2013 going 14...before, after and in between

Happy New Year!

I've been meaning to write this post since the 1st of January but we've been very busy with gatherings here and there. But I promised myself that I'll keep a record of my thoughts during the holidays (which were a lot) so allow me to start as this might be a long one..hehe

2013 has been a very BIG year for me. I've been blessed BIG time, and my thank yous, no matter how often I say them, would never be enough to express how grateful how I am to God for every part of it! My faith goal to have my foundations laid has been answered, and as I contemplated on my faith goal for this year, I felt that God is not yet finished laying down my foundations. Further, I know that while he also means to strengthen some of these foundations, He has greater plans for the other areas of my life and I can't wait to see them happen in his perfect time!

I had a lot of highlights, with more ups than downs (praise God!) and here are some of them:
- first visit at the Prayer Mountain
- promotion to Nurse 1, yey! and all the perks/benefits that came with it
- mid-year transfer from direct patient care at the ward to the Nursing Services Office (and accomplishing things I never thought I would/could do)
- regular meetings with Jam
- first out-of-town trip with Cell-u-lite (my cell group) in Batangas
- the opportunity to be present in almost all family gatherings
- FCF membership (finally!)
- regular song leading at church
- having enough resources to give to the missions and to the victims of typhoon Yolanda (thank you Lord that we took the role of givers, and not the recipients)
- finishing my first non-academic (aka school-related) research and winning at the Annual Research Forum
- longest vacation since I started working (almost two weeks!!!)

...and of course, my daily highlight!- God's constant provision, protection, guidance, love, grace, and many more! Jesus, you really are the B-E-S-T!(I'm channeling 2NE1's I am the best as I say this..haha)

But seriously, God has been very good and gracious to me; and everything that happened, I know that they're not because 2013 was the year of the Snake (I was born in 1989, also the year of the snake) but because it's God's will for me:)

So thank you Lord because your will is always pleasing and perfect, and whatever year or day it may be, thank you that I am assured of your great and wonderful plans for me!

And on that note...I can't wait for what's in store for me this 2014!

Actually, it's beginning to get exciting already with my new responsibility at church (I'm a member of the prayer team, yay!) and a new job opportunity which I'm still praying for. Our biggest faith goal will probably be acquiring the House, but knowing God, I know that there'll be a lot of surprises that would just pop in here and there. I also intend to begin with my post-graduate studies this year, and step up in my prayer life. I'm turning 25 on August and my sisters say that I've become serious/grumpy. I've also lost contact with some close friends and I feel that I've become less thoughtful and malambing over the years so I have a lot of self-improvement to do in sooooo many aspects of my life.

But knowing that God is at my side (front, back, on top, all around:), I'll just take one day at a time, counting my days aright and striving to glorify him in everything I think, say, and do. That would summarize my New Year Resolve as well (also my forever biggest challenge, but I claim Zechariah 4:6), and as I end this, allow me to wish you and all of us a blessed and fruitful year ahead! Let's make God the center of each day and king of our lives, as we allow ourselves to be surprised by his amazing love, goodness and graciousness for all those who fear and trust in Him!

A Joyful New Year to all of us!