Happy New Year

Well hello…it’s been too long but I have a couple thoughts for you all.  Today is the last year of 2015 and although many find it to be cliche to reflect as something comes to a close I find it to be healthy.  So today I reflect on my year and with great joy I am ecstatic with my personal growth; spiritually, physically, emotionally and financially.  See I am a person that is known to over plan but this year I consciously tackled my year in small increments.  Each month I planned to be a better me by different means and with the help of God it was one of my most successful plans ever. 

This year I learned to trust in God more than I had ever trusted him before.  I leaned on him for even the small things and was able to witness breakthroughs in my life that I’ve been waiting on.  I have never felt more comforted in trouble times, more resilient to my pain and joyfully rich even when my bank account said I should feel different.  See in the last 12 months I’ve seen how God does not allow you to become your circumstances and shield you from the outside influences.  As he has taught me to rely on him on another level I’ve been committed to study and worship him on another level.  There is a time when we must focus on elevating our spiritual walk and I am excited to see as this elevation takes me to a new level in him. 

For 9 years I have physically struggled on and off with a debilitating illness.  I have felt discouraged and even defeated by my illness over the years but this year I have seen myself physically strive as my mental stance became stronger.  Earlier this year I claimed healing over my body and I decided that I would no longer allow it to take over my mental health.  Well as we close 2015 I see how my healing is being manifested because although yes I’m still in pain many days and have to take medication daily; I however no longer allow it to define who I am.  My mental strength remains joyful because I allowed God to give me peace no matter the circumstances.  I push through when I can and when I can’t I’m reassured that it is okay to rest today because tomorrow is a new day. 

As a devoted wife and mother it is easy to rely too heavily on your family to be your emotional strength.  I must admit I’m one of those people…well I have learned that is an unfair burden to place on my love ones.  We are definitely here to support one another and we do just that yet God has to be my strength.  I have been allowing him to be that!  As we go into a new year I encourage you all to do the same thing.  Allow him to fill that void that your mind tells you a spouse should be, a missing parent should be, a deceased loved one use to be, a child you are longing for should be.  Sometimes you don’t need to cry on a shoulder you need to turn on your worship music and cry out to our Father God.

I have learned to save Y'ALL……the one that has a self-proclaimed hobby to shop has learned that even a little saved is a large accomplishment.  This is the first year that I successfully maintained not one but two savings accounts.  It is a grand accomplishment for me and I am really proud of myself.

Now my absolute favorite accomplishment of the year has been learning to ‘forgive’.  I have carried pain, lack of trust and anger for years.  I decided a couple years ago that I would actively work on changing this to not only save my marriage but to also save my soul.  In prayer and many what I call ‘conference calls’ with God; I realized that I must first learn to forgive myself to then forgive others for their transgressions against me.  Many say it but don’t believe it yet I felt it; “Forgiveness is not for the other person yet it is for you”.  I encourage you as we make our final farewells to 2015 commit to FORGIVE.  

Just a small glimpse into some of the wonderful moments my family experienced in 2015

 I’m stoked about what God has in store for my family in 2016 as I’ve already claimed it to be grand.  Here’s to a New Year…Happy New Year!!

Until Next Time.