- A Change of Face
- Thoughts From the Middle of the Night
- Back to School
- What’s In A Name?
- Welcoming Jack
- Photo Essay: 100 Days of Jack
- Commuting
- Crazy Is Our Normal
- Adoption? Really?
- We Couldn’t Help Ourselves
- Book Envy
- Snow Day
- Playing the Pregnant Card
- And then there’s that…a summary of a crazy day
- Bringing Change
Rearview Perspectives
Every new year brings with it obligatory reflection on the past year. While it is not prudent to dwell on the past, I do see great benefits of reflection and anticipation.
Last year I journaled, “I don’t know what will unfold in the year ahead, but I do rejoice in knowing I can pen the same line at the end of 2009 - He is faithful.” Oh, how he is. It gives great context and grounding in the daily battles to know that at the end of the year, my rearview perspective of the mountaintops and the valleys will see that he was faithful.
To be honest, I thought this year was going to be a suck-it-up-and-get-through it kind of year for Jerry and I. Everything we thought was supposed to happen quickly unraveled through some very confusing circumstances. We found ourselves living in a place we didn’t want to live, thousands of miles from the ministry we feel called to in life, learning some lessons about submission and trust that we would rather just read about in a book than walk through in life.
At the beginning of the year, God led me to focus on passages similar to I Samuel 15:22 (and surrounding) about how he desires obedience more than sacrifice. In the process, I had a multitude of opportunities to choose joyful obedience, even when it didn’t seem to make sense and the immediate results were not what I wanted.
Frustration was the dominate feeling in the midst of many situations, but looking back I see blessing, not bitterness. Somehow the frustrating people, decisions and circumstances are a bit fuzzy, but the great blessings have floated to the top. I see times of great spiritual growth and learning. I see the joy of finally living on the same side of the world as Jerry. I see the awesome mixture of family and friends who celebrated our wedding with us. I see God’s provision of job, house and car. I see new life in the form of our soon-to-be-born baby boy. I see a new church family where I am learning so much about how the body should work.
I’m choosing gratitude, and I pray I continue to grow in joyful obedience in response to all that Christ has done for us. I do not know what will unfold in the year ahead, bud I do rejoice in knowing I can pen the same line at the end of 2010 - He is faithful.
Sarah, thank you for sharing this summation of the past year, where you started with disappointment and frustration and looking back you see blessings, growth and learning because you chose submission and obedience. I appreciate the reminder that He is faithful - always has been and always will be! Through it all in the year ahead, we’ll see it!