Thankful for another year.

Celebrating with friends. Showing my Ma & Pa my wedding gown. Having my favorite girls all together.  Walking down the aisle to my groom. Dancing in the joy of our wedding day.  Coming home the first time.  Honeymooning. Picking up our family mastiff. Sharing our first Christmas. My first New Year's Kiss. Wrecking on the ice. Losing the use of my right arm. Celebrating Valentine's Day so differently. Praising God for my grandparents' long prayed for salvation. Visiting DC for the first time.  Starting our Young Marrieds ministry. Shoulder surgery. Saying "see you later" to my sweet Grandpa. Meeting the first baby of the family in 16 years. Watching my sister graduate High School. Being part of two of my closest friends' weddings. Snuggling my first nephew and a dear friend's sweet girl.  Speaking at a youth revival. Spending a day at Dollywood with Mom, Sis, & Grams. Changing job roles.  Spending time with Joel's mom and other family. Finding out we're having another niece or nephew. Throwing our first big cookout for Joel's birthday. Taking a 2nd honeymoon. Meeting the newest Matthews baby.  Enjoying my birthday with my sweet husband and family that made the trip.   These are just some of the major points of this year.  This isn't counting the routine moments, ones that happen on a daily, weekly, monthly basis.  Greeting Husband when he arrives home from work. Worshipping my awesome Creator with my LifeHouse Family. Chatting with Mom on her drive to work daily. Being newly disappointed every month that we're not pregnant. Gathering with other young marrieds to study God's path. Holding Mary Kay parties. Grieving my Grandpa but celebrating his salvation. Catching up with old friends and making new ones. I've had some of my highest highs and lowest lows. There have been moments when my heart seemed so full. There have been moments when my heart seemed broken beyond repair. There have been moments when it seems like life couldn't be better. There have been moments that felt like I would never stop crying.  There have been moments where I couldn't stop thanking God for His faithfulness. There have been moments where I had to constantly seek His perspective. It's been a year of ups and downs and as look back on it,  I'm so thankful that God's timing is perfect.  I'm so thankful that even when it doesn't feel like it, He has is all together. I'm so thankful that His faithfulness doesn't change… and neither does His love. I'm so thankful that I'm not the one working out the schedule but the One who sees the big picture is. I'm so thankful that He planned for me, created me, purposed me, called me, and prepared me. I'm so thankful that He teaches me, leads me, refines me, loves me, and uses me. I'm so thankful that He blesses me beyond belief. I'm so thankful that He allows the suffering so that I'm made strong in Him. I'm so thankful that this year I got to become a wife. I'm so thankful that He sent my sweet Joel at the perfect time. I'm so thankful that my grandpa accepted Christ before he died. I'm even so thankful that I didn't become a mom this year…. A wonderful friend gave me some advice the other day that really got me thinking. If I had become a wife the year I wanted to (year 20), I wouldn't have married Joel. That makes me depressed to even think about. If I had my way and got pregnant this year, it wouldn't be the child that God has purposed for our family. So even in the midst of longing to be a mommy… I'm thankful it didn't happen this year. I'm thankful it's not my job to plan it out. I'm thankful that I'm connecting with women I never would have if not for waiting.  I'm thankful for the year ahead. I'm thankful for the adventures God has planned to come. I'm thankful for the people I get to do life with. I'm thankful that no matter what lies ahead, I have Christ to cling to. All in all… I'm just thankful. Thankful for another lesson, journey, blessing. Thankful for another day, month, year. Goodbye 23… you've been good to me. Here's to 24!