Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Thankful Thursday~Looking Back

Happy Thankful Thursday and HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Welcome to 2009...a fresh new start, 2008 is behind us now and we have 365 days of wonderful promises and possibilities!

Iris at Grace Alone host Thankful Thursday and the topic for today is...looking back at 2008.

I plan on doing several posts this week or next on my reflections from 2008 and my life changing goals for 2009...but, for today...I am so thankful for a blessed 2008.

We had been on a long run of...well, years of...about 7...in a row...of attacks from the enemy. We had been beaten up and beaten down. We would come up for only a second...just enough time to gasp for air before being pushed back under. The waves just kept crashing in on top of us. We managed to stay afloat...we didn't drown and that was only by the grace of Jesus Christ.

Then on December 13th, 2007...God allowed us to turn the corner. (will reflect with more specifics in later post)

I was crying out to God on the morning of the 13th of December, 2007 in pain, disappointment, depression, discouragement and hopelessness. I asked God to please speak to me through His word that day. He lead me to Isaiah 61 and promised me that day that 2008 would be The Year of the Lord's Favor for our household. I called Pastor Rusty and his wife, Dorinda (our dear friends) to make sure that I wasn't imagining this.

When I talked to Dorinda, she told me that she went to bed praying for us the night before and God impressed on her to tell me to read...you got it...Isaiah 61. That was the confirmation that I needed. I still can't write this without crying...tears of joy that my God loves me...Jennifer W. that much.

God has honored that promise and we have had the best year of our lives, not necessarily in financial abundance but in all that we were praying for.

  • The things that we had been praying for God to intercede in...He has.

  • The things that we needed closure on...He closed.

  • Where we needed His provision...He provided.

  • We needed our joy restored...He restored our joy to His fullest.

  • And so much more.
God is ALWAYS faithful!

He has stretched me, bent me, molded me but He never allowed me to be broken...not in spirit but my rebellious ways have been broken.

There is only one thing left for God to work out and that is my son to come back to the Father and live a life pleasing to God. It is coming because I can see the work that God is doing and we had the best Christmas ever with Brandon this year. PTL!

We had to go through the Refining Fire to be what God wanted us to be in 2008. His Refining Fire is not pleasant but it is necessary to remove all the ugliness that was not pleasing to Him.

I am so thankful today for His faithfulness, His provision and His promises for today, each day of 2008 and for the coming year of 2009.

Visit Iris at Grace Alone for more Thankful Thursdays! Happy New Year!

Have a wonderfully blessed day!

31 comments:

  1. It is so nice to read your post about God's faithfulness. I've seen that theme in other things I've read lately too. Praise God!

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  2. Jenn,
    A wonderful post tonight on His goodness, His faithfulness and His provision. God has such a bigger plan than us and we cannot even fathom the blessings He so wants to pour over us. You have seen it come to pass this year and Brandons time is coming...very soon! -love ya. Happy New Year! Laurie

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  3. Amen!!! This was so encouraging!!! Isn't it great that what the devil meant for bad,God meant for good? So many of us have been refined this past year,it's great to know so many are coming out of it and desiring more of Christ. Love ya,sister!!

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  4. Jennifer, your love for God and God's faithfulness just really resonated through this post! Happy Thankful Thursday and praying God's blessings for you and yours in the upcoming year.

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  5. Yes, God is so very good and so very faithful!

    Happy New Year!

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  6. Happy New Year sweetie, love you.

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  7. Oh how awesome Jennifer that you can look back and be so thankful for all God has done. I can't wait to hear in more detail your story because I know I will be blessed by it. God is so good.
    Hugs to you my friend.
    Kim

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  8. here are so many times that I remind myself to just keep treading- when I was 9, I was caught in an undertow at Daytona Beach. I rolled under and under all the time trying to go up each time. At some point, the hold of the current released and I was able to push up and out of the water to breathe. I remember that feeling all the time and it has been allegorical to life for me. The only difference is that I know it's the Lord that is keeping me and bringing me up for air in His perfect timing. My heart feels you and will be praying for you and am thankful for God's faithfulness in your life! Amanda:)

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  9. That was awesome and made me cry.. I know what you mean by going through the refining fire... I can't wait to read more of your blog..!!

    Bless you and I pray that you and your family have an awesome 2009 and beyond!!

    May you increase to thousands upon ten thousands and may you and your descendants posses the gates of your enemies!!!

    Love,
    Tracy

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  10. Jennifer,

    I am so blessed to read your Thankful Thursday post. Yes, God is so faithful! Praise Him!

    I am praying for your son...He is in my prayer journal. I am glad you see hope on the horizon. I am still fervently praying for my daughter who is so steeped in her rebellion, I can't see any hope, but I pray pray pray that He who began the good work in her will be faithful to complete it!

