My year started out with lots of new...I was losing weight, embracing the life God had given me and accepting where I was in life, filled with hope for a wonderful, better year ahead.
Then "life" happened...basically a shattering for me. Within about a month, I found my faith being shaken at it's very core. I tried to walk through strong, full of hope, but hope was lost. I questioned God..."WHY??? After all I have been through?? WHY MORE PAIN?!?! I am human. I have been through ENOUGH!"
The Lord did breathe hope into my life throughout this year. I can't say that I have walked a victorious, faith-filled year, but I kept walking. I read a book this spring that helped me out in this process. The Lord let me know that I was gripping dreams and hopes, too tightly. I had to release (well, He had to do some prying) my fingers off of those dreams and hopes that I held so dear to my heart. I had to trust Him in a way that I never had to before. It was not an easy process...I can be a tad thick-headed...but lovingly He worked and wooed my heart to the point of me letting Him have my hopes, dreams, pain, loneliness, relationships, anything that had a higher place in my life than it should have...it was challenging and a process, but He faithfully got me through it.
I had the wonderful experience of visiting IHOP (International House of Prayer) this summer with a dear friend! That was a "NEW" experience for me and changed my life. God spoke clearly to my heart while I was there and so much hope and renewed strength was poured into my heart while we attended. The word from the Lord was powerful and life altering and I am so blessed to have that NEW experience!! Now, to figure out a way to get back there and soak up the prayer room again...
I continue my weight loss journey! Through the difficulties this year, I stopped really working on it. I am now less than 10 lbs from my goal and I feel amazing! I am continuing to jog and I still love it! I had some knee issues in Sept that got me off the track for a while, but it didn't stop me!!! I feel great!
Another NEW....Myrtle Beach! I have cherished, wonderful memories from that trip! I am so thankful and blessed that as a single, widowed mom, I was able to take my kids there!! We laughed...we made memories...memories that I cherish and hold close to my heart!
A very NEW thing for me, is in July 2015, I will become a Gi-Gi...a Glammy Grammy!!! I am in denial that I am (old) enough to be a grandmother...but apparently I am! I am excited about this little one that God breathed life into...I got to see it's sweet little face in an ultrasound last week...it melted Gi-Gi!!! Oh be still my heart...
I remember standing in front of my Bible study group in Oct and sharing a testimony that God was running out of time for Him to do His "NEW" thing in my life. But, as I sit now, on December 17th, 2014, and I look back... I see it. He is so faithful...
Life. My life is NEW. I am in a completely different place today than I was on Jan 1, 2014. I am a new person. I have sat on the potter's wheel for most of this year. It is a hard place, pounding, stretching, forming, smashing, then forming more...the Potter's hands at work. I hope I look a little more like Jesus than I did on Jan 1, 2014 this year. I know I have had that "deepening" in my walk with the Lord that was spoken over me at IHOP. Oh, we have gone deeper...painfully deeper...but I sit today rejoicing. I SEE the NEW...it was a slow process. Not something that happened over night, but I am a NEW creation...so many old things have passed away and become NEW in my life.
God is STILL doing some NEW things as the year draws to a close...I am listening, following, and filled with hope. He is such a good, good Abba daddy! I am looking forward to the next adventure in the new year...I think my adventures have just begun...stay tuned!
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