Reflections on 2008

This past year was a challenging one, with seemingly more downs than ups. As I trudged through my third year of graduate school, I lost touch with various things that have always been important to me... friends and family, God, and most of my hobbies. Thankfully, I had Hike for Discovery to keep my life somewhat interesting and meaningful through the spring semester. As I finished classes in April and started my externship in May, a whole new world of free time opened up to me, but I don't feel like I used that time very effectively since I'd already kind of fallen off the deep end by that point and all the friends that I did have left all moved away to start their externships. I've had to really focus on trusting that God is in control and He knows best. Even when I feel like I'm living in total isolation, He is with me and he KNOWS me.

Also during my third year, I endured some events I never expected would happen. Throughout this year, God has been reminding me that every single day is a gift and that none of us is promised tomorrow. I feel like I've always been pretty aware of that concept but now I live life with a different perspective. Unfortunately, this new perspective has created more fear of losing the people I love than really challenging me to live each and every day to the fullest. I need to work on becoming closer with the people I love and care about rather than pulling myself away. I am also praying for eternal perspective, and comfort in knowing that God's plan is way bigger than this fleeting life on earth. "The world and its desires are passing away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever" (1 John 2:17). Today the Lord revealed to me another scripture, which says this: "For none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself. If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's" (Romans 14:7-8). Praise Jesus!

Even though 2008 has been difficult, "we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day" (2 Corinthians 4:16) "because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus (verse 14). Praise God, who never changes, who holds fast to His word, who extends grace and mercy to the worst of sinners. To Him be all power and glory.