The year that WAS

John 14:1-2

"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me.

This is the message of God for me in 2009. In the face of uncertainty, my Lord spoke to me in different circumstances. He showed me my faults, the hidden sins in my life and gave me the strength to let go and to trust in Him completely.

I learned to pray harder in 2009. I saw several miracles from God, answered prayers and changed lives-- evidences of the Divine looking after His sons and daughters here on earth.

God also showed me where to place several pieces of my life. He held my hand and pulled me back to see the bigger picture. Now I understand why I had to go through everything I experienced last year.

I learned to care for people more. I understood what it meant to love unconditionally. Though I am imperfect and my love will remain a pale comparison to Christ's, I had a glimpse of agape.

2009 taught me the urgency to share Christ. It showed me that more than anything, people needed Jesus in their lives. I learned to trust in God's leading. I learned to share Jesus more. I understood what Paul meant when he wrote, "I am not ashamed of the Gospel for it is the power of God for the salvation of all those who believe."

I praise God for the people He brought into my life. I am thankful for the teachers, disciplers, disciples, and family He gave me. They filled my heart with joy and reminded me of God's design for fellowship.

I grew last year. In some respect I had to force myself to grow. I longed for my past mentors, but God tore me from them that I might learn dependence in Him. There were tears that rolled down my cheek. There were nights of extreme despair. But in all these I understood what God meant when He said, "I will never leave you, nor forsake you."

There are wounds that remain. There are people I miss dearly. This will be carried on through 2010. But I remind myself that in 2009 God answered a two-year-old prayer for deliverance. I saw a miracle when God opened the door for me and invited me to step into freedom.

I continue to pray for the dearest people in my heart. I know there will be nights and days of uncertainty but the faithfulness of my God is my reminder. It wasn't my strength that enabled me to withstand the turbulence of the past year. All along, God was shielding me, encouraging me, helping me. I made it this far with Christ. I pray that He'll use me even more this year for His glory.