you.
Each of you have made my year so sweet and so very blessed.
2013- you have been a gift, thank you.
As I sit here thinking about 2014, and living all around the world- It honestly feels like standing on the shoreline, just waiting to walk deeper. Thank you for helping me get to this precious place in my life, I can’t wait to journey around the world with you all.
