what a year will do

The washer hums it's familiar tune as I listen to the quiet reflecting on a year.  Pondering all the hellos and goodbyes each tucked with wisdom and some sprinkled with sadness.   Yet none wasted.  The stillness of this room once filled with boxes and blank walls, speaks volumes of transition and growth.  Even beckoning me to take courage and forge on.
It has been a year of discovering all that needed to go.  After spending the end of 2017 purging and packing, to then unpack again.  My mind needed a purge as well.  Even thoughts and patterns that I wasn't aware of.  Confident in where I find my identity as who Jesus says I am first has allowed me to face it.  Leaning into the hard conversations with courage and vulnerability, rising stronger.

Disappointment has tapped on my shoulder a time or two and I accepted the challenge.  Finding the guts to say ok, good, now I can make adjustments.
Discouragement even tried it's best to hold me down and I have battled back.
Criticism took it's blows at me and instead of hiding I squared up and made a decision about what voice mattered.
All this courage has prepared me better this time as a new year approached and the nest became empty again.  God is faithful.  He keeps His promises.  I know this more in this very moment than ever.  And even with tears in my eyes and questions linger about a new year with so much unknown I can stand bold;

Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,

    for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning;    great is your faithfulness.
 I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion;    therefore I will wait for him.”     to the one who seeks him;  The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him.   Lamentations 3:22-25

I know hard things are still to come,  I will still be sad at the many goodbyes and count the days when I can be together with my kids.  My faith is secure and peace abounds and so I breath easy and face forward inviting it all.  I am not afraid of the challenge.
Who's with me?

More to come.....stay tuned.