New Year Thoughts

For the past several days, I have been thinking about the last year of our life. Was it good? Was it bad? Would I change anything if I could? What could I have done better? How have I changed and was it for the better? Then my thoughts went to the new year. What do I want to accomplish this year? How can I make life better for everyone who is around me? Do I even want to change anything about me and my life or am I satisfied with the way things are now?

As I pondered all these thoughts, I realized that our family has had some challenges this year. We have added family members and have seen them leave us. Our marriage has been stretched and we are closer because of it. Our children have had their Mommy less and their Daddy more. Their relationship to each of us has grown in different ways but in ways that were needed. We have had some major changes but now wait to see what God wants us to do. God has revealed sin in each of our lives; we have sought forgiveness from Him and from others. God has used several situations this past year to deepen our relationship with Him and each other. Because of this I wouldn't change a thing. Maybe I could have done things better, but now I have been changed for the better. Through the situations, God is teaching me more about being Joyful always. Even though tears may come because of loss, we can rejoice because HE hasn't left us.

This year I am going to take each day as God reveals it, seek His Will with what to do, and live so that everyone around me sees Jesus and not me. I will say that I am NOT satisfied with my life. God has given us His desires that are not yet fulfilled in our life. I miss some of the things that He has taken away but I am leaning and trusting on Him everyday to comfort me. I realize that I did what He called me to do and everyday I did the my very best. One day as I stand before my Lord and Savior, I know that He will say, "Well done, my good and faithful servant."

Because of Him I can face this new year and all of it's challenges. I look forward to growing closer to Him, serving my family and others, and investing my life in others so that they may know where my future lies.

Every year people are going to come in and out of our lives but if we must remember that when Christ lives in us our life in not our own. We live because He created us, because He loves us, and because He is not finished with us. We must walk with Jesus everyday. Our feet must move forward and we must press on for His Glory. While we walk, we Pray. We trust Him to take care of us. We rest knowing that HE is in control.

May this year bring each of you closer to Jesus in your blessings and in your trials. May you all have a JOYFUL NEW YEAR.