You every feel like you just need a restart? You want to start the new year with a clean slate? The last few months of 2006 have been tough for me. Actually, the entire year of 2006 has been full of God's testing. Someone very close to me had a major surgery near the beginning of the year that has changed their life forever. My dad passed away of cancer in June. I nearly filed a workplace harassment charge (emotional) against one of my coworkers at work. I've had to deal with some major screwups with Student loans. And finally, to complete the year, payroll conveniently 'lost' over $6,000 of my money at Christmas time.
Now this is not to say that God was not with me or my family through all this. God gave each of us the strength we needed to get through the trials as we faced them. Some took a lot of time for us to get through; some we are still going through, but I am confident that we are stronger now than we were before we faced them. We also received blessings throughout the year. God brought our family a little closer when my dad died. Through God's grace, I was given a permanent position within the company that keeps me completely away from the forementioned coworker and gives me better job security with benefits. And despite all the financial turmoil, God has blessed us with 'enough' to pay each and every bill and still tithe His share.
I've been reading "The Way of the Wild Heart" by John Eldredge. It gives a biblical outline of how God intended to raise men. He describes in his book how we need to be able to go beyond our limits and experience the successes and failures on our own with the knowledge that God our Father will be there to help us back up when we fall and teach us lovingly from our mistakes. He will also help to encourage us to carry on when we feel like giving up.
I don't have any clue what 2007 has in store for me. So much could happen...so much has already happened. But through it all, I trust that my Heavenly Father will sustain me. Each obstical will be overcome. No matter how many times I have to restart the race, my final goal is always the same...eternal life with Jesus Christ, my Heavenly Father.
