ushering in 2010.

So...it's twenty-ten or two thousand and ten...I like saying the second one better than the first. There's an argument there.
I can't believe it's a new year, but I am so thankful. My 2009 finished so much better than I expected, simply because I assumed my year would never get better - But God is good.
Being on Christmas break, having Winter Kingslove, passing my NET test, finally, AND getting into Nursing School made for a HECK of a Winter Break. Before I knew it, New Year's Eve was upon us.

As always, I get reflective at the end of the year. I think most people do, but I tend to write a lot in my journal, browse through my pictures on facebook and ask people about their favorite moments of that year. Emily and I had a lot of fun on New Year's Eve [in our many adventures of driving around] talking about our favorite moments of 2009. The best part of them had a lot to do with how Jesus has just shown up in our lives and proved to us over and over again that He is faithful, and He has something special for both of our lives.

I don't think I've ever been challenged before more in my life then over the course of 2009. During this past year, I started a new job, took two very hard classes, dropped one of them, began to get involved with C-HOP and learned about my place, planned a summer outreach, tried to find my self-worth in people, worked through a lot of relational stuff with certain people I am close with, learned to divide my time between the people I love, started a&p againnnn, became a member of a church for the first time ever, took my nursing enterance test 3 times, worked through issues at work...learned about being an adult............. and the list goes on. Above is in a nutshell. It makes me tired just thinking about it all.

I guess life continues to get complicated as you get older. Everyone says that, but I don't think you really understand until you see it before your very eyes. I definitely did not.

Rabbit trail: I recently realized that very cliche things to say are actually true...they are just abused lol.

I am amazed that God knows my needs. I'm pretty sure I say that all the time, but it baffles me time and time again that He does. And then beyond that, He knows other people's needs. The best thing to pray for people is that they would be encouraged by what God is doing in their life.

I know that I am provided for anytime I hang out with someone who is close to me. Everytime I stand up and sing at C-HOP. Anytime anyone prays something specific over me. Everytime some situation at work pans out. Anytime I hear younger kids around me step up to the plate and become the people God has just begun to call them to be.

Even when the situations don't always go exactly the way you wanted them to...you can still find something that proves that God has been faithful.

And that is my testimony of 2009. I hope that is my testimony of every year.
But there was something in particular about this year that just proved His faithfulness. Something about sitting on my kitchen floor in February, crying my eyes out, begging God to be real to me, to change me. Something about laying on the beach in the summer and asking God how He wanted me to handle the current situation I was in. Something about trusting Him through circumstances that could have wrecked up my whole "plan".
The pressing through, pushing on. This is my walk with Jesus.
It gives me chills thinking about it.
...or it could be that it's FREEZING today.
Reguardless.
I am encouraged, even when I feel discouraged. I have no idea what this year will bring [except for a lot of school], but God has placed so many awesome people and opportunities in my life in the midst of all the choas, and I know He has a plan.

YAYYYY new year!!!
byes :]