2006 - A Year in Review

When I first began to think back on 2006, I thought that not much happened this year. I guess that is the pat answer to "what's new?". But the more I contemplated the last 365 days, the more I began to think about where I was a year ago, and where I am now. In the new year, our church hands out a survey of sorts... asking us where we were a year ago as compared to now when it came to Spiritual things.... our walk with the Lord, our prayer life, our devotions, being involved in ministry etc. As I prepared my thoughts for this post, that survey came to mind.

A year ago... January 2006. I was holding life together, but as in the many years that had passed, I was not happy, and I was not living a life that was pleasing to my Lord. I still attended church, and I was involved to some degree in ministry, but my life did not exhibit His grace and His glory. My devotional life was non existent. My prayer life was shallow. I talked the talk more than I walked the walk. I walked as closely to the line between godly things and wordly things as I could. I was doing the bare minimum to sneak into heaven. Winter passed...

As spring approached, I found myself challenged spiritually. This will be a brief summary, because I have already posted on much of this. Two things came to me though... the first being the realization that by living on the line... doing the bare minimum in my spiritual life was not only displeasing to my Father, but was cheating me out of many heavenly rewards. (See 09/28/06) That fact changed my heart... and the changes in my life followed shortly. I was also reminded of the importance of prayer and meditation on His Word. I had felt like a spiritual failure for much of my life... if I could not do it right, why bother doing it at all. It was through a Focus on the Family airing that I came to understand the importance of being close to Him. He wrote me a very special letter that He wanted me to read. He wanted to commune with me daily. I purchased a prayer journal, and worked out a system for my prayer life. I seemed to need this discipline.. this appointment with God in order to get me started. That said, things did not really get moving for me spiritually until after my trip abroad.

May 2006 was spent in a land that I think of as home... Greece! It has always been a dream of mine to visit where my ancestors came from, and to visit my family still remaining in Greece. It was perhaps one of the best times of my life. I met family for the first time that I found I shared an incredible bond with. I visited the city, the street and the home that my mother grew up in. I fell in love with the sites, the sounds, the tastes... I feel as though I left a part of my heart and soul in Greece... one day I will return and retrieve it! (And may never come back! *S*)

So I (sadly) returned home from Greece, and my spiritual journey took off. A dear friend of mine started sharing parts of her walk with me. She was telling me about the time she spent in prayer and meditation daily. At first, I thought she was just one of those really "spiritual people" ... and that her fanaticism was not for me. That said, I found myself being drawn more and more to spend quality time in His Word. Another friend started going through a rough time... a time where depression was setting in. This was one of those people who always held it together... so for her to admit this really impacted me. I felt that all I could do for her was pray, and pray hard. It was for that friend that many hours, in fact, entire days, were spent on my knees.... my prayer life suddenly had a whole new meaning. My garden became my place of worship... how I miss it now.

Summer ended with a trip to Texas... I sunned while Lo sewed. I swam while Lo stitched. She made my dress for my sisters wedding - what a wonderful job! Many thanks!

Just before leaving for Tx, I got word that I had been the successful candidate for a new job at work. It was (is) a temporary position, but one that allowed me to do something I wanted to do for some time.... become a Youth Sponsor. So since September, my Wednesday nights have been filled with a group over wonderful, enthusiastic High School students. What a blessing! What an opportunity. It is such an honour to be involved in the lives of these kids.... love it! I come away feeling as though I have received more than I have given.


Fall came along with its own struggles. A very dear friend came to me with the news that she was moving away from Ottawa. I was crushed. I remember the same night she shared that with me, I told her about a prayer that I had prayed... based on something her sister had taught me... I prayed that I would somehow become desperate for Him. During this time, through a series of events, another dear friend was brought back into my life. A friend who I had lost contact with years ago... a friend who I never thought I would see again this side of heaven. In hindsight, I can see that God was setting the stage for something.

Things in my personal and family life were taking a toll on me... I was falling apart. It was then that God began to show how to be desperate for Him. It was then that He began to show me obedience... true obedience. During this time the dear friend that God had recently brought back into my life played a key role in my sanity and growth... we talked, cried and prayed together. The struggles I was going through only strengthened our friendship... it was awesome to draw near to God alongside a dear friend.

It was also during this time that I got to know another dear sister. Now this was someone I had known forever... but I never really knew her. I had never known her beautiful spirit... her tender heart... her desire to follow Him with every last bit of her being. While she had been praying for a friend to come along side her, I was longing for the friendship of another sister in Christ. I mean, I had Christian friends, but it seemed like I had no one to really talk about God with... the great things He was doing, as well as the times when I doubted His presence in my life. God provided for both of us... she is such a blessing in my life. She thinks I see her through "rose coloured glasses". I think I see her covered in His blood. Either way, God has blessed me richly with her friendship. He has used her to comfort me and stretch my faith. He has used her to distract me from myself, and focus me on Him. He has shown me much love through her... love towards me and love pouring out of me. I have been blessed.

Fall ended (although you would never know if by the weather), and Christmas was fast approaching. If you have been keeping tabs on me, you already know what kind of Christmas it was... one of joy, one of love, one of greater understanding, and one of many blessings.

So as the year ended, I ask myself the same questions our church asks us to reflect upon. Have I grown in Him? Yes! Is my prayer life any different? Yes! What about my devotions / meditation on His Word? Yes again! Am I serving Him? Am I involved in ministry? Yes! I am still so far from where I want to be when it comes to my relationship with my Lord and Saviour. There are still areas where I struggle - there always will be. But what matters is, am I closer to God now than I was a year ago? A resounding yes!

So what are my hopes and prayers for the New Year? That's another post!