Another year has come and gone. And once again, I have a name. I never named any of “my” years before three years ago, and I’ll be happy to see the habit fall away again if it means life is simmering down to a half-routine, half-normal one.
I’ve made a list. A list of all the things we have at the beginning of 2019 that we did not have at the beginning of 2018…and it’s staggering:
- A brand new role in occupational ministry that we enjoy, and which has brought back some dearly-missed and very welcome companions, for instance purpose.
- A new State in the south of the USA––1st time living in Georgia, and we love the warmer climate. (However, our move to get here was certainly nothing new—it was #19 (in 23 years of marriage)!)
- Scores of new regular prayer supporters, not to mention our own better follow-through with more regular updates than we’ve had in many years.
- 74! financial supporters of our brand new ministry, 53 of them monthly. Another 10 who donated multiple times in 2018. We’re simply overwhelmed.
- A house here in Georgia that was perfect for our family and move-in ready when we bought it. (The story of how we got in it, when we were buying out of state and I was making near-minimum wage in NY, is an absolute miracle story. A few dozen of you have been told the story because you played a role in it.)
- Three new vehicles. A second and third car for Tammy and the teens, then a motorcycle for Dann. One of the cars and the bike were gifts, if you can believe it. (You may recall that our existing 8-passenger vehicle was also a gift in 2016. And you may recall that I had been given a bike in NY as well, but before we moved, I felt clearly led to give it away. Now here I’ve been given another one! He sure speaks our love languages, doesn’t he?)
- 8 happy kids who love where they live.
- A great new church family (though we miss regular interaction with those who became family in our NY church).
- Stability
- Contentment about the future, etc., etc.
It is, without doubt, a year worth naming––the 3rd in a row*––because 2018 was another dramatic year for our family, and truly nothing compares to these three years.**
I’m calling 2018:The Year of Victory.
‘Cause did you read that list? Sure, 2018 may not have been one non-stop bed-a-roses, but… Did you read that list? Major changes. Major breakthroughs. Major questions that were up in the air for what felt like forever during our two limbo years in NY… answered.
Answered! I gotta say, even for someone who relishes questions, I’m loving answers.
God has been faithful, and he was faithful all the while. Faithful when our faith wavered and faithful when it didn’t. He has brought us out of the woods.
We are so, so thankful to be where we are, doing what we do, and being supported by the people that support us (a not-insignificant contingent of those being friends from our New York stopover, I must add).
Surely one of the darker clouds of 2018 would have to be our yet-unsold house still sitting empty in NY. A tracing of that emotional roller coaster through the year would fill pages; I’ll save you the navel-gazing. In fact, some time after the thought “Year of Victory” first came to mind last fall, I absolutely thought, “I cannot use that name if that house remains unsold come Dec. 31.” But that changed, too, and there have been many moments of victory along the way there, as well. Moments of faith. Of recommitment to trusting in the dark. Of slowly learning to disengage “the goodness of God” from attachment to a thing in my life that continues to appear to be only hurting me.
The Lord has brought our hearts to a place of peace; I know He is taking care of us. The house will sell, and the current taxes/utilities being “wasted” are His business. We are also so very grateful to a couple of folks to whom we owe portions of the house sale money for their patience and understanding in waiting. (“Thanks for not tossing us in debtor’s prison!”)
And so: I’m totally on board, and I’ve fully embraced it: 2018 is our Year of Victory. It’s true. And we’re so grateful.
*2016 having been “The Year of Suffering” (and I make no apologies for that name) and 2017, though holding its own share of suffering as well, “The Year of the Lord’s Provision.”
**“Happy Adoption Day!” to Everett, btw, who came home to us three years ago today.