A Year to be Thankful for!!

In the finishing minutes of my time as a 19 year old I thought I would take a little time to reflect on this past year on some of what's taken place.....let's recap shall we?

1) door to college...slammed shut
2) went to New Zealand to do a DTS (scared out of my mind nonetheless)
3) went to Thailand for outreach (met amazing people)
4) was broken for injustice in this world...especially sex trafficking
5) got to come home for Christmas
6) got to go back to New Zealand to staff (scared out of my mind again...only for a different reason this time)
7) got to go to Brazil on outreach (met more amazing people)
8) found a new home in New Zealand
9) found new family in New Zealand
10) made more life long friendships (and kept the ones i already had)
11) learned ALOT of life lessons...and GREW a ton in my walk with Jesus
12) came home
13) brother got married
14) best friend got married
15) got a job
16) went on family vacation
17).....????

.....that's it in a very tiny tiny nutshell....and I can't express in words how grateful I am for this year....this unexpected year of my life. A lot of times we walk in this feeling of unknowingness..like we can't see three feet in front of us...I know I'm there now...and a year ago I was in the same place...and God did this amazing thing....he gave me this amazing year that changed me forever. It broke me and transformed me...molded me and stretched me...it opened my eyes to things I had never seen before. It was totally unplanned in no way expected and yet it was so EPIC. I am so thankful to the Lord for this year and everything he has done. And I'm thankful to my family and my friends here at home who I love and cherish deeply and who stood by me and supported me and prayed for me....honestly I was terrible at communicating...but I always knew they were here for me...I am truly blessed by you guys and I can't begin to explain how much I appreciate you all...and I'm so thankful for the new friends and family I made in New Zealand...you all were my encouragement when I needed it and you've prayed for me and supported me as well in so many ways. I'm so blessed to know you all. And this post may seem a bit odd...but its just meant as a HUGE thank you to God and to you all for everything you've done. This year has been so incredible and I'm looking forward to seeing what God has next. I hope you have a blessed day, and remember faith is believing what we can't see. God does have a plan..and whether we like it or not his plan is WAY better than ours....He's a good God who gives good gifts.