Wednesday, March 18, 2009

The Year of Thirteen Ends

Today is my 14 anniversary. There is no more year of thirteen. Brian and I went on our first date Friday the 13th in August 1993. Ever since then, the number 13 has been meaningful to us. Last year, when the year of thirteen was about to begin, we had expectations that we believed would happen in the year of thirteen. We expected God to call us to a church to serve Him. We expected to sell our house and move. We expected our life to be settled by now. And we expected that we would have a chance to take a romantic vacation in celebration of the year of thirteen.

Apparently, our expectations were not God's plan for the year of thirteen. Instead of being a year of jubilee, it was a year of trial and pain. Brian's income ended in May 2008, but God provided an additional opportunity that has provided financially (it runs out in June). We began talking to a church in August and in February they decided that they would not be calling us to serve in their church. So, we had to start from the beginning and mail out resumes again. In August, we celebrated Jacob's adoption. Two weeks later, God took him to heaven.

Looking back, the year of thirteen was not very fun. However, I refuse to allow it to be wasted. Let me tell you a few things that God has done:
1. He has given us promises.
2. He has given us comfort.
3. He has given us peace.
4. He has allowed us to have experiences that will help us minister more fully to others.
5. He is teaching us through our current situation to trust and rely on Him even more than we were.
6. He has provided financially through the end of June.
7. He has kept us healthy.

I could continue for pages. The year of thirteen was hard, but I choose to see it as preparation. I thank God that He loves me enough to prepare me for the future He has planned for me.

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