Another New Year

Over the last few weeks, we gathered with family and friends and celebrated the holiday season. We reflected on the past year – the good and of course, the bad – and we began to think of all the possibilities in 2018. I recently revisited my CaringBridge post from January 1, 2017 and it still resonates with me:

“It’s easy to create a lists of goals or prayer requests we hope God will listen to, but once again we are humbled at the reality it’s not up to us. We will continue to serve our Father & do we what we can to carry out His plans for us this year. God promises us He is with us always. He is with us when we go through deep waters, when we go through rivers of difficulty, & when we walk through the fires of oppression. He tells us, “For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland,” Isaiah 43:19. Today marks the beginning of a new year, & we hope a new chapter for Graham. We will work beside God to see what He unfolds for us.”

Obviously, the chapter we envisioned for Graham last year shifted, but I am proud of how his memory still continues to impact many friends, family, and even strangers. Even though 2017 was not as good to us as we originally hoped, it still included many memories that we will always cherish. And one thing that is true from that post, God has been with us every step of the way.

Like many, Brandon and I discussed our resolutions for the year. We wish to grow in our faith and want it to become a stronger foundation for our family. We want to live a healthier life, one where we eat well and exercise more. I have been busy pinning recipes and despite the freezing temps, Brandon and Franco have been on many runs around the neighborhood. We also discussed one more resolution that I am probably most excited about, but I also know it will be the hardest – maintaining a positive outlook. Brandon and I want to find joy in every day. We want to thank God for the blessings in our lives, instead of focusing on losses or the unknown. As much as I try and stay positive, sometimes fear of more pain, fear of another loss, and fear of the unknown creeps in. I have especially felt it recently and because of that, I want to pray more and praise Him more. We have so many high hopes for the year, but we also know that resolutions are simply declarations. As much as we wish for these resolutions to happen, we know it is up to us to do something about it. We can’t just simply hope or talk about these lofty ideals, we must act on it. We know it won’t be easy, but we believe by encouraging each other, leaning on God, and finding strength in the scripture, we can do it.

As we begin to settle in 2018, we look forward to what new and exciting plans God has in store for us. We hope those plans include Georgia winning the national championship on Monday!! Go Dawgs!! But in all seriousness, we are ready to take on 2018. With God leading the way, we know this will be the best year yet.