A Year of Being New

I'm home in Kansas for Christmas celebrations, and had some down time so I thought I'd scrawl a few thoughts about this year.

As the calendar and my first year in Austin come to a close, it's time for some reflection and review of my life thus far.

2010 was a very hard, amazing, and growing year. If you count part of last December as part of this year (which I will for purposes of this review), here's a summary of events:

Graduated with a master's degree

Procured employment

Moved to Texas

Began my new employment

Was treated for a fungal lung infectional while not on health insurance

Found a new church and small group

Began understanding my life away from my family

Explored and fell in love with Austin

Paid off about $12,000 in debt already!

Am currently under treatment for flare-up of my autoimmune disease

When I teach a stress management class at work to my patients, I always include a "stressful events" list that includes a lot of big life events like moving, losing a loved one, change in financial status, etc. I'm pretty sure that most of the events above are on that list! Good thing I do not get stressed easily.

When I think about this past year, I am filled with contentment. However hard it was, it was good for me. I successfully moved to another state and essentially began a new life. Being a part from my family has probably been the hardest part, especially during financial/car crises, sickness, and just plain not being near them. Starting over in a new city was also a big event, and is still taking up a lot of my emotional energy and time. From finding how to get to work, where to buy groceries, and where to exercise to bigger things like finding a church and small group community that I can grow in were all parts of moving to a new city and state.

And then there was the crises: car won't start, lungs are moldy but no health insurance, your autoimmune disease has relapsed. But through it all, the them was that God WILL PROVIDE. He always does. I know this now more than ever because of what He has brought me through and how it has changed me. I know I am a different person for what I have experienced this past year, and I am learning more and more about myself everyday. It's such a beautiful experience, to be stripped of all that's comfortable and familiar, and have to start over with only God as your source of strength, hope, and continuity. But He was faithful. And He always will be.

As I look to next year, I can only hope that the Lord continues His work of molding me and changing me. As much as I avoid change, I also embrace it because I know how valuable it is. I also hope to deepen relationships that I have begun and specifically find a purpose and place in my "new" life. I have an overwhelming feeling that the theme of next year is going to be "New" and I that I haven't even begun to tap into the newness that is all around me - both spiritually and relationally.

So... let's take a poll. Now that I'm not necessarily "new" anymore, should I change my blog title? what should I change my blog title to?