2016 - Yeah, That Happened
****Warning...Long Post****
Hello World,
And there we have it...2016 has left us and 2017 has rolled around with a whole new year full of second chances, new beginnings, paths to pursue our dreams, and opportunities to learn more about ourselves and those we hold dear.
Before I go into manageable New Year's resolutions that I am going to follow and hope you will too, I would like to address 2016.
I know that some people are saying that 2016 was "the worst year ever" and bemoaning about how this past year has been horrible for politics, celebrities, and overall quality of living. Yes, while it has been a tumultuous year for those genres, I believe that last year was only as bad as you make it. I had a rough year. From being pregnant, to anybody's worst immigration nightmare, to being detained at an airport for almost 2 hours, to losing almost half of our earthly belongings, to having to purchase plane and train tickets last minute at horrendous prices, to sleeping in a train terminal in freezing temperature, to not being sure whether my baby was going to be born in England, France, Holland, Hungary, or America, to not having my own home for several months...I could go on. And I haven't even touched the presidential election, how Brexit affected my husband's family, or violence among police and civilians!
However...I can truthfully say that 2016 has been the best year of my life! My husband and I have been married for all of 2016, we have learned so much about each other and are excited about continuing to learn about each other. We have grown so close through all the hardships and have learned to lean on each other and look to God for our strength. I had a big breakthrough and committed all of myself, my family, my finances to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I was privileged to be able to see more of this beautiful world we live in. I have been able to spend time with my family. Joe and I celebrated our first anniversary and have been dreaming about what our next years of marriage hold. Also, my beautiful baby girl was born in 2016 and I wouldn't have changed it for the world, she has been so much of a joy not only to us, but anybody she meets. We have made friends, learned about God, and enjoyed watching how our family and extended family has been growing exponentially.
Finally, I learned to let go of what I thought were "my rights". My rights to a home of my own, my rights to personal belongings, my rights to monetary stability, my rights to knowing and controlling everything in my life. Speaking as an American, we are told constantly that we have "rights". But, as a Christian, the Bible tells us that we are nothing without God, we have nothing, we are nothing, we are like flowers that wilt the next day. But through salvation, we are now His children, I am His princess, we have everything we need in Him. When I think of it that way, all I can thing about how 2016 went is how blessed I am. How blessed that I had a roof over my head, how blessed that I never had to go hungry, how blessed that I have people in my life that love me deeply, how blessed that I don't have to do life alone, how blessed that we never had to wonder how we were going to buy toilet paper, I could go on, and I never ever want to take those for granted.
I know that some have experienced loss in their families, I know that some are homeless, I know that some don't know where their next meal is going to come from, I know that some are sick. However, I challenge you all to look back on 2016 and remember the good that came from it. The things unseen, the blessings, all the things we take for granted. Life is fickle, and goes by so fast. I challenge you to give up your "rights", realize what you have, then go help those who don't have what you consider normal. I challenge you to reach out to those who are hurting and give them a reason to live. I challenge you to learn more about God and how to fill the emptiness we all have as humans until we invite God into our lives. If some of you do not have that relationship with God that surpasses "religion" and "being a Christian", pursue truth, discover God, ask questions, make it personal.
2016 was a year of learning and growing for me, and anybody who has gone through puberty knows that growing hurts sometimes, is confusing, and sometimes makes you feel like you're the only one going through it all. The last thing I want to do though, is to focus on the bad things, focus on me, myself and I, and how much I've been hurt or inconvenienced or how my life has been affected by current events. Instead, I want to focus on the fruits of growth, and the blessings it has given me in life, on the fact that my family is safe, on the fact that my daughter has five cousins, two on the way, and loving grandparents, aunts, and uncles.
2017 holds a lot of excitement for me. A whole new year to learn what it means to be a wife and mother and how to balance the two. A whole new year of letting go of my "rights" and letting God narrate my life. I know that as long as I have Him, I can do all things. Well...a little coffee always helps doesn't it? ;) A whole new year of exploring my interests and passions and supporting my husband in his.
Thank you everyone who has made 2016 the best year of my life so far. Thank you everyone that has lifted us up in prayer, blessed us, befriended us, challenged us, and provided for us.
Here's to 2017.
Well...so much for manageable New Year's Resolutions. I think I'm just going to make that another post. Everything I said in this post has been laying on my heart and I hope that I have touched someone and made them reevaluate 2016 in a better light.
I would like to close off with some Bible verses. God has really been teaching me about trust this past year and believe it or not...there is a lot about trust in the Bible. ;) :) :D
Psalm 18:2 The Lord is my rock and my fortress, and my deliverer, my God, my strength, in whom I will trust..
Psalm 37:5 Commit your way to the Lord; trust also in Him and he shall bring it to pass.
Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart; and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths.
Have an amazing New Year!
L