In one week what has been the best year of my life will come to a beautiful end. I’m sad to see it go, but I'm excited for what’s next. So I thought I’d give it a proper farewell and acknowledge all the wonderful lessons and memories this year gave me.

25 you've been amazing. From the very first day I felt it. You marked a new season in my life, a fresh start.

This year I fell in love - with God, with myself, and the life I’ve been given. I discovered new passions, stopped chasing after a relationship status, and started chasing after my God-given purpose.

I found my voice as a writer, and started sharing it with the world without fear and hesitation. I discovered a gifting for teaching and a passion to help people live in the freedom and joy only Jesus can give. I saw doors of opportunity open not because I was seeking them, but rather because I was seeking God.

Prayers from years ago were answered beyond my wildest dreams. I’ve met amazing people and made a wonderful community of friends. I remember praying night and day for friends like the ones I have now. People who, through their friendship, remind me of God’s love and goodness each time I’m around them. I thought that the friends I made two years ago were the answer to my prayer. Though they were a part of it, I now realize that God had so much more in store for me. He is always working on a much larger scale than we can see.

However, the best part of this year was finally being healed – from my 10 year battle with depression and from a broken (rather shattered) heart that felt like it would never be made whole again. I now know that God can give purpose to any pain no matter how deep, whether self-inflicted or circumstantial.

He creates beauty from ashes. If you allow him to, He’ll bring you to a new level of intimacy with him. You’ll experience his gentleness and compassion, and understand that His love really is unconditional.

There are quite a few things that I’m still growing in, like contentment (because I never am) and patience. I'm learning to stop longing for “what’s next” and start embracing the beauty and adventure that can be found today. Life is now, not at the end of some goal or timeline. It's happening all around, waiting to be appreciated and enjoyed. But so often we’re too busy looking towards the horizon to notice the blessings right in front of us. They won't always be there and life won't always be like this. So we need to enjoy it!

Lastly, I’ve learned that life in Christ only gets better. I don’t mean easier, but rather sweeter, because we have the opportunity to grow in our relationship with Christ and become the person God's created us to be.

25, I love you but I’m gracefully letting you go so I can fully embrace whatever it is God has ordained for me next.

I challenge you to do the same. sometimes we can't wait to move on to what's next. and then, there are times we're afraid to let go of what we have in fear that nothing will ever be as good as it is right now. In Christ, the best is always yet to come.

Surrender your fears, regrets, expectations, plans, dreams to Him and He will do exceedingly more in and with your life than you could ever imagine.

This will be my last post until my re-launch on May 16th! Be sure to subscribe via email (on the side bar) or stay connected through my Facebook page.