Reflecting on 2019
2019 has been a whirlwind to say the least. From embarking on some incredible journeys and welcoming new life into the world to beginning new endeavors and closing the door on others, life has been pretty exciting! So, before we say Merry Christmas and hello to 2020, let’s take a second to reflect on 2019.
One of the most vivid memories I have of 2019 is the morning of April 4th.
I will never forget waking up early that morning to my phone ringing, jumping out of bed, and running around trying to get myself together when I received the news that my nephew was being born. Yes...I did run into a few things in the rush to get out of the door and to the hospital, but it was all worth it. Charlie has been a blessing to us all and we cannot wait to continue watching him grow throughout 2020...but we hope he doesn’t grow up too fast!
This past year has also brought some wonderful new friends into my life while also strengthening some older friendships. I am so grateful to have a few special people, apart from my family, that support and love me unconditionally. I also made memories all over the world from Honduras to Ireland and spent a lot of time with family in between. I started my blog, had the opportunity to share my story at many speaking events, and was even on the radio and the news. Arguably the most exciting achievement is that 2019 is the year that I finally, after seven years, ended my college career!
2019 did not come without its struggles, however.
Throughout all of these accomplishments there were days of immense frustration, exhaustion, and feelings of defeat. I struggled with finding the motivation and energy to finish school while also feeling very anxious about what my next steps would be after graduation. I experienced days when I was just so tired of being blind that all I wanted to do was stay in bed. There were a lot of moments over the past year that I completely broke down emotionally and gave in to worry, fear, and sadness. These hardships helped me to learn a couple of important lessons in 2019:
Worrying gets you nowhere. Be present, don’t dwell on the past or obsess over the future. Just do your best in the moment and enjoy where you are.
God is working, even in the hard times. So, hold your head up, keep moving through that valley, and trust that better days are waiting for you on the other side. 1 Peter 4:13 says “rejoice in as much as you participate in the sufferings of Christ so that you may be overjoyed when His glory is revealed.”
After reflecting on 2019, I realized that my biggest accomplishments didn’t consist of giving a great speech at a speaking engagement, receiving hundreds of views on a blog post, or even earning my college degree. Instead, I am most proud that I was able to fight through the hard moments, hours, and days knowing that God would help me come out stronger and more faithful on the other side.
Overall, the ups and downs that the year brought helped me to learn, grow, and experience so many new things.
