Exceedingly Blessed

Yesterday I turned 23 years old. And yesterday I was overwhelmed with God's kindness to me. He gave me much joy and humility in my day, and that was such a blessing. I loved that my birthday fell on a Sunday this year, because that's the best day of the week! Joy was so sweet to come with me in the morning and keep me company, as I have a few responsibilities before the service.

My mom is amazing. She knew so well how to care for me and bless me on my birthday. She contacted a couple of my girl friends and asked them to get a few others to surprise me by taking me out for lunch. She also threw me a card shower. I was surprised by both, and I actually didn't know the card shower was planned until today (although I wondered at the amount of cards I got). She is so sweet. I couldn't ask for a better mom. Steve Heitland announced my birthday before he started his sermon and told people to be sure someone took me out to lunch and/or dinner (very thoughtful of him and unexpected, as well as quite amusing...it kinda makes me laugh!). My mom watched me like a hawk after the meeting to make sure that I didn't leave or let anyone else snag me for lunch, because I did not know what they had planned!

After lunch, at the Iron Hill Brewery, I came home and relaxed for little while with my family before we had dinner (birthdays seem to elicit much food!)

Both sets of my grandparents came over by 7 pm, and we do what we do for birthdays. And I love it. I am so blessed. I love our whole family in one room interacting together. Of course it's nice to be encouraged and prayed for as well, but what struck me most this year (and my past couple birthdays) is how immensely blessed I am to have all 4 of my grandparents alive, involved in my life, and loving our Savior.

You can see that I decided to get comfy for the evening!

I was thinking a little about what God has done in my life and my heart this year, and I was amazed at how much that is! The following are some of the circumstances, in chronological order:

- Injuring my back in a sledding accident,

- Graduating from MU,

- Celebrating one of my best friend's wedding (Linda),

- Getting hit by another car and totaling my parents' car,

- Starting to work at the church office,

- Buying my first car,

- Missing out on my first family summer vacation,

- Dealing with hypoglycemia and issues with my back,

- Standing with many of my friends as they get engaged, married, or pregnant

- Being able to bless my family by giving more for Christmas gifts now that I work full time

- Watching my parents walk through another difficult financial year, and learning to trust God

- Forming and deepening many relationships

That is a list of some of the major circumstances in my past year. But what stands out to me and comes first to mind when I think of this past year is how much I have come to see the pervasiveness of my sin in seeking my own glory instead of God's. He has worked so much in the areas of humility and servanthood in my life, exposing how absent they are. And what is amazing is how He clearly showed me that is what I needed to grow in at almost the beginning of my 22nd year. From the circumstances that I could see ahead of me then, I knew that I would need to learn to die to myself and cultivate a joy in serving for God's glory and His alone. Galations 1:10 was often on my mind. I am pretty much seeking my own glory every moment of the day. In essence what my heart wants most, left to its sinful tendency, is to be god and be worshipped by others. There is absolutely no moment in time that I am not (most often unconsciously) seeking my own glory, except by the power of God's grace. And His grace is powerful. Oh how beautiful! Because God has saved and adopted me, He has replaced that deepest desire for myself with a deeper desire for Him. That is my new core, and it has been from the moment He saved me. And as He reveals more of the expanse and depth of my sin of self-seeking, He also shows me that His grace is greater still. At the core of my heart I now do have a desire for Him and His glory above my own. He triumphs over self-pity in pain and suffering. He brings the sweetness to unnoticed serving. He blows me away with the example of Christ's humility, and turns my heart from bitterness to amazement at the opportunities I have to mirror Christ in even the slightest form.

My Father is faithful, and I am so grateful that I am His.