Two Thousand and Eleven

Since I had the stereotypical Christmas post, I may as well have the stereotypical New Year's post too, right? But instead of making empty promises to myself and to you I'd like to reminisce a little, if you don't mind...

In 2011 I...
-was blessed with turning one year older
-was blessed with another year with the person I love
-spent a week doing misisons in the Philippines
-GRADUATED HIGH SCHOOL (finally)
-went on my last Chi Alpha Choir Tour
-Decided what church to go to on my own terms
-started my college career at the University of Alabama
-lost a best friend
-rekindled a best friend
-cried with my family
-rejoiced with my family
-learned that God's timing is always better than mine
-learned that "trials of this life are just mercies in disguise"

I don't think I can remember any point in my life where I have been so completely broken yet so completely whole. As Christians we plead for God to break our heart for what breaks His. And as my heart has been broken for things that have and things that will happen, people that have rejected the gospel, people that have rejected me, and people that have become comfortable I have become increasingly confident in my faith and relationship with the Lord.

I know it is kind of difficult to imagine being completely broken yet completely whole. It doesn't make sense; if you break a vase it is broken. In no way is it whole. But God works in mysterious ways, my friend. You see, once we are completely broken, God can put us together the way he wants to. Think about it this way. You have a beautiful vase. But you drop it on the floor and it breaks. But then you gather all the broken pieces and create a mosaic that is even more beautiful than the original. That's what God does with our hearts and our lives! Once we accept that we are broken and fallen God picks us up and puts us together. And image how beautiful a mosaic we create when all of our trials and screw ups bring glory to the Lord Most High! Our mosaic then, becomes not just a conglomeration of things that have happened to us, but a picture of the person who delivered us from them. And since the mosaic is a metaphor for our hears and our lives, if our mosaic looks like Christ, then our hearts and lives begin to look like Christ. Which is the meaning of "Christian" to begin with: "little Christ."

And just for funsies I'm going to post some things that I plan on doing in 2012 so we can look at them next year!

In 2012 I will....
-turn another year older (in two days!)
-Go to Passion (tomorrow! You can expect a post around Friday)
-Do mission work in the Dominican Republic
-maintain and build relationships
-rejoice with my family
-cry with my family
-read through the Bible with my church family
-become more vulnerable and tune into what God has to say to me and change in me

So may 2012 be a year of crying, rejoicing, blessings and trials that all come together for the glory and honor of the one who has blessed us with another year to proclaim His love and power to the ends of the earth!