Looking back and looking forward

2009

January--baby showers, excitement and anticipation as we prepared to meet our baby girl

February--loss, pain, heartache, grieving with hope and clinging to His promises, truth and joy

March--tests of faith, remembering the blessings, peace, crying out to Jesus

April--celebrating Jesus' resurrection and visiting Alethia's grave, a new blog name

May--first visit to IA without our baby girl, the weariness of grief, first Mother's Day

June--Tony's first Father's Day, adventures at camp, going through the valleys, being carried by Him, the Lord's provision

July--beach trip with friends, saying goodbye to baby Grace, learning to accept His will

August--back to another year of teaching, hearing God's voice through the mouths of 6-year-olds, the arrival of our first nephew

September--celebrating 6 years together and 3 years of marriage, feeling broken and loved

October--lighting candles for our babies in Heaven, a visit to see my family

November--knowing "what it's like," the goodness of God, being cushioned for the blows, feeling thankful and blessed

December--Tony's graduation from seminary, missing our baby girl even more during the holidays, spending Christmas in IA

2009 was by far the most difficult year in the 26 years of life I have experienced so far.

I often wonder...as 2009 has now come to a close and 2010 has begun, what will this new year have in store for us? The real question is...what does God have in store for us in this new year?

I don't know the future, but I know the One who holds it.

In many ways, I'm looking forward to finding out what more God has to teach us about Himself in the coming months. We have learned so much in this past year, but have so much more to learn.

Whether He decides to do that through trials or blessings, or blessings THROUGH trials, that's up to Him.

No matter what happens in this life here on earth, we are blessed with the HOPE of ETERNAL LIFE through God's Son, Jesus Christ.

Oh, how I wish that all of mankind would come to know this Hope.

In this new year, I want to "press on to know the Lord" more and more each day.

Hosea 6:3, "So let us know, let us press on to know the LORD. His going forth is as certain as the dawn; And He will come to us like the rain, like the spring rain watering the earth."

"Many things about tomorrow

I don't seem to understand;

But I know who holds tomorrow,

And I know who holds my hand."

--Stanphill

"Never be afraid to entrust the unknown future to the all-knowing God." (Our Daily Bread)