Expecting 2013...

So, much like my Wrap-up of 2012, this is my annual post introduction into the next year.

For whatever reason I never do these posts the same.. or even similar. So, if you would like to check out previous year's looking forwards, here are the years:
2009
2010
2011
2012

For 2013, I have no real idea what to expect from this year, although I do know a few things I have planned...

I have my 10 year high school reunion. Whoa.

I graduate with a double masters degree in May! Two classes to go, and I simply could not be more excited!.. Then I have to decide if I want to pursue an M. Div... Oye!

I get to travel to East Asia in February, as well as India in the fall. I. Am. Stoked. -- Seriously I get paid to travel!?

My baby brother -- who is not so baby and huge is getting married to the most amazing and wonderful woman that is not only a perfect partner for him, but she fits into the family like the missing link we never knew we were in need of.

My older brother is going to have a 4th little one. I am SO excited about another niece or nephew!... Even if the child is due in June.

My bff and her husband are having their first baby! My little cousin and her husband are having their first baby!! A couple other friends are having babies as well!... I am so excited about all the babies!

My beautiful baby sister turns sweet 16. Seriously, when did that happen?!

Because of my job, which I love, even if it is stressful sometimes and is pushing me more than I expected will provide lots of first experiences. I am stoked about what God is doing in my church. I am praying and expecting God to not only provide, but to supply more than enough of Himself to make it through. I am confident that He will change the hearts of those that need changing, and I know without any doubts that He will blow us away when we look back next December at all the things He has done. I am humbled and amazed at how He is choosing to use me, and I have a laundry list of prayers that compliment those feelings.

My little baby puppy will become a full grown beast haha

I fully expect to add at least 4-5 more 3x5 cards to my bathroom mirror!.. Which means I expect God to also do amazing things and answer my crazy prayers.

My 2013 Goals:
(In no particular order)

1. I want to continue to try and post 3-4 times a week. -- I also want to continue to use this platform to reach and encourage others.
2. I want to put a substantial down payment on my 90k student loans in the fall when I have to start paying them back... My goal is 12k.
3. I want to continue to live off of 74% of my income. -- (Tithing 10%, saving 9%, gifting 7%)
4. I want to cross 5 things off of my Before I Die list, and add 5 new things to the list.
5. I want to get back to a regular workout schedule... which means healing my hip completely.
6. I want to read through the Bible.. I've gotten half way through one year, and while I've read the whole Bible in random chunks, I'd like to read through the whole thing!
7. I want to experience God this year unlike I have in any other time in my life. -- I have every expectation that I will be shocked at all the things God has done and revealed to me a year from today.
8. I want to read 40 books this year (not counting school books or the Bible).
9. Like last year, I want to pray my way through this year.
10. I want to learn and understand love, compassion, and grace this year unlike any year before.

2012 Wrap-Up...

Virginia Beach at night

Every year I do a year end wrap up.. I tend to do each year differently for some reason... And, this year is no different... in that it will be different than the others haha :)

I have been blogging since I was 18... Basically since blogging began "back in the day" haha.. However, I switched from my Xanga (what?!) to this one in 2008 when I moved to Central VA. Here are the previous year's in review posts:

2008 - Who Were YOU a Year Ago?
2009 - The Year I Was 24
2010 - 2010... Never Again...
2011 - Hello, Good-Bye 2011...

DC

(This gives a great view of how much my writing and views have changes and grown due to experiences, trials, friends, etc..) What a crazy thing to look back and read the year end reviews.

In the early part of 2013 I will post my goals for the year and some of my thoughts on where I feel like God is or is not leading me.

Power of Propaganda - Holocaust Museum

I love these two posts more than any other I do because it helps me wrap up and finish a year, and then look forward. I love that I can look back and remember what God is and has been doing in my life for so many years, and have a physical representation of the journey He is taking my life on... Plus, it is just sorta fun to see how accurate or totally off I was!

Favorite Memorial

I went into 2012 feeling like God was asking me to just take things as He brought them to me.
I had a few goals or "resolutions" going into 2012:
I wanted to exercise more compassion, grace, mercy, and love than I have in years past.
I wanted to diligently complete the next year of my double masters program.
I want to work better at controlling my mouth.
I wanted  to draw closer to my sweet Jesus Christ,  I want to learn more about who He is, and subsequently who I am supposed to be...
I wanted to learn how to love people on behalf of him better this year...

