As year full of closing doors comes to an end, I know that God will do a new thing in 2019.

December 2017, as I prayed for the coming year, the Lord gave me a word picture concerning the year ahead. I stood in a room full of doors. all but a few stood wide open. Beyond each door was an image of what was behind it – our church family, our home in Corunna, our finances, and so on. With a gust of wind, doors slammed shut. I asked God why he was closing all these doors that led to things I enjoyed. He said, “So I can open other doors.”

The events that happened in 2018 rocked our family in many ways.

Satan made attempts to steal our second born from us. Once when he was clotheslined and electrocuted by a downed service cable and again when he was plagued with thoughts of suicide (I praise God that he told a friend and that friend reached out to the right people.) Satan failed miserably because God’s hand is constantly on his life. These events have rocked our finances to say the least but God used what was meant to bring harm and used them for his glory and we celebrated the holidays feeling blessed abundantly.

We bought a house in 2018 but it wasn’t the house we thought we would buy. Jon, my husband, put in for a transfer to Georgia but it never went through. Instead, we bought a home in the next town over. Again, Something else that did not go according to plan though we feel overwhelmingly blessed. It has everything we needed and a bit of what we wanted. I couldn’t ask for more. The sad part of this event was the day we moved into our new home, my grandmother was moved into an assisted living home. Having 24 hour care available to her was key and the family just could not provide that. I am happy to report that she loves it there. she has people around all the time and she can laugh and tell her jokes. (Now if this naughty granddaughter can get her backside over there for a visit. It has been a couple of months)

More house than I know what do do with. LOL!

Lastly, we made one of the most difficult decisions of the year. After months of prayer and warnings to find replacements for my obligations, we realized it was time to leave the church we had attended for almost ten years. It was a tearful goodbye but I look forward to seeing what God has in mind in 2019 for our family and the church.

All of this change proved one thing – God has a plan and I need to trust it. It hasn’t always been easy but I know that He will never lead me astray. The doors He closed in 2018 will only lead to New Things in 2019.

So, here’s to 2019 – May you find hope in Christ, build your faith through the walk and love your neighbor unconditionally.