An Old Year, A New Year

As everyone (hopefully) is aware, we have reached the end of 2014. So Happy New Year! It has been quite the adventure-filled year for me, and I have frequently found myself looking around wondering how in the world I got to where I am. I know of course that it meant 2 plane rides, a bus, and several hours of driving up mountains, but that’s not really where I’m going with this :) But really, my life oftentimes feels quite surreal. I have to admit though, that now that I have been living in this place for over 6 months, it’s not the way of life here that seems surreal. Instead, the thing that surprises me the most is the way that I find I have adjusted to life here. It doesn’t seem strange anymore that I am much more likely to eat a meal with a tortilla rather than a fork. It’s perfectly normal to walk around and not see a single person talking on their cell phone (thanks to their being no cell service up here!). It’s also just an average day when my conversations are held in some combination of three different languages, with a lot of confusion and mispronounced words in all three. Basically it’s just weird to realize that I am a different person than I was at the beginning of the year. I have had to learn to adjust to a lot of things that make me, or at least used to make me, uncomfortable. I have learned just how many things about life that I always took for granted, just to learn how differently people can see things. Basically, this year has caused me to learn so much, and to change in so many ways.

I wish I could say that all of these changes have been good, that I am now a much better person than I used to be, but that just isn’t the truth. If anything, these past months have served to show me how very sinful and selfish I am with my time. I jealously hoard my time, being unwilling to give up what I had planned for myself, even when an opportunity arrises to go out into the community. I know that I have missed open doors because I was unwilling to do what made me uncomfortable. I have many regrets from 2014, but I also have many memories of blessings. Even though I have failed so many times, God has continued to forgive my failures, and to help me to push through the numerous awkward, uncomfortable days that have come my way. It is so encouraging to know that He will continue to be there, that despite my mistakes, He can make something beautiful out of my life. As you welcome in the new year, will you pray that God will make Himself known all over the world in 2015? Pray that He will give me the boldness to share with the people here in this community, and pray that He will also give you the boldness to share in your community, wherever that may be.