And then, I ended with saying "Now to pray them into existence" ... Boy did I have little idea at the time how much of this year would revolve around prayer...

New Years Eve

In January I started my own business.. which I dabble in still, but it is not my main focus.
A relationship I was "seeing where it goes" ended.. lamely, but it was definitely for the best, even if the reason given was over text message, and late came out to not actually be the real reason. I am thankful that even though it hurt, I learned so much about dating. -- This also was the start to just being satisfied with my single path that God has me on currently.
My bff came to visit, along with my best friend from Lynchburg, and then we toodled around DC with my best friend from DC and celebrated my 27th birthday.

My first "work" friend in DC

In February I felt like I was on the cusp of something.. Like I was running towards a cliff, getting ready to throw myself off of it, but I was unable to see what was over the edge.. Little did I know it was the start of changing things to bring me back to MI.
I wrote the single most visited blog post that I have ever written: Gay, Lesbian, Laws, and Christ... -- And, I am have gotten some really great feedback from people from all different backgrounds and viewpoints.. Including a dear friend who I have never seen face to face but is on my 3x5 cards ;)

Meg came!!

March really sunk home the year of prayer I felt like 2012 was turning into. I loved it, but it was definitely challenging, and at times almost physically painful.
March was a very humbling month...
I also was faced with some very difficult relationship situations...

Easter Weekend with best friends

In April it dawned on me how many prayers God is answering in my life!.. It also left me feeling mentally blank when I would try to blog... Which lead to a lot of randomness...
I realized how much I loved my church, how much I enjoyed being a part of it.. and even still how much I feel connected through it.
I was reminded that I will serve and praise the Lord during the good and the bad.
I realized I never meant to be a career woman, and my heart ached.. Ironically I vocalized my desire to be a catalyst...

Memorial Weekend on the Capital lawn..
Before we got stormed out

Unannounced to me May started months upon months of adjustments and pain that really is due to a chronic problem I have...
My mom and I talked multiple times a week on our drives home, and had lots of interesting conversations...
I updated my life goals...
I also decided to be bold over the summer.. Pretty funny considering all the changes summer brought me..
God and I continued our never ending learning curve about leadership and marriage.. One day maybe it'll be put to good use!

Small group friends

Meeting Vera!

June. Was. Crazy. Seriously, I have no idea how I fit so much into it.
I met a longtime friend FINALLY.

4th of July

DC Fireworks

Then there was July... Oh the infamous July... In the beginning of the month I prepared to start a fast that would kick off in the middle of the month.
I had my fill of "single" comments.. and my need to share my sentiments spilled out into a mostly sarcastic and humor infused post..
I struggled with relationships, and conflicts.. Which is good.... and usually feel terrible.
And then.. I naively posted about despising parts of change. God and I did battle as I kicked off the 40 day freedom fast.

"The Pencil" - Washington Monument

Prayer and Change, that is what this year felt consumed with.


 

Bachata Congress!

August was C.R.A.Z.Y. - I interviewed for a new job.. danced.. seriously injured myself.. accepted a new job.. and prepared to move.

Ice Cream eating competition - with our Ref.

September was a blur of packing and painting, saying good-bye, crying for all sorts of reasons, and a hard to explain mix of emotions. I am not even kidding when I say, no matter how shallow it may seem, choosing to leave DC and move back to MI was one of the hardest things I have done. Not because it was actually hard, and not because I struggled with whether God was leading me, but because I loved my friends and church there, and it felt safe, like home.

The murals I painted in my office

Then, what felt like the culmination of the first 9 months of 2012 finally exploded into crystal clear depiction of what it was pointing to... And, as always, God took care of me.

Vormund!

Oh man did I begin to get overwhelmed and totally humbled by the task before me... I set to the task of doing my job, and doing it well... and then I never slept. Literally.

Change.. oh October was about change.. in every sense of the word.. Life, Work, Puppy.. change change everywhere..

Three of my siblings - They make me laugh a lot

Oh sweet November... I don't really remember you because I was busy.
Busy raising a puppy and loving people for Jesus.. That is until I got sick, then I still had to raise a puppy and love people for Jesus, but felt like I was going to die.. or cough up a lung.. or never ever get enough sleep again. (dramatic much?)
After a much needed trip to DC to see people I love, I became consumed with work.. I loved every bit of it, despite the 80 hours a week I was putting in.
My great grandma passed away.

