First Quarter Of 2016

~ pearlgirl

It is now the last day of March. Another month has come and gone, and here we are, a quarter of the way through 2016.

A year ago I posted a quarterly post. I’m pretty sure I didn’t end up doing one for the rest of the quarters, but that’s okay. These quarters are a good time to reevaluate how we’re doing on our goals and to look at where we stand.

woman-695454_1280This month has been pretty rough for me, but it’s amazing what strength and resiliency we find when we reach our lowest points. I’ve gotten back to the core of who I am. And although I’m not strictly feeling the best, that gives me hope. It feels so good to see that part of me that I’ve been missing for so long.

I’ve struggled for a long time with a feeling of a lost identity. But so far in 2016 my wrestling with it has become stronger. I’ve realized that being totally hollowed out to the point that I was can still be God’s blessing. He can redeem time. He can redeem and restore my brokenness, and I am renewed. The drought won’t last forever.

A couple years ago I reached my lowest point, the only reason I’m still here is because all that was left in me was a spark of God’s Spirit. I’ve learned (and will continue to learn) to cast my cares on God, to trust Him and His strength, to pray His word and to rely on Him to comfort my anxious heart. He is faithful.

hands-1281835_1280I stepped into this year with the goal to be intentional. And I have been to a degree, especially in my prayers and my relationship with God. He’s shown me who I am. I’m not whole or complete yet, but I do have hope for that healing.

I’ve seen a change in myself this year. The ground beneath me has been shifting, the change in me may be slow like a steady stream of water that will smooth out the rough edges of the rock around us, but I have faith now that we can rebuild and be stronger than we were before.

Darkness can’t survive in light, so I step into the light and let the darkness in me fade away.

What has your first quarter of 2016 looked like? Do you have a word for the year that you try to live by?

8 thoughts on “First Quarter Of 2016”

  1. If I had to choose one word to describe this year so far, it would be ‘courage’. That’s not to say that I think I’m brave, but rather that I want to grow in courage. I’ve been trying to speak up more, volunteer more often, and say no when I don’t feel comfortable with something. It hasn’t been an easy journey, but I know it’ll be worth it. Thank you for sharing your own thoughts and journey 🙂

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    1. What a wonderful word! Courage can take a lot of effort and thought, but it’s so rewarding when we’re able to grasp it. That’s definitely something I need to work on too. I hope you’re able to forge your path and find the courage you need to follow it. 🙂

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  2. I didn’t go into this year with a word, but it seems that “waiting” is what is to come of it.

    Yesterday rounded out a full year of caring for our foster kid, Shrek, and we recently learned we have 6 months to go. That is an unusually long amount of time for a foster case, but there is hope Shrek can be returned home. In the meantime, I am having to wait on God’s plan and timing. Shrek could be returned home, or could end up being adopted by us. It has been- and will be- difficult, but there is so much I am learning along the way. 🙂

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    1. I will pray for patience and the ability to trust God through the waiting and uncertainty. It sounds like a very challenging path with a wonderful potential for growth and wisdom. Thank you for sharing. 🙂

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