Celebrating Thanksgiving last month got me to thinking about what I'm thankful for. Here, in no particular order, are some of my favorite things from the past year.
Christian Music: I have listened to Christian music since fourth grade, but this past year has been a particularly good one. My favorites include "The Breakup Song" by Francesca Battistelli, "Best News Ever" by MercyMe, and "He Still Does (Miracles)" by Hawk Nelson. "The Breakup Song" is written as a letter to fear to pack up and get out of our lives, and I had some fears that needed to go away, and listening to that song helped me to face them and get rid of them. "Best News Ever" is the message of the gospel in song form, and reminds us that the story of Jesus isn't just good news, it's the best news ever. "He Still Does (Miracles)" is a reminder that the power of God to perform miracles is not just something that happened in biblical times, but something that can still happen. Other great ones include "Joy" by For King and Country, "Count That High" by Jordan Feliz, "Red Letters" by Crowder, "Not Today" by Hillsong United, and "Fear is a Liar" by Zach Williams.
Bible Studies: I have done three wonderful bible studies this past year: Seamless by Angie Smith, Defiant Joy by Candace Payne, and The Case for Christmas by Lee Strobel. What I enjoyed most about Seamless was the fact that it went through the whole Bible and wove together all the stories within it. Doing this study gave me a much better understanding of the Bible than I got from the times I read it alone. Candace Payne, the author of Defiant Joy, is much better known as "Chewbacca Mom", and she infuses the humor that made her famous into the pages of her study. The study encourages participants to embrace joy in their lives because joy comes from God. After doing this study, I have found myself to be more joyful because I embrace the joy God offers to me. I just finished The Case for Christmas, which was written by the bestselling author of The Case for Christ. I enjoyed that it not only confirmed my belief in the story of Christmas, but also provided me with more of the history surrounding the birth of our Savior. This history better prepares me to obey the directive in 1 Peter 3:15, which states, "Always be ready to make your defense to anyone who demands from you an account of the hope that is in you."
St. Louis Trip: Those who read my post "Road Trip Reflections" know about my trip to St. Louis this past summer. What you don't know is why I went to St. Louis: I was auditioning for Jeopardy! While I haven't yet gotten called to appear on the show, I might still be called in the next year. Even if I don't appear on the show, however, it was still a great experience. I got to meet other potential Jeopardy! contestants, and I might get to see one of them on the show. I also learned a lot on the drive there and back, which I describe in more detail in the aforementioned post.
My Coworkers: I work at an amazing school, and the main thing that makes it so amazing is having amazing coworkers. The staff at my school are like a family. We rejoice with each other when good things happen, cry with each other during hard times, and pray for each other all the time. I got a new boss this fall, and she is a joy to work with, and her caring and joyful spirit is contagious. Even though the commute is long and the pay could be better, I am incredibly blessed to work in such a wonderful place.
My Relationship with Christ: This goes without saying, but I'm going to say it anyway: I love God and am overwhelmingly thankful that He loves me enough that He sent His Son to die for me. I have done nothing to deserve His love, but He loves me anyway. This past year of knowing Him has been especially great not only for the reasons listed above, but also because, with His help, I have finally purged away most of my anxiety. Most specifically, I have purged the anxiety that had plagued me since my first failed student teaching attempt. I hadn't realized how much it still weighed me down until a couple of my new coworkers were talking about a similar experience at the school they had left. That night, I couldn't sleep because that buried anxiety had bubbled to the surface, so I did the only thing I could do: I prayed. After a while, I could feel the anxiety melting away. When I was done praying, I felt gutted and empty, but I was finally free. And the best part is, it hasn't come back. I still get anxious from time to time, but it can't take hold of me like it used to. God is the only one that could have done that.
Christian Music: I have listened to Christian music since fourth grade, but this past year has been a particularly good one. My favorites include "The Breakup Song" by Francesca Battistelli, "Best News Ever" by MercyMe, and "He Still Does (Miracles)" by Hawk Nelson. "The Breakup Song" is written as a letter to fear to pack up and get out of our lives, and I had some fears that needed to go away, and listening to that song helped me to face them and get rid of them. "Best News Ever" is the message of the gospel in song form, and reminds us that the story of Jesus isn't just good news, it's the best news ever. "He Still Does (Miracles)" is a reminder that the power of God to perform miracles is not just something that happened in biblical times, but something that can still happen. Other great ones include "Joy" by For King and Country, "Count That High" by Jordan Feliz, "Red Letters" by Crowder, "Not Today" by Hillsong United, and "Fear is a Liar" by Zach Williams.
Bible Studies: I have done three wonderful bible studies this past year: Seamless by Angie Smith, Defiant Joy by Candace Payne, and The Case for Christmas by Lee Strobel. What I enjoyed most about Seamless was the fact that it went through the whole Bible and wove together all the stories within it. Doing this study gave me a much better understanding of the Bible than I got from the times I read it alone. Candace Payne, the author of Defiant Joy, is much better known as "Chewbacca Mom", and she infuses the humor that made her famous into the pages of her study. The study encourages participants to embrace joy in their lives because joy comes from God. After doing this study, I have found myself to be more joyful because I embrace the joy God offers to me. I just finished The Case for Christmas, which was written by the bestselling author of The Case for Christ. I enjoyed that it not only confirmed my belief in the story of Christmas, but also provided me with more of the history surrounding the birth of our Savior. This history better prepares me to obey the directive in 1 Peter 3:15, which states, "Always be ready to make your defense to anyone who demands from you an account of the hope that is in you."
St. Louis Trip: Those who read my post "Road Trip Reflections" know about my trip to St. Louis this past summer. What you don't know is why I went to St. Louis: I was auditioning for Jeopardy! While I haven't yet gotten called to appear on the show, I might still be called in the next year. Even if I don't appear on the show, however, it was still a great experience. I got to meet other potential Jeopardy! contestants, and I might get to see one of them on the show. I also learned a lot on the drive there and back, which I describe in more detail in the aforementioned post.
My Coworkers: I work at an amazing school, and the main thing that makes it so amazing is having amazing coworkers. The staff at my school are like a family. We rejoice with each other when good things happen, cry with each other during hard times, and pray for each other all the time. I got a new boss this fall, and she is a joy to work with, and her caring and joyful spirit is contagious. Even though the commute is long and the pay could be better, I am incredibly blessed to work in such a wonderful place.
My Relationship with Christ: This goes without saying, but I'm going to say it anyway: I love God and am overwhelmingly thankful that He loves me enough that He sent His Son to die for me. I have done nothing to deserve His love, but He loves me anyway. This past year of knowing Him has been especially great not only for the reasons listed above, but also because, with His help, I have finally purged away most of my anxiety. Most specifically, I have purged the anxiety that had plagued me since my first failed student teaching attempt. I hadn't realized how much it still weighed me down until a couple of my new coworkers were talking about a similar experience at the school they had left. That night, I couldn't sleep because that buried anxiety had bubbled to the surface, so I did the only thing I could do: I prayed. After a while, I could feel the anxiety melting away. When I was done praying, I felt gutted and empty, but I was finally free. And the best part is, it hasn't come back. I still get anxious from time to time, but it can't take hold of me like it used to. God is the only one that could have done that.
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