Good-Bye 2008...Hello 2009!!

Isaiah 26:3-4 "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength."

These verses have always meant so much to me in my Christian life...but they took on a whole new meaning in 2008. This past year has been a year of many heartaches for our family. There was the miscarriages of our two precious grandchildren...Michelle leaving our home against the will of God...my brother being murdered...and another tragic situation that I can't go into but can only say that it devastated our family and caused much damage to one of our family members. These verses of Scripture have been the two that I have quoted to myself over and over and over again!! They brought me much strength and comfort just knowing that as long as I stayed focused on Christ that He would give me the strength and grace I needed. I also did a lot of quoting Psalm 34:1 "... I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth." I tried my best to bless Him at all times. Did I succeed? To my shame no I didn't. With what we faced I questioned the Lord and did a bit of murmuring about it all. I'm so thankful for His mercy and His forgiveness though. He saw me through all those times and more. I can't thank Him enough and praise Him enough for how He saw me through it all. I heard the other day a quote and I loved it...."If God will see you to it....He will see you through it." And He has!!

We also had several wonderful things to take place in 2008. Ronnie married his sweetheart on January 26th and gave us two precious grandbabies (who are in Heaven awaiting our arrival) and a third one that is growing in the womb at this very moment...PRAISE THE LORD!! We saw God's hand of protection over our lives as we have traveled to different churches. We have seen God provide for our needs and put on the hearts of pastors and churches to take our family and our ministry on for support. We have seen needs met that we saw no way that they would be. And now we have seen God send our daughter Kristina a godly...separated...kind...considerate...loving...and humble man. So even with all the tragedy that has struck our family this year....we have had some VERY wonderful things to happen as well.

In 2009 there will be other difficulties to come. That is to be expected. The devil is not happy when God's children remain faithful and strive to serve Him with their whole heart and stay in the center of His will. I already know that we will be facing two court trials this coming year. But I am fully confident that God will help me through those times and will give me yet again the strength and grace to praise Him in the midst of it all. Lord-willing we will be able to hold one of our grandbabies in our arms this coming year. And who knows what else the Lord has in store for our lives. I do not know what the future holds for me or my family...but I do know Who holds that future!!!

I pray each of you can reflect and see how God has led your through this past year and be encouraged that He will not be faithful concerning His promise to do it again. So I pray you are not dreading the coming year but are excited about what awaits in it. My prayer is that Jesus come back to take us out of this old sin-sick world to be with Him forever. But if He chooses not to do that in 2009...He has a work for us all to do!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL!!!