My first "for real I'm an adult" Christmas tree!

December brought with it crazy amount of hours of work, but I began seeing things happening and started seeing the work I was doing having an impact! But, in the midst of seeing the impact, I also began to see difficult things, and started realizing I have no "outlet" and will quickly burn out at the pace I was keeping.

Getting to be a fun aunt

I wrote my first guest post: Don't Be Afraid to Date...
And, my puppy is growing.. a lot.. and is sick..

Teaching munchkins how to make funny faces

What is crazy to me is that I tagged a LOT of the blog posts I wrote throughout this year.. but, I only chose a few from each month.. which means, this is merely a glossary overview of the year, the trials, the struggles, the joy, the friends, the trips, the meltdowns.. it amazes me at the sheer amount of things God has done and the prayers He has answered this year. Blows my mind. I am somewhere between totally overwhelmed and really stoked to see what He uses this building block of a year for in the future...

I have grown so much this year, and as difficult and at times painful as it was, I would never give it back nor change it. I am so beyond humbled at the task before me, but also at the friends and family that support me...

Who am I that God should use me?

2012 was a year unlike any other.
2012 was a year of prayer.
2012 was a year of change.

The Year I Was 24...

Wow.. 2009 is almost over. What?!.. I cannot believe this year has absolutely FLOWN by! I am pretty sure I say this every New Years, but seriously... Where did the year go?

So, plans for this New Years Eve... Time Square, NYC. It is not really that I have this overwhelming desire to stand in one place for 8+ hours, surrounded by thousands of people who are probably wasted... Or that I especially like the idea of standing in the rain the entire time as a cherry on top... But, I want to say I have done it at least once... And, the people I am going with will ensure it is a BLAST. So.. Off to NYC we go :) I am really excited!

Ok, onto the review. Be prepared for a pretty large array of things to be covered :)

I started out the year with almost black hair, and in the course of 2009 I went to orange, blonde, light brown, light brown with dark brown highlights, and red hair.

I have traveled 40,000 miles in my car. Including going to Charlotte, NC 3 times, Washington, DC 4 times, Ft. Jackson, SC once, Louisville, KY once, Atlanta once, Orlando/Ft. Lauderdale once, and Home 3 times. I also flew out to AZ to see one of my other best friends and a couple other friends.

I went to Cincinnati and Myrtle Beach over the summer with my Work.. and while it was tiring.. LOVED it.

I have had visitors from home, my dad, my brother, roomie, best friend, another best friend and his wife, and of course my ENTIRE immediate family, plus a girlfriend for Thanksgiving.

I moved again in the same city... Now I live in a house with two girls and a dog and love it.

I had a stalker, and went to the police 3 times.

I took up dancing and LOVE it. I now can Salsa, Merenge, Cha Cha, Bachata, Cumbia, and Tango (some).

I hiked 3 mountains, including one in the middle of the night.

Ran my first 5k. "The Marine Corps. Mud Run" had a blast, and it introduced my best friend and I to a group of people that I (we) cherish very much now.

I made dozens of friends, and several friends who will be in my life until we are no longer here. :)

I gained dozens upon dozens of inside jokes and things that make me laugh or smile just thinking of them.

I made the splash page of Liberty University for their new SnowFlex Complex.. And, all their promotional material. Totally unaware that was what the photo-shoot was for! lol

Began running before work with one of my best friends, but, when it got too cold we switched to after work and got a YMCA membership and now work out 4 days a week.

I have lost 8lbs... which does not seem like a big deal, but since I had been 175 since I was 17... that's a long time to stay the same weight.

Survived my first year at my job, and began round two... Feeling oh so much more prepared then the first time around :)

Went to several weddings, and had to miss several more.

Gained a new uncle and 3 new cousins... but missed the wedding cause of work.

My little brother graduated high school... (whoa!) AND, he got a girlfriend he's been with all year :)

I happily stayed single and did not go on any dates all year.

I read several books, but wished I had time to read more...

Joined the leadership team for my Sunday School class. Planned and executed LOTS of parties for our group.

Then of course there are all the things God and I worked on and did... There is no possible way to name them all, but it is pretty safe to say that I have really learned a lot this year about trust, faith, unconditional love, patience, sacrifice, obedience, vulnerability, submission, support, consistency, prayer, and Truth. It has proven to be an interesting year with LOTS and LOTS of things God wanted me to learn and re-learn. There were months that were so absolutely amazing I began to wonder why, and if it meant really tough times were coming. Other times I felt like I was being crushed under the weight of the things I had to learn. I look back at everything and it was a really great year. Rough, wonderful, full of LOTS of laughter, and even tears...

