Sometimes when you’re just taking each day, each moment, at a time, the mundane and rote can make the most dynamic of lives seem dull and unchanging. hitting the first year anniversary of full-time work, i’m realizing if i don’t stop to take some time to look at the bigger picture, i lose wonder and life really feels like a grind.

2017 deserves more credit than what i give to it.

i got to travel the world with sister in tow and show her some of my favorite cities in the world.

i was able to find worth in myself, enough to know that it was time to leave a work space that i loved, but where i was not respected. And have enough courage to leave with no future prospects.

i watched as God provided full-time work less than one week after i left my work, when i had had no breakthroughs in the past six months of job searching.

i experienced constant affirmation in my work, through my work reviews, encouragement from my bosses, and even random encounters with coworkers i had had nothing more than a few email exchanges with. in a time when i needed it because i could only see my failings and lacking aspects. all the while having the opportunity to work in a super chill environment and getting to do A LOT of reading at work.

speaking of which, i finished reading the entire Anne of Green Gables series, Chronicles of Narnia set, and Lord of the Rings trilogy, all for the first time. And all at work.

i learned about work relationships, and what it means to love people with Christ’s love in an environment where you’re there to keep things running and people intentionally distance themselves from other people. It’s a work in progress.

i realized i had been desiring romance and marriage for so long, but didn’t even know to what purpose. Time to step back, continue learning to love myself, and explore the concept of marriage, as a reflection of Christ and His Church.

i met so many new people, and some journey in life together friends, and already, we’ve walked through moments of joy, sorrow, stress, confrontation, tension, and growth together.

i made the scary decision to move out in order to push myself to financial independence and learn how to take care of myself.

i picked up a past regret, started playing volleyball again, and fell again in love with this wonderful sport and the lovely people i have been able to meet through this shared activity.

i decided to become a deacon at church to serve in the intergenerational ministry, which is something that has been near and dear to my heart, but i had been scared to invest time in due to previous disappointment.

God has been gracious and overflowing in blessings and growing me every step of last year.

thank You.