Those pivotal moments.

Tonight I let my mind wander a little bit.

I try not to let it go too often, or I start thinking selfishly and wallowing in self-pity. But tonight, my mind went, instead of to a certain place, situation, or person, to a certain time.  A year ago, in fact.

Last March, I broke my foot. I hated my major and was failing my classes. I wanted to get a new job–or at least a new position. I just wanted DIFFERENT.

At this time in my life, almost April, in the year 2013, I was working on that job thing. I was struggling to finish the semester. I was getting ready to go to court for my speeding ticket. I was going to physical therapy twice a week. I had no idea that at this time the following year–2014–I would be here. In Grenada. By myself. For 6 months. A grown-up. But here I am. Here I am, doing something few can or would do. And I sit and wallow in self-pity and wonder how I’ll ever make it through this challenging chapter of my life.

HELLO. I’m on the adventure of a lifetime! God has done GREAT things in me, for me, to me, and with me over the past year! 2014 is going to be a great year. It has been already, in spite of my low spots. But we’ve only got 277 days left of 2014. Only one more day left of March. Treat each day like an adventure. There is a challenge to face, but there is a goal to meet. And trust me…I’m writing this as a reminder to myself.

Everyone has that pivotal point in their year where they look back and go, “Wow, look how far I’ve come,” or, sadly, “Wow, look how far I’ve gone.” Our yearly trip to The Wilds, NC used to be one of my pivotal points. Now, since I’m too old for TWNC, I typically base my year around High Point. Of course we all look back when we celebrate New Year’s. But High Point is a time to get away from everything and get alone with God, worship Him with other believers, and share Him with young people; and every year when we go, I take some time to think: “Ok, what has God showed me since I was here last? Am I closer to Him, or farther away? Has it been a gradual process since last year, or has it been up and down?”

Honestly though, take some time, right now, to consider all that God has done in you, for you, to you, and with you over the past year. Look at where He has brought you from, and praise Him for it. Or analyze why you don’t see how He has blessed you, or why you feel farther from Him. We all need to come to that pivotal point and recognize that, even though we aren’t where or how we should be yet, He has certainly brought us a long way.

Isaiah 43: 19

“Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.”