Utterly Astounded

Last year I turned 30 and Tony surprised me with a super fun date traveling around the city eating and reminiscing about our lives through something like 9 photo books he put together to give me at every location. It was amazing, to say the least, and revealed so much about our life together that it will always stick out in my mind as one of my favorite memories.

Perhaps it was because of the nature of that last birthday date that this year has been one filled with an explosive dose of Joy. The hundreds of photos that Tony so carefully arranged serve as a sort of alter place, a coming back to, a reminder of God’s faithfulness and love. Not because everything is as we wished it would be, not because we “have so much”, but because time after time God has shown us that He is good. He is SO good.

Throughout this year God has opened our hearts and minds and hands and home in ways we could never have imagined. The dreams I had for myself as a 15 year-old girl, though enormous, life-changing and grand, are nothing compared to the great riches of God’s Love and Life that I am currently experiencing. The Gifts of His Goodness and Faithfulness have followed me all the days of my life and now they are bursting to fullness in maturity.

 

While I am preparing for the next year of my life, I don’t cling to it. I look forward in great anticipation of what God will do, but I realize with great awe what God has already done and is doing right now. Not all that He’s given me, not all that I have, but the Work accomplished on the cross that is making me whole and bringing the entirety of creation to reconciliation with the God of the universe.

I love Habukkuk 1:5 that says, “Look at the nations and observe—be utterly astounded! For something is taking place in your days that you will not believe when you hear about it.” This so wonderfully sums up the message God has been speaking to my heart. “Look! Observe! Be utterly astounded! I AM doing something here!” Not just the here of my heart, the Here of the world, the Here of all of His creation.

This year I look forward to more. Mostly I am excited to be Here with Jesus and to join Him in what He is doing. You won’t believe it when you hear about it!

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Originally Posted: 7/17/14 on our YouCaring site.