2021 In Retrospect

"You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives." - Genesis 50:20

2021, you were incredibly hard - in fact, one of the hardest. BUT I will look back on you remembering that despite the challenges, you were the year in which I get and saw how God was good in every.single.moment. 

God was good by deepening my walk with Jesus. The richness of my journey with Jesus has for sure been my favorite part of the year. Studying the Word and discovering new and exciting things has been what has kept my soul nourished when the enemy attempted every which way to zap it out. I am forever grateful to my church Kairos Nashville/Brentwood Baptist Church for how they have carried me through this year through messages, music, but most especially the encouragement of their people. 

God was good by surrounding me with amazing family and friends from all aspects of life who encouraged, challenged, prayed for, laughed, and cried with me. They have reminded me through cards, texts, hugs, and hard conversations that my strength lies solely and wholly in the Lord and nowhere else.

God was good by blessing my heart with serving others. For sure through outreaches and mission projects, but also in some aspects I didn’t expect at work and most especially through next gen ministries! I got to pour my heart into some pretty terrific 4th & 5th grade girls on Wednesday nights and see what more one-on-one discipleship looks like. Not only that, but I was able to be a stronger part of an amazing special needs ministry that I know God is going to anoint come early 2022!

God was good by reminding me of His promises - especially through music. The main song I clung to this year was “Goodness of God” and before I even knew what the year would bring, I found myself singing it - at the beginning of the year as a song of hope for those in attendance at my grandmother’s funeral, in the middle of the year as a song of strength for myself when everything felt like it was falling apart, and at the end of the year with my sisters and brothers in Christ as a song of thankfulness for seeing with my own eyes how no matter what, God is good.

And so 2021, what the enemy meant for discouragement and hopelessness for me this year, God meant for good (Gen. 50:20) and I see that, oh do I see it. And as you become a memory after today, I will carry the reminder of God’s goodness in you with me all the days of my life.

“All my life, He has been faithful, all my life, He has been so so good, with every breath that I am able, I will sing of the goodness of God.”