Farewell 2008

It's to that point when I have reached the end of another year and stretching out ahead of me is a clean slate. A new calendar full of days yet to be lived, stories yet to be written, joys and sorrows, memories to make, paths now unknown.

2008 has been challenging in ways that I never expected a year ago. There have been incredible stories, amazing journeys, wonderful days, and also intense tears, deep sorrows, and trials unsurpassed. Yet it's coming to the end and now I'm ready to look forward into 2009 with hope and joy and faith.

I don't know where I'll be a year from now. I don't know if I'll be in this office, doing this job, living with the same roommate, going to the same church. The days to come are unknown. Yet I am assured that all that has come before has prepared me for what is to come.

No matter how dark any day might look, I can't help but be excited that there's a new year coming. Some might wonder in the craziness of the world how I can be so positive and full of excitement for the coming days. The world is icky and there are a lot of stressful things going on that aren't fun for us to walk through.

So I'll let you in on my secret:
I'm excited because God is already there! He's already put pen to paper and written stories that I don't yet know. He's already working and He's preparing and He's planning for good. I come into this new year blind but God is there with eyes wide open and I just can't wait to see where the journey leads! I know that I can trust Him through the easy and the hard times, through the joy and the sorrow, through the known and the unknown. His mercy remains, His love never ends, His promises are always true. That's what makes me look forward with joy towards a future that's yet unknown.

I know the days to come will bring many stories (particularly since I seem to collect odd occurrences like some elderly aunt with a penchant for knick-knacks). I hope to share many of them with you and, through this blog, my hope remains that you will be encouraged and God will be glorified.

So, here's to the coming year! May 2009 be a most blessed one for all of my readers and may the God of all things be the central focus in every day to come!