Wow! Another year has flown by! It seems like yesterday that we were celebrating 2018 and here we are again, one year later. In January I went with 13 friends to Samana in the Dominican Republic. It was a trip filled with rainstorms, rainbows, an epic boat ride, and lots of laughter! Valentine's Day is one of my favorite holidays to celebrate with my students. We had photo props, a party with lots of goodies, and fun games. In March I returned to the states. The following months were some of the most difficult I've ever faced. I had many things I needed to address and much healing that needed to take place. But God remained faithful through it all. He strategically placed people in my life to walk with me, to encourage me, and to challenge me. People that kept pointing me back to God's perfect time and plan. In this season God had to strip away everything that hindered me from going forward. I've had to learn that healing is a journey, not a specific point I reach. It's a journey with mountains and valleys.
Summer was busy with babysitting, a trip to New Mexico to reconnect with friends, and a trip back to the Dominican Republic. Beth got married in July! It's hard to believe my little sister is married.
In the fall God blessed me with jobs in the "teaching line". I got to experience being a preschool teacher's aide and homeschooling a 3rd grader. Both of which I love doing!
I loved being back to enjoy fall: the pumpkin patch, wonderful smells, fall foods, falling leaves. Fall is never long enough though.
Another big lesson that God had to teach me (is teaching me) is the value of being still. In October, life threw me a curveball. I went to the ER after experiencing extreme vertigo where I was diagnosed with a vertebral artery dissection. After being hospitalized and given an MRI, a stroke was ruled out. We could see God's hand over this whole situation because I was in the right place at the right time to be given the best care possible for this diagnosis. I was on strict limitations for several weeks. It is scary not to be able to see an injury or control what's going on inside of me. But I felt peace knowing I would receive good care whatever happened. In November I had some concerning symptoms that landed me back in the ER and after another CT scan I found out that the artery dissection had healed itself! It didn't explain my new symptoms, but this was a huge relief. This truly was something to celebrate on Thanksgiving.
Being home for December meant I got to help with all the Christmas baking and decorating. I'm "sugared out", filled up on Holiday Baking Championships, warmed by Hallmark movies, and entertained by Christmas lights with music. I loved family time and Christmas Eve candlelight services.
Christmas season is over and it's time to look forward to a new year and all it brings. In 2018 God taught me that "sometimes it requires more faith to work on the inside, to deal with my mental health, than to go off to another country". My perspective had to be changed. I'm excited to see what God has for me in 2019. My words for the year are hope and courage. Many times this past year felt hopeless, but where I felt most hopeless is where God showed up and is restoring hope. I had also been afraid to face many things so I could heal completely, but God is giving me courage, to step out of my comfort zone, and I know He will continue to do that as I embrace what He allows in my life.
So, welcome 2019!
"I only see a fraction of what God is doing in my life and it may not make any sense."
