Happy New Year, Fellow Bloggers...

Well,  one of my (several) New Year's resolutions was to begin blogging again... regularly.   The past couple of years have been downer years for blogging.  I won't entertain you all with the details as to why.   But, I have to say, THANKFULLY, those years are past and it's a brand new year with new beginnings... and endings.

New Year's is one of my favorite times of the year.  It's a time to reflect on the past year and a time to look ahead to the coming year,  anticipating what God has in store next.  And I am anticipating 2012 to be a year of many changes and challenges.  Bring it on,  2012!

As I have reflected over 2011, I would say it was probably the most eventful and life changing year for me ever.   It was a year of many joys, many smiles, many answered prayers, many miracles, many life changing decisions, along with many heartaches,  many tears,  and sad good byes to dear loved ones.   All of which have impacted my life greatly.  I won't share every detail of 2011, but here are some things that have been so life  altering:

One highlight of my year was getting to see Beth Moore in Little Rock, AR.   I love Beth Moore!   If you haven't done a Bible study of hers,  do one!   A dear friend and I drove the 4 hours south to see her.  At this point in my life,  I was feeling quite defeated and shared with my friend what I was struggling with.  She and I prayed together and cried together over what my struggles were.   Wouldn't it be just like God to tell Beth exactly what I needed?   Beth's whole message was as if she knew my exact circumstances and prepared her messages just for me!   My friend and I could hardly believe it!   We cried more tears together over what God had done for me/us during our little weekend getaway.   It was amazing!   My friend and I are planning another trip north to see Beth again this coming spring.  Ladies, if you're interested in going, send me a text,  email,  or call for more details, we'd love for you to join us!

In May, my husband and I received a message saying that there had been a tornado in Joplin and it had taken my BIL and SIL's home. We immediately headed to Joplin, Mo (we live an hour away from there)  as soon as we got the news, not knowing if our loved ones were ok.  I can't even begin to put into words the horrific scenes that were displayed before my very eyes when we got there.  The devastation was almost unbearable for me. I was in a total state of shock as we drove through areas that were completely wiped away, where people were desperately searching for loved ones, chaos all around.  I grew up around Joplin and knew the area very well. But, with the familiar landmarks gone,  it was easy to not know where I was at. This disaster impacted me in ways that I can't even explain. My heart was so shaken, so shocked, so heartbroken as I drove through areas where they were still searching and finding bodies, where people were gathering what little of their belongings remained, people standing at where their homes once stood with such faces of shock and disbelief. My heart broke and I cried with them wishing I could make things better for each one.  I don't want to ever forget this tragedy because God used this situation to really speak to me and work in my life.  It was as if God was reminding me of the heart He gave me ~ a compassionate, loving heart that desires to minister to others. And at this time, my heart was not that at all.

This past summer, a little boy named Jack (our friend's nephew) showed me the love, the strength, the will, the timing, and the miracle of God! Little 5 yr. old Jack had a heavy piece of furniture fall on him, crushing his skull. Through several weeks in the hospital, many setbacks, many prayers prayed in his behalf, God intervened and brought this boy around full circle. This event so impacted me and truly showed me that yes, GOD STILL PERFORMS MIRACLES TODAY!!!  God took little Jack's situation and made the impossible (humanly) possible! Jack, who by doctors was told he should not be alive, is a thriving little boy that is back to his self again.  God is truly amazing!  Jack's uncle Jon was in a bad bike wreck recently and was in very critical condition and God has worked yet another miracle.   Jon is awake and recovering.  There's nothing our God cannot do!

Balloon Release in Honor of our friend

August brought along another tragedy that changed my life. The tragic death of a friend that I have known my whole life. So hard to understand... yet, I know that God has a plan. This personally affected my life and many tears were shed as we grieved with the families that were involved. I have to believe that God will bring only good from this tragic situation. God has used this situation in my life to help me draw closer to Him and to realize life is a true gift.

At the end of October, I lost the most wonderful person in my life ~ my dear grandmother.  I was extremely close to her.  She was the one who taught me all about God and showed me love and what it really means to be a Christian. She is the whole reason I am here.  No doubt it is by her many, many prayers that has kept me throughout the years.  I hope that I can be just half the person she was.  I know I have failed her.  I hope someday I can make her proud of me.  Losing her was very hard for me, but of course, I would never wish her back from the place she so eagerly looked forward to going her whole life.  Heaven is definitely sweeter...

Tonight, I can't help but think of the many mistakes I have made and not being all that I could and should have been this past year even though I'm reflecting on the things I felt God was shouting at me with to change some things and ways in my life. I doubted Him and blamed Him many times.  I write these things down because I don't want to forget what God has showed me.  I know Satan would love nothing more than for me to dwell on the wrongs I have done. But, I'm not going to.   It's a New Year...  It's a new beginning...  It's time to move on...  It's time to draw closer to my Savior.   As my husband's dear grandmother would always write in each letter she wrote to us, "Keep pressing onward and upward."  Great words to live by.


I'm sure I could write a book of the many things that happened in 2011 and how they have impacted my life.   But, this post is quite long enough...


Anticipating much for 2012!