    Blessings to you in 2009, my friend. I have enjoyed getting to know you in 2008 and look forward to knowing you better in this new year.

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  11. God is so good! I love to read how He works in the lives of others - a very encouraging post! Thank you for sharing, Tammy

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  12. Jennifer,

    That was a beautiful post. God is so good. I love to see how God blesses others. Great Thankful post. Happy New Year to you and your family!
    XO,
    Mimi

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  13. Ok, that brought me to tears.

    Praising God for His mercy and grace that sustained you every step of the way!

    I love Isaiah 61 too! Great promise!

    Oh to see Him working in the lives of those we love - is the greatest gift outside of our own salvation!

    Praying for your son!

    May 2009 be the year where you see Him restored and brought to his knees!

    God bless you all!
    Jill

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  14. just got to praise God after reading your post. He is faithful! YES LORD!

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  15. What a wonderful Thankful post. I am so thankful I met you through the blogging world this year. Blessings to you and yours..

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  16. Thanks for your comment,Jenn! It is so neat how God has designed us. One thing I forgot to write is how much easier it's already been. I clung to Daniel when he was younger,held him all the time,and all the things everyone told me not to do. Now at almost 1 he knows that I love him. He is so confident and happy. It's amazing! It's got much easier on me being at home and having to shower or eat. I thought it wouldn't ever,but it did. He loves to follow me around while I do things and he just plays. I am so glad I did what I did when he was much smaller!! I can't imagine how fast time will fly now. I mean he's almost a year old,it's unreal!

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  17. Hi Jennifer,
    Your post got me choked up! You wrote that beautifully! When you mentioned Refiner's Fire, it made me think of that worship song.

    God bless you Jennifer, and I'll be praying for your son!!

    HUGS,
    Alicia

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  18. What an encouraging and uplifting post!! To stay faithful to Him through 7 years of attack... wow!!! What a testimony to what a glorious, awesome God we serve - to be so sure He had it under control and to stick with Him no matter what. I am in awe of your faith! May 2009 be a blessed year for all of you. I'll add Brandon to my list of young men to pray for...seems to be a host of them out there!!!!

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  19. Hi Jennifer, Thanks for stopping by. I am so glad to here this year was great for you too. Big hug. Wishing you the best of all in 2009.

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  20. Great post. I love His faithfulness and forgiveness!

    ~Hugs from TN~

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  21. Praising God for His faithful to you and to me and to us all! Love you!

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  22. Great post. You are right. God is always faithful. May we never forget to praise His name and to give Him all the praise, honor and glory that is due Him.

    Take care my friend!
    May you have a blessed 2009!

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  23. Your post was enough to feed my soul this week. Thank you so much for taking time to share it with us. Thanks also for leaving a comments on my blog. I only have one sister in the U.S and it gets lonely sometimes Im glad we have blogs to read and faithful blogger to post encouragements like you. God bless and happy new year!

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  24. Awesome testimony!! Thanks for sharing it!!

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  25. I loved reading of your gratefulness! May 2009 be an even more blessed year for you and your family.

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  26. I stopped by from Grace Alone. I got chills when I read your story about Isaiah 61. What a blessing! I enjoyed your list. Happy New Year!

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  27. Jennifer, I rejoice with you in God's faithfulness to you and your family! Praying for Brandon that he would have a "Saul/Paul" encounter with Jesus. God is so very faithful to answer our cries. God's richest blessings on you in this new year, filled with new mercy and grace. Happy New Year! Mary

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  28. Just wanted to say happy new year. I haven't been on the computer much lately, so I've missed stopping by.

    I do hope you have a wonderfully blessed 2009. C. S. Lewis said, "There are better things ahead than any we leave behind."

    Blessings,
    Patti

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  29. Hi Jennifer,
    Happy new year sistah!!
    Hope you had a wonderful Holiday. I have missed my visits, but I can blog again now that I have a new computer. Hope you are doing okay. Dropped by to say hello and to wish you a happy new year of 2009. the best is yet to come.

    Hugz Lorie

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  30. Thanks for your post Jennifer! Your testimony touches my heart ;) Oh yes, is the refining fire is painful, but brings out who God wants us to be....

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  31. Hello Jen, thanks fro droppin by my site today! It's a blessing to have you as a friend. Indeed the Lord has added excitement in our lives through the little surprises he made each day! Hope everything goes well with you and your family...

    Praying for you!!! :)

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Thank you for stopping by today and sharing your heart felt thoughts with me. As we ride "Through the Storms of Life" together, chances are...your situation is different than mine. However, we serve the same awesome God, King of Kings who is in complete control and it all belongs to Him anyway...He wants to give you the very best. Be encouraged my friend, God loves you!

Thank you again for taking the time to visit me at "Through the Storms of Life".

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