Goodbye 2011!

In preparation of the New Year, I am making lists and setting goals….asking God to lead me in the direction He wants me to go this year. But before I completely leave 2011, I want to reflect on the ups and downs of 2011, and praise God for His goodness through it all!

Here are the highlights of this year:

• This year was financially rough. Part was due to all the taxes we owed from Adam working as an independent contractor, and another part due to God leading Adam to leave one of his (highest paying) jobs at the beginning of the year. Neither reality was fun for me… 
• But here’s what I learned: No amount of money is worth disobedience to God’s leading. And God truly is our SOURCE! I lived by this verse in 2011: “And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19 We always had everything we needed (plus more)! 
• Speaking of provision, Adam got a new and better job just a couple months ago. Praise God! 
• My generous family blessed me with the opportunity to travel out of state (to St. Louis) and out of country (to Ireland)! I love to experience new places. Those two trips were a joy! 
• I took myself to a new level of fitness (with encouragement from some great fitness buddies) – finally able to run 3+ miles in a personal record time and LOVED it! Then I messed up my knee…still working on that part but I think I’m ready start up cardio again soon. :-) 
• In some ways, this year was especially hard on our marriage. I love to learn, change, grow…but I discovered I have a certain pace for it and that pace was challenged a lot. It seems that God is working out a lot of kinks…a lot….over and over. I would begin to wonder why and wish I could go with the “ignorance is bliss” mentality for a while, but then I remember I prayed for this. I WANT Adam and me to be everything God destined us to be. I WANT to know God better. I WANT to establish a marriage that will sustain a God-fearing family. That kind of life takes work – it’s a daily fight for love and truth to endure. And it is so worth it.

I found a notepad tucked away in my 2011 planner on which I recorded list of things (back in Jan 2011) I believe God spoke to Adam and I about our year to come. I barely looked at that list, but we definitely experienced and took lessons on the things I wrote down. I’m not sure if we perfected any of those lessons….or if we should even view them as something to perfect, but rather things that are always in progress….

And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Galatians 6:9

Lord, carry on your work in me….Bring on 2012!