the Good, the Bad, the Great, the Ugly

Here we are. Another year, wrapping up.
What a YEAR! I would be lying if I said this year was all peaches and cream.
Parts of it were amazing, other parts were hard. And that's what makes it good.
I traveled all over the globe, started my senior year, got a job, turned 18, hiked a mountain, met incredible people, went to the ocean twice, laughed, found platform 9 & 3/4,  hurt,  sprained my ankle, went to California, sang, got cast into Joseph, worked at camp, went to a South African chocolate farm.. the list is endless. 
It's so easy to let another year slip by and eagerly bound forward into a new "fresh start". But can I encourage you to remember? To ponder, to reflect, on what has happen over the last 52 weeks? Those 365 days are big part of your life. They make up who you are. And I know that next December, we're going to look back and wish we could jump right into 2016. Please, please don't let 2014 close without reflecting. I can see the hand of God in so many ways! That doesn't mean it was the easiest year. Sometimes God gives us difficult things to test the genuineness of our faith. Where is the authenticity if we are never bent, never forced to hold on to Him because He is all we have? He wants us to seek Him with all of our hearts. He wants to set our minds on things above and not cling so tightly to this world. All of these things are what make up life. The good, the bad, the great, the ugly. Remember what the Lord has done. He is so good. He is so kind. And if you don't see it yet, keep searching! I promise He is there! Don't forget what He has done and is still doing.

We're always going to want to new start, a new slate, a new beginning. New is great. It's so refreshing. But where is the meaning, the depth, the soul of life if we keep wanting to wash it all away? If you want to get rid of the bad memories, you must first savor the good ones. So before we all go gung- ho into 2015, what made 2014 great? What made it bad? How has it changed you?
Well, friends, that's all I've got. Thank you for being apart of my life. And most importantly, praise God for his faithfulness!
Blessings,
Rachel