Things have been sparse here. In fact they’ve been rather quiet for several months, but you may have never noticed. And that’s perfectly okay. The fact is, It’s not that I haven’t felt like writing or that I haven’t had anything to say. It’s been the complete opposite. I’ve just chosen the last couple months to step away during a whirlwind of wonders and life abundant – only to take in, enjoy, and really focus hard at the turning of the tides, and ponder deeper how the Lord desires to mold me.
2015 has brought it’s fair share amounts of busyness, burdens of the heart, and bountiful blessings. And through each one I’ve been able to practice wholeheartedness. I couldn’t have a chosen a more perfect word for the year, and God really has done a work and continues to work on this muddled vessel. And truly I look to the future and the new year with a new vision on life. And boy does the view look promising, a little nerving, yet full of excitement and wonder.
So as I look back on 2015 I see all the Lord has been teaching me. I see tears, moments of fear and joy, all mixed with a Faith in the Lord I never truly understood or experienced until this year. And I know that there is much more that awaits a faithful fervent heart. Oh to be deeply saturated with all the Lord has for me as HIS CHILD.
Life Abundant 2015 Highlight Moments
The day before my husband and I traveled to bring home our daughter from China – was the very day we undoubtedly saw God’s hand complete the financial part of our adoption journey. We were 100% funded one day before travel. Not early, not late, but just right on time. That was the moment in my life that I realized without a doubt – when God opens a door He WILL be faithful and complete it.
It’s the year my husband and I took the longest flight EVER to the other side of the world – (14 hours) to go meet our newest daughter we loved so much, but never met before.
The realization that we’d have to take that flight back home again – was numbing to the mind and churning to the stomach. But – it. was. all. worth. it. And we’d do it again in a heartbeat!
The biggest highlight of our year was of course the very fact – we brought our youngest daughter home in April through adoption to be part of our family.
2015 will go down in the books for a year of so many unknowns, and the most doctor and hospital visits, and long 5 hour drives every other week that I’ve ever experienced in my lifetime – and yet, I only know it will continue for sometime. But what a blessing to be the mother of this precious little girl!
The realization that all my children are growing and not getting any younger.
Hearing the dreams and desires my children have – and realizing many of them probably wouldn’t be “possible potentials” for them if my husband and I hadn’t taken different steps in life. God’s grace is real and His blessings are bountiful.
I discovered that the garden work, canning and preserving is amazingly manageable when you now have several older ones to help. And how thankful I am for a husband who LOVES to work right alongside me, year after year. And I realize it’s all a BIG BLESSING. 🙂
This year I’ve learned to be more relaxed with the way I prefer my house to be. Not by choice, but because there was no other choice. And I’ve realized that all these doctor and hospital visits and busyness that comes with certain special needs – have been nothing but a blessing in disguise. Not only for the way my house looks like from a recovering perfectionist standpoint – but for the very fact that I have no control and God’s plans are way higher than mine own.
I’ve learned that the ultimate friend is our Lord and Savior.
Realizing that sleep deprivation is a REAL thing. And it works havoc on ones body.
This is the year I realized all the more, the importance and need of scheduled dates with my husband. 2016 looks promising!
I’ve learned that when God brings a burden to our souls – we must pray continually until He answers and shows what direction we must go.
Realizing that God sometimes uses rose colored glasses to ease us into what He desires most for our lives. And I’ve learned to be thankful for the rose colored glasses at the very right times they were needed. Because without them – we would have missed the ultimate blessing.
It’s the year I asked God: “Are YOU crazy? Are WE crazy Lord?”
It’s the year (mind you -3.5 months home with our newly adopted daughter) – that our hearts were burdened for a 5 year old girl who needed a family. And whose face kept nearing the top of our agencies site and would soon no longer have another chance for a family.
Every time I’d log into Facebook, our adoption support groups kept posting about this little girl. All I kept seeing was her precious face.
My husband kept mentioning to me about this sweet girl often, too.
We prayed for this little girl with several scary special needs and so many unknowns – that she would have a family soon. We prayed for her family.
Little did we know, WE were her family! (More to come on this!) 🙂
We received blessing after blessing despite the attempts from the devil to destroy our joy.
It’s the year we upgraded our mini van to a 12 passenger van. And this story is a blessing in and of itself!
I realized that our family is now large, and I’m totally okay with that.
It’s the year our family has probably gotten the most stares and comments ever – and we know there will no doubt be more.
We’ve realized all these stares and comments are God placing us in an amazing positions. Positions to be able to share about His LOVE because our family looks different, and we are amazed we don’t ever have to start the conversation. 😉
2015 is the year of me telling myself over and over again: “I never would have imagined”. God’s stories and orchestrated plans are ALWAYS, always the best!
It’s the year I became the mother of a child who may never walk on her own. And I’m totally at peace about it.
This is the year – the Lord has totally brought my husband and I out of our comfort zones, more times than we can count.
I experienced the moment when my oldest daughter and I went shoe shopping and she actually needed shoes bigger than mine.
The day I discovered my oldest daughter is turning into a beautiful young lady inside and out.
It’s also the year we’ve felt so many fiery darts being hurled our way. And we’ve chosen to pray and squash the devil in his tracks.
That moment when my 5 year old son read me his first reader all by himself.
It’s the year I’ve desired more than ever to be in Prayer often. I pray 2016 will be an even better year of prayer.
This year has been a year of many hurts, stress and tears.
And this year has ALSO been the year of blessing after blessing.
This year has been a whirlwind of wonders. A life most abundant.
What are your 2015 highlights? What areas has the Lord grown you? Please share in the comments section!
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