Remember...

I just began another book by Philip Yancey.  He has to be one of my favorite writers mostly because he is so honest about his faith and the parts of the Christian life he struggles with.  I just finished a chapter he wrote about the book of Deuteronomy and he said that he would sum up the theme of the book in one word:  Remember.

Moses called upon the Israelites to remember how God had been with them in their passage from Egypt and in their trials in the wilderness.  He did this because it is in our nature to forget.

And so at the end of the old year and the beginning of a new one, I wanted to take time to remember what God has done in my life over the past year.

Last year started in a marvelous way...Will and I attended a conference called Passion in Atlanta.  I took so many wonderful ideas away from those days that I would put to use in many other events I was involved in last year.  It was a very profitable week.

I was invited to speak at several different events last year.  I led the women's retreat in February, spoke at a church in Indiana in April, and also got to speak at our ladies' bible conference in September.  All that was in addition to being able to speak many times at Camp of the Woods.  I loved all the opportunities, and I hope the new year brings more.  

The summer at Camp of the Woods was once again a tremendous blessing.  We have so many friends there now that are dear to our hearts, and spending time with them is always special.  I have become very attached to many of the campers, and it is so good to be able to reconnect with them and have another opportunity to teach them about Jesus.  I am also thankful for the leadership role I have been allowed to take on in this ministry.  It has been very fulfilling to be valued and embraced as a leader.

Personally, it has been a good year.  Will got his pilot's license and is continuing to pursue this career.  He is entering his last semester at UTC and will be student teaching.  He will be graduating in May, and we are all looking forward to that.  Brandon and Kathryn are expecting a baby in July, and Phil and I are very excited at the prospect of becoming grandparents.  I've heard it's wonderful!  My parents are doing well and such a blessing to have nearby, and I am so thankful for all that they mean to me. I got to spend lots of time (but never enough) with my sister Penny.  I will miss her when she moves off to Bulgaria in February.  Finally, our dear friend Ben got married, and we are so happy for him in this new chapter of his life.

God has been teaching me so much as I continue to help my aunt and uncle in Indiana with their needs.  This has been a very hard thing to do, but I am so thankful for all the ways it is helping shape my thoughts about life and growing older.  

God continues to be gracious and merciful to me in my life.  I have to include the words from Psalm 71:5-6 because they are so true for me: "For you are my hope, O Lord God, my confidence since I was young.  I have been sustained by you ever since I was born; from my mother's womb you have been my strength; my praise shall be always of you."

I'll close with some words from Philip Yancey.  They also are very true, and make me thankful that I serve a God who also remembers.  I am very aware that I am one of the "dusty ones."

Dust, Hapiru, "the dusty ones," the old Egyptian slang word for the Hebrews--God remembers that we are dust.  As Moses taught so clearly, evil is unpreventable and punishment inevitable.  But we have a  God who consciously forgets our sins and consciously remembers our frailty.  We have a God who travels by our side, who tabernacles among us through the vast and dreadful wilderness.  We have a God of grace, who loves even the dusty ones--especially the dusty ones.