The thing that excites me the most is I can see growth in all areas of my life. I can see how I am so very different now then I was last Christmas. I can actually see the patience and unconditional love having matured in new ways in my mind and heart. My understanding (while not perfect or completely fulfilled) has definitely grown. My contentment with where God has me is such a wonderful blessing to my heart, especially in the guys arena.

I actually FEEL like a different person then I did last year. Much more settled in who I am, who I was created to be, much more at peace with things I cannot control, and a whole lot more confident in who I am.

The year I was 24 was a great year, I am so very thankful and excited about 2010! :)

Things I'm Excited About...

So, I thought it makes sense to explain things I'm excited about for this year..

I'm turning 24.. WEIRD!.. haha

I'm excited to see what God has in store for me THIS year.. since each year seems to be getting crazier and "further out there" :) I mean, I think back and 2008 was INSANE.. I made 2 major moves and 1 minor one, lived in 3 states (dang it for taxes.. man is that gonna be a pain!), and where I thought I was gonna be now a year ago, isn't even close.. whoa, I love how God's plan moves :)

I'm excited to get my finances stable for the first time (that counts) in my life! I finally feel like I'm at a place where I'm not two steps behind my bills... Between the basic bills and the random ones I wasn't expecting, I was feeling like I was barely floating.. But I realized a couple days ago how much headway I'm making on my bills and it was exciting! :)

I'm excited to read through the Bible this year (for the first time EVER).. Although, I'm gonna struggle with the "begot" section lol (Thanks to Phil I found a cool place to do that Here, and I have asked a couple friends to do it with me so I can do my normal "I wonder why..." :) And.. haha my poor dad gets to serve as my reference book (hey, if you had a Greek reference that can explain everything around and involving questions.. and to top it all off the reference loves you.. You'd use it too! ;)

I'm excited to have new adventures I haven't even thought of yet!.. woohoo!

I am excited about the fact that I feel like I have something to aim for.. I mean more than the basics of "Love Jesus, Love others." But, more along the lines of what Jesus wants from me.. I feel like my puzzle has enough pieces that I can begin to see my picture.. It's exciting! :)

I'm excited that I have the chance to bring missions trips to my work.. and I have co-workers just as excited about it as I am! :) Now we just have to get the board and our donors on with the mission and goals we have! :)

I can't wait to see how my relationships with my kids develop and grow.. I hope I get the chance to make a good difference in their life! I love talking and interacting with them.. they are truly special and precious, and I take such delight in talking with them and getting to know them :)

I'm excited that I will get the chance to travel some this year! (Around the country, and hopefully outside the country once or twice! ;)

I'm excited that I have a place that is "mine" where I don't feel like I will be moving soon or that what I'm doing is just the temporary hold over until "my real life begins"... I mean I want to be itinerant (a word that's been stuck in my head for a while now..), but for this particular time I am excited that I have a base place to start and call mine.

I am excited because I have an amazing group of friends, here where I live, back home, from school (aka all over the country now). And they are so good to me, and truly push me and help me grow...They make me laugh, and encourage me, crack my back, make fun of my cracking/sick voice, listen to me as I vent, listen and offer feedback as I weed through the muddled thoughts about whatever, and just love me.. I hope I can do the same for them :) I want to show Jesus more like they do :)

I am excited cause for the first time in a long time I don't feel like I'm "missing out" because I'm single... instead I see it as this incredible blessing that will last for a while.. I don't know how long, and I'm ok with that cause, I like what I can do now. I'll be able to use it to bless and help others, and experience things I wouldn't be able to if I were trying to also focus on another person's needs. I finally feel like it's not a "that is better than this," but more "this is a fantastic adventurous time... and that will be totally different and awesome too... when it's right."

How exciting this year will be. A challenge, rough, fun, exciting, a time to change and be completely different.. but mostly just exciting cause I'll be growing. :)

I've also included "Open Me" by Shawn McDonald.. This song is currently my voice for what I'm talking to God about :) And, again in case anyone has forgotten.. he is my favorite artist.. SO talented, and somehow creates songs that I feel would be what my heart would create if it could :)