Year in Review

 

2021 in Review

 

Every year comes with lessons, but I think this year especially we are learning to come back from the struggle that overtook us in 2020. We are trying to make sense of our new normal and regain some of what we lost in the process. 

 

As 2021 ends, I’m reminded of a song we used to sing in church a long time ago – “as I look back over my life, I can truly say I’ve got a tes-ti-mony.” For me, this year has been a process. I didn’t really begin to unpack any lessons from this year until these last few months. The fog of it all has started to lift and for the first time in a long time, I feel like I can see the light. The hope that I have clung to has pulled me out of the darkness and kept me focused on Christ. 

 

I challenge you to sit down in the next day or two and make a list of what you have learned in the last twelve months. But not just what you have learned but make a list of the things that God has done in your life, reflect on His goodness, and rejoice in His faithfulness. Take those lessons and actions of God in your life and carry them with you into the new year. 

 

Here are just a few of my favorite things for 2021

1.   Weekly Family Zoom Chats - Celebrating our friendships with others and loving on our family members is something that encourages us and honors God.

2.   Thanksgiving with my son Marcus and his family, our first in-person visit since the beginning of the pandemic

3.   My Social Distancing Besties – Pam and Janet

4.   I participated in the Daily Photoshop and XD Challenges. Here’s the link to my Behance page; I upload a few but not all my projects

5.   The 2021 Lettering Challenge – 36 Days of Type is also on my Behance page

6.   Going to the beach in the pre-dawn hours for sunrise and then in the evenings for moonrise

7.   Just can’t get enough of those Florida Launches

8.   Spending a day at the Sunflower farm

9.   Spending a weekend at Walt Disney World

10.                The 30-day Gratitude Challenge

December 2021 Launch

In order to fulfill so much in God’s Word, we must gather with one another more often. So, why not do something every month? In today’s digital age, there’s many ways to gather together.

These are a few of my favorite scriptures:

·         “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1 NKJV

·         “Shout for joy to God, all the earth!” Psalms 66:1 NIV

·         “My lips will shout for joy when I sing praise to you— I whom you have delivered.” Psalms 71:23 NIV

·         “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” Philippians 4:8 NIV

·         “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NIV

·         “Who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.” (He fills my lips with good things.) Psalms 103:5 NIV

·         “May my meditation be pleasing to him, as I rejoice in the Lord.” Psalms 104:34 NIV

·         “For great is his love toward us, and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever. Praise the Lord.” Psalms 117:2 NIV

·         “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” Romans 12:12 NIV

·         “The Lord is my strength and shield. I trust him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving.” Psalms 28:7 NLT

 

Every single day of our lives we get a new set of twenty-four hours to be the people that God calls us to be. The people who are kind, generous, thoughtful, social, thankful, and fully devoted to following Jesus…all year long.

 

God is good, He does good, and He wants to do good things in our lives because He loves us!

 

Have a grateful, safe, and healthy 2022.