Looking Back. Looking Forward.
At the start of a new year it is only natural to be reflective and also hopeful. I wanted to start my year focusing on God and being open and honest with him so I sat down with my journal and my coffee and began to think. Looking back on 2015 I see it in two parts: the first seven months full of joy and contentment, and the last five full of questions. Regardless I am grateful for many things.
This is my beautiful niece Ginevra. She is most definitely one of the biggest blessings of 2015 for me. I had the opportunity to live with my brother and sister-in-law throughout the pregnancy and it is such a joy to see how she has really filled a Ginny shaped hole in their lives.
In November I had the opportunity to go to my first baptism service here in El Salvador. It was amazing and so powerful to see so many people take a step of faith and publicly declare that they are followers of Christ. It always gives me goose bumps and makes me cry.
As always life here is full of kids. This picture is really special to me because it reminds me of how God views us. These three are a handful, but so incredibly cute. God loves us so dearly despite how difficult we can be and the kids always help me remember that.
Staying with the kid theme, starting December first we took on 25 new kids at the center. It has been extremely challenging, but also so incredibly rewarding to learn from new kids, multiply smiles and hugs, and see God's kingdom spread.
One of my favorite moments of the past year was climbing Itzalco, one of the more well known volcanos here. I have never seen a more breath taking view and I felt so incredibly in awe of God's creation and also really jealous of his view.
During Holy Week I went on an adventure to Honduras with the youth group from La Libertad and had a great time exploring and understanding grace in a new and deeper way.
In 2015 God have me the opportunity to start discipling three of the young women of the youth group. This felt like a huge answer to prayer and it has been, and continues to be such a huge privilege to know them more deeply and equip them to go out and make more disciples.
As I alluded at the beginning of this post there have been a ton of ups and downs to 2015. I could not think of last year without giving my two dear friends Jessica and Holly a shout out. While I was living in the US I was part of a discipleship group with these two and we have shared a lot of life. In May they came down to El Salvador along with some other staff and students and it was a huge help to me. I have wonderful friends here, but there was something so special about getting to share this part of my heart with people I care so deeply about. I am eternally grateful for their friendship and feel so blessed by them.
Looking Back
 |
In November I had the opportunity to go to my first baptism service here in El Salvador. It was amazing and so powerful to see so many people take a step of faith and publicly declare that they are followers of Christ. It always gives me goose bumps and makes me cry.
As always life here is full of kids. This picture is really special to me because it reminds me of how God views us. These three are a handful, but so incredibly cute. God loves us so dearly despite how difficult we can be and the kids always help me remember that.
Staying with the kid theme, starting December first we took on 25 new kids at the center. It has been extremely challenging, but also so incredibly rewarding to learn from new kids, multiply smiles and hugs, and see God's kingdom spread.
One of my favorite moments of the past year was climbing Itzalco, one of the more well known volcanos here. I have never seen a more breath taking view and I felt so incredibly in awe of God's creation and also really jealous of his view.
During Holy Week I went on an adventure to Honduras with the youth group from La Libertad and had a great time exploring and understanding grace in a new and deeper way.
In 2015 God have me the opportunity to start discipling three of the young women of the youth group. This felt like a huge answer to prayer and it has been, and continues to be such a huge privilege to know them more deeply and equip them to go out and make more disciples.
As I alluded at the beginning of this post there have been a ton of ups and downs to 2015. I could not think of last year without giving my two dear friends Jessica and Holly a shout out. While I was living in the US I was part of a discipleship group with these two and we have shared a lot of life. In May they came down to El Salvador along with some other staff and students and it was a huge help to me. I have wonderful friends here, but there was something so special about getting to share this part of my heart with people I care so deeply about. I am eternally grateful for their friendship and feel so blessed by them.Looking Forward
Yesterday I spent the morning thinking about 2016 and what I want it to be about. After finishing 2015 feeling pretty heavy and weighed down, I decided that I was going to seek freedom and joy in 2016. I want to wake up and choose happiness everyday no matter what my circumstances. Christ tells us that we have been set free and I want to live each day believing that to be true. I want to live life smiling and spreading joy, but as a friend just reminded me a few minutes ago, we have to start within ourselves before we can share anything with anyone else. To spread joy I must also cultivate it in my own life.
I feel as though I am on the brink of a new chapter in life and I'd love your prayers for courage to continue moving forward and trusting God's will.
What are your goals or themes for the new year? What are you grateful for in 2015? I'd love to hear from you! Leave a comment* please!
Standing in awe of how quickly time goes by,
Sigourney
*If you receive this blog by email please do not reply to the email. You must click the "Comment" button to leave a comment on the blog. If you just reply to the email it will by lost in cyber space forever :(
Comments
Post a Comment