2008 - A Year of Change (no this is NOT about Obama!)

Lisa and I were at lunch the other day talking about our hopes for 2009. Isn't it amazing what a new year brings. Part of looking ahead means looking back as well. 2008 could be summarized in one word for me: "change".

Here is just a short list of changes I have experienced in 2008:
I moved... not once, but twice!!
I got a new job (which is really two jobs. Which also meant I had to leave my old one.)
Three good friends got married (Danielle, Elizabeth, & Janine).
Many of my closest friends moved away (Marti, Danielle, The Coates Family, Janine, Elizabeth, Flora).
Three of my friends had babies! (Tyler, Nathan, & Karis)
A few of my friends have been in the hospital.
I have spoken twice at singles events (and liked it!).
... and I am sure there were many more I have forgotten.

Most of these were not easy changes at all. They had an emotional level on them that was at times too painful for words (if you read my blog... I think you probably know what I am talking about). Even in the happiest times, I often had a feeling of lost, regret, and sadness. Change is hard! I have had some major lows in 2008. That is not to say that it has all been bad, but a majority of my 2008 milestones were valleys. I pray that 2009 will bring more peaks.

My hopes for 2009 are to...
Spend more time with God. Inviting Him into my everything.
Have more opportunities to speak and write.
Deepen my current relationships. Including being more intentional with my family.
Love the girls in my small group better.
Start new relationships that have greater variety and diversity.
Better balance church life and non-church life (making non-church life more than just sitting home alone).
Go to a rheumatologist to start preventative treatments.
Travel more. (Including missions)
Be more confident and take more risks at work.

Ok... that's enough :) It's only a year, after all. Those are just my hopes and plans... I know God's will trumps all of those! And I am ok with that :)