Reflections

After what was a somewhat dismal 2010, my 2011 turned out to be an extraordinarily eventful year with the birth of our very first child - Julianne.  I couldn't ask for more. 

By God's grace, we were able to conceive soon after a previous lost.  The months leading up to finding out we were pregnant were both emotionally and spiritually trying as I struggled with coming to terms with our lost.  But with much prayer, we kept the faith and believed that God will make all things beautiful in His time.  And beautiful it was as He blessed us with Julianne in February of 2011 before adding the icing on the cake in November with her birth. My pregnancy brought me closer to God and brought the husband and I as a couple closer to God as we prayed daily for our child.  For nine months, I was thankful for every kick I felt and for every heartbeat I heard at our gynae visits.  And finally, on 1st November, I was thankful for her little life that had just began in our big big world.

By God's grace, I was blessed with a promotion given just soon after I found out we were pregnant.  How timely.  It came with added responsibilities but it also came with supernatural strength from God to handle both my growing belly and heavier workload at the same time.  I was challenged with a couple of big projects over the 10 months before I went on maternity leave with the peak period at the 8th month of my pregnancy.  It had only got to be God's strength reigning over the final trimester's fatigue that saw me through the projects and for that I am thankful. 

And while I may have taken the year off leading the CG, I am proud of them as they continued to meet up regularly to grow in the Lord.  The leave also gave me time to fill my own spiritual cup as I found more time to feed on God's word so that I too could grow in Him. 

2011 was a year of God's grace and I am thankful for every moment of it. 

2012 brings with it brand new and exciting challenges, the biggest being the parenting role I have now embraced.  As Julianne grows up, I ask God for all the patience, all the strength, all the wisdom and all the love He can ever give me to rise up as a mother.  I pray that in the midst of the attention given to Julianne, I will remember that I am still wife to my husband, my best friend, my soul mate and that I need to make room in my life for Us. 

I will also be starting work in a new division when I return to work and that means change.  I'm not best friends with 'change' but by the grace of God, I'll adapt and embrace change. 

In 2012, Julianne will take her first solids, get on her knees to crawl and maybe take her first steps.  I'm excited.  In 2012, God will be walking ahead of me, surrounding me with His love and filling my life with blessings and His providence that I don't deserve.  I'm humbled.  

May your 2012 overflow with love, joy, peace and God's abundant blessings all round.