When writing a year in review, I normally go through a list of activities that our family has participated in. I might mention our family vacation to Disney world, Lily starting ballet, Valerie and Daphne doing gymnastics, Valerie learning to ride her bike, Jason starting a new job, my adventure in tutoring essentials at Classical Conversations, our new foster children, Lily getting a hermit crab or many other fun events. However, I realize that those are really just events. Yes, they were a part of our journey and made things fun. However, our year was much more than that. Each year is a new chance to follow the Lord in the way that He wants to direct our lives.
Each year, I feel that God gives me a word to focus on.This year, the word was peace. After a turbulent year in 2013, this year really did start out so peaceful. It was a time when our house felt quiet and relaxing. Jason and I got to spend so much time focusing on each other. God gives us periods of rest to keep us strengthened for the journey ahead. Eventually, God started to stir our hearts and it lead us back into foster care where we got to love on two babies and have an impact on their lives. It also lead me to take on more work with Classical Conversations. Soon life felt less restful, but we still had that great feeling of peace. It was just a beautiful year of purposefully seeking the Lord and what He would want us doing. As the year finishes up, I am getting some much needed rest again and yet God is stirring so much excitement for the next year. I don't know the word that God has for this next year, but maybe it is "anticipation", "joyful", or "grace". I think God has exciting things for us this year and He will give us the grace to accomplish it all and the joy to really take it one step at a time and just enjoy what He is doing.
