Hello All,
Yes...it has been SO long since my last post, and SO much has happened in my life since then. I have had the most exciting, craziest, scariest, unpredictable, amazing year ever! I have learned so much this year about who I am and who God is. I have grown more than I thought possible and have been shown where I still need growth.
My time in Madagascar and the other parts of Africa was incredible. It is still hard to think that I lived there. The 11th will be one year since I stepped foot on a plane and left behind everyone and everything I knew for what was completely out of my comfort zone. I had no idea what to expect and the little I did "know" was really nothing. I began a journey of independence and dependence. That was my goal. I wanted to learn to be independent from people and things and be totally dependent on God. I learned that and so much more. God has and is continuing to show me that He is ALL I need and will EVER need!! Wow....what a relief and peace that thought brings. I no longer have to find and look for things or people and rely on man to bring me what Christ has and will freely give me. I miss Africa....I can't wait for the day I will return. I find myself remembering certain people or memories that I experienced. So many amazing memories!! I was blessed with a good transition back into the states the first several weeks and I am so grateful!!
The rest of my year was unlike any other time in my life. I went to Haiti, had a bizarre "seizure" scare that ended up being nothing what it appeared. God brought me through it and I am amazed at His hand over that situation. After all that, my car blew up and I was left searching for a "new" one. He once again blessed me with a "new to me" vehicle. It has been incredible watching God work out every detail and continuing to show me more of who He is! I would go through it all again just to grow closer to Jesus!!
I began school and things are going good with that! God is providing and I am thankful!!
So as I look at this new year...I think about what I want to learn, what I want to accomplish. There are many things that seem are going to take place but God's will is always my desire. However, as I sat in church today and Chapel at Ft. Rucker, I was blessed to hear two convicting and encouraging messages. The two major take-aways I got from them was 1. To really take a look at my prayer life and ask myself....am I a person of prayer? My pastor here challenged us to log our prayer time. Write down every time you pray and see if you really are a person of prayer. What a sobering thought. 2. It's time to wake up. This world is not my home and it is quickly fading. I am not promised tomorrow and it's time to stop living for myself and what I can and can not do. I simply want to live for Jesus.
More than anything, this year, I want to have a deeper hunger for the Word, a more compassionate heart for the lost, a eagerness to share the Gospel, and a purer and deeper love for my Jesus. I want this year to be a year where I grow even more into the person He wants me to be. I look forward to what this year holds and can't wait to see what God does!!
God is so good!!
Love Loves, Dani :)
