Grace, Change, and Challenges: a 2015 reflection

2015.
What did the year look like for you? What word(s) would best describe it?


Within our family, it was dramatic. VERY dramatic. It was constant news. It was a roller coaster of emotions and circumstances. I think the year in itself could have had it's own soap opera.

 At both the national and personal levels, it was eventful and packed with drama.

This morning in our house, we reflected over the year together - what we've learned, the challenges we've overcome, the relationships we've built, and the seemingly bad things that God has used for good. We shared what we've learned about ourselves and about others. It was a year for learning - and I hope we will use that knowledge to take action in 2016.

As we sat around the kitchen table, we answered some thought-provoking questions.

"What is the best thing that's happened to you this year? How about the biggest obstacle?" A lot of us had the same answer for both those questions. It was something that initially seemed negative but turned positive. Has anything happened to you like this?

Perhaps my personal favorite was "Pick three words that best describe two-thousand and fifteen."
My brother's answered, "Grace, change, and challenges." That pretty much sums it up. Grace: God has shown us incredible grace this year - even if it was disguised as negative. Change: Oh yes! Lots of change has occurred this year. Marriage, growing babies and toddlers, graduations, and new revelations.  Challenges: the year's events grew us, stretched us, and caused us to think of things differently. We've learned a lot.

Happy New Year! What three words would best describe your year? Please share in the comment section!