With 2012 being just a few days away, I’ve started reflecting back on 2011 and looking forward to all that the New Year will bring. I have so much to be thankful for, and so much to be excited about too!
2011
The year 2011 feels like a blur. This time last year, Matt and I made the decision that we would move back home to Jacksonville after I graduated from UCF in May. My last semester in college flew by and we had a lot of fun and created great memories soaking up our last few months in Orlando, FL. In April, Matt proposed on my 22nd birthday at one of our favorite spots, after an amazing day together. The best part is that we have it on video to watch over and over again. That was such a great idea on Matt’s part because I was so excited during the proposal, that I didn’t really remember what all he said. The video allowed us to watch our facial expressions and hear the words we spoke. We are so excited to be getting married!
I graduated from UCF in May with a Bachelors of Science in Psychology, a minor in Education, and a certificate in Women’s Studies. I was proud to have accomplished that! We moved shortly after graduation back home to Jacksonville, FL. Matt and I have both been living at home with our families as we prepare for our big day coming up quickly on March 10, 2012. I began working for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida and Matt worked part-time for FedEx Ground while continuing to pursue his degree. He just accepted a new position, however, as the Freight Operations Supervisor for Kohls and he starts in a week or so. He will be working there full-time while he works on completing his degree in Engineering along with a minor in Business.
2012
We have been busy making plans for our big day and for our life together, which is probably the biggest thing we are looking forward to in 2012. Although we have a lot accomplished, we still have so much to do! When we ring in the New Year, we will be about 10 weeks away. I can honestly say that as excited as I am about our wedding (and trust me, I am excited!), I am SO much more excited to be married to Matt. We have been together for over 5 years now, and we are ready to start our married life. We just completed our pre-marital counseling sessions, and it was fun and helpful for us to talk through the expectations we have for our marriage and the foundation we want to have starting off. Our recent task (along with many other wedding planning projects) is looking into where we want to live come March – we are looking in areas such as Bartram Park and Avondale. I don’t know where God will open the door for us, but where ever it is, I will be thrilled for us to live together and be husband & wife!
I think that having a time of reflection and resolution is so important, not only at the New Year, but especially then. Below I am sharing some of the continued goals or new resolutions that I would like for myself for the year 2012:
1. Be completely focused and devoted in my relationship with God – Pursue Holiness Solely
2. Have a time of devotion and prayer with Matt daily, along with my personal time with God
3. Pursue a healthier lifestyle – food, exercise, relationships, hobbies & interests
4. Give of myself to others – Volunteer – it is something I love and truly believe in
5. Save Money
6. Pursue my dreams
Number 6 – “Pursue my dreams” – sounds vague, I know, but I know exactly what I mean. I’ve recently been asking myself “What would I do if I KNEW I couldn’t fail?” – with that kind of disclaimer, I could develop a list of chances I would take knowing they couldn’t go wrong. It made me realize that there are things that I don’t pursue due to fear of failure. I don’t want to be that person – I want to take chances and pursue my dreams. This is my one opportunity to live, to change lives, to serve God here on this earth. I don’t want to get stuck into a routine because it’s easy, convenient, and comfortable. I want to step outside of my comfort zone and embrace the opportunities that I have. I trust that God will guide me on the paths I am supposed to take.
Blessings
I am so thankful to have Matt in my life and for the relationship that God has allowed us to build. Matt was truly designed perfectly for me. I am also so grateful to have families who support us and have made sacrifices for us to be back at home for these 10 months. On top of that, we are blessed to have those friends we hold dear that have remained close to us and supportive through the move and changes we’ve experienced this past year.
Despite my failures and sinful nature, God has remained faithful and merciful as always. No matter the struggles or changes that we have faced or will face, we can always count on Christ to be our constant rock – that, above all, is the greatest thing to be thankful for! Such peace can come from knowing that, if I can just let go of my selfish desires and allow God to rule in my life, everything will fall perfectly into place. God doesn’t need me to make sure He knows what He is doing. God doesn’t need me to step in and “take over”. God just needs me to trust him - God doesn’t make mistakes.
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