The kids are asleep, Mark is at a crazy all-nighter for the youth, and I am home. It's kind of cheesy to reflect on the year in a blog, but I'm going to do it anyway. I know everyone is saying this, but I can't believe that 2008 is over. It has been full of craziness, changes, and steps of faith. But God has been so good to us, as He always is!
Some of you reading this may not know if you even believe there is a God. Or if there is, that He actually cares about what is happening with you. I have been a Christian since I was a kid, almost 20 years. I have spent all that time trying to get to know God better. Sometimes that has happened quickly and easily, and I have seen myself become a stronger person because of the strength that comes from knowing Him. But I can honostly say that although my life has been OVERWHELMINGLY blessed in 2008, there hasn't been a huge effort on my part to know Him more. Yet, I do. Why? Because He has never left my side. He has been patient with me and so kind to me. He has shown Himself to me through the difficulties of: my pregnancy (very sick and on meds the entire time!), living with my dad, being deep in financial debt, struggling with being the wife that I need to be, and learning to discipline Shadrach with love and consistency through his 2's, to name a few. God has also shown Himself to me through amazing blessings: the wonderful husband that I don't deserve, Shadrach who makes me laugh and smile every day, the birth of a healthy new baby, paying off quite a bit of our debt, Mark's new job that he loves, my friends that really understand and love me, our family who is so supportive, 365 new days to wake up and live, and so much more!
I know that the difficuties have strengthened me and caused me to rely on my Creator (He made me, who better to mold and shape me?) and the blessings have shown me that He loves me. The Bible says in the book of James, "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father if lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning." My favorite part of that verse is that there is no variation with God. He is the same for me, for you, and for everyone, whether they recognize Him or not. He wants nothing but good, and even when things are tough...good comes from it. Many times we don't see that right away. But God is bigger than what we understand. And just the fact that He is God and we are not means that we MAY NEVER understand what good came from a particular hard time. But that doesn't mean He loves us any less!
All this to say...I am committing myself to knowing God better this coming year. And that is going to be from what He does in my life, and by MY EFFORTS of spending time talking to Him, listening, and reading His love letter to me, the Bible. If you want to join me, whether at this point you believe in God or not, let me know. He will show Himself to you just like He's shown Himself to me, I promise!
Love Kristi
princessk1212@hotmail.com
.JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG)
