What if 2016 was NOT my year?!

What if 2016 was NOT my year?!

At the beginning of each new year, many people are rushing to a New Year's Eve service and aiming to bring in the new year with positivity, praise and expectation for what’s to come. My husband and I were no different as we decided to bring in the new year of 2016 at New Life Church with Pastor John Hannah. The message was thought provoking and encouraging as he preached about the race being set before us. He emphasized that the Lord would not set a race in front of us unless he knew we would be able to conquer it. This motivated me and caused me to think on all the amazing things God would have in store for me that year, and that I would be able to overcome and conquer---- “Yes!! Bring on the new year!,” I exclaimed in my mind and heart. Yet, I didn’t realize that the race God had in store for me would look a lot like a world race marathon that would include hills, mountains, valleys, and even points of despair.

Immediately after leaving the New Year's Eve service at New Life, my husband and I got into an intense fellowship (also known as an argument to some) about which church we would be apart of as we had been praying and struggling to find peace with our church home. I raved about how much I loved the service and the atmosphere that night, and my husband took offense to it. He automatically thought I was comparing it to our current church and got defensive being how our current church was the church he grew up in since birth. A few months later, we were faced with one of the biggest realities and struggles in our marriage. This led to an array of changes in our home and most importantly in my heart. Through it all, I remembered the words of the Lord, “The race is set before you…” These words encouraged me in my lowest times to understand that despite what I saw and what I was experiencing in the natural realm, the race had already been set before me because the Lord knew I would be able to end in victory.

Months later, I was smacked with the reality of my brother-in-love passing away tragically and unexpectedly to a seizure. The Saturday morning that it all occurred made it all the more traumatic as it was my husband’s birthday weekend and he was headed out of town for festivities. The pain that welled up in my throat as I called him to return home for a family emergency seemed to take all of the strength I possessed. Throughout this entire process and time, I kept holding on to the fact that the race had been set before us. In the midst of all of this, my husband and I were in the homebuying process and we were expecting our first child! Emotions were all over the place at times because the process of buying a home was up and down with good news, bad news/challenges, and all that’s in between. Yet, my husband maintained a steady mind of encouragement by saying, “The Lord has a home for us, and there’s nothing that’s going to stop us from getting what he has for us.” These words continued to ring true as each part of the process seemed to get more and more positive as time progressed, and I continued to see God’s hand moving.

While juggling the news from our lender and realtor on a daily basis, I was also smacked with news about my job restructuring my department. This would include my position being phased out within a certain amount of months. WHAT IN THE WORLD?! I needed my job to be consistent especially during this home buying process. Lord, what are you doing?! It seemed to be an immediate response as I heard the Lord say, “Trust me!” The Lord reminded me that HE was my source, and not my job. It was also amazing to see the entire thing unfold because the Lord worked it out so that we were able to obtain the mortgage loan in my husband’s name and income ONLY and we’re not millionaires, trust me- but they didn’t even consider my employment! NOTHING BUT JESUS!

As the months progressed, we closed on our beautiful home and each day we are in awe that God blessed us with it, specifically for us and for his glory. Yet, the rollercoaster didn’t stop after closing. Months later, I received a call that my uncle had tragically passed away. Totally unexpected and so surreal! Being miles away from my family only seemed to add insult to injury as I was forced to deal with the sudden grief without being able to hug and love on my family at such a depressing time. Yet, as I was comforted by my husband and my family here in Chicago, I was reminded that the race had been set before me.

Thanksgiving came and went, and so did Christmas. They were both joyous occasions filled with love and surrounded by family. Yet, it seemed to come so quickly that it made me realize the year of 2016 was almost over. I’m grateful that I didn’t receive a message at the beginning of the year that said 2016 was MY year! And perhaps even if you did receive a message like that, perhaps your perspective was off as you thought it meant that each month of the year would be in your favor.

In actuality, I believe that 2016 was a year of preparation for many of us. Preparation involved pain, heartache, obstacles, mountains, hills, valleys, and even times where you wanted to throw in the towel. However, I do believe that 2017 will be a year of results. There are a lot of things that took root in 2016 and began to blossom, but perhaps have been lying dormant for whatever reason. I believe that some of the pain and preparation that went into 2016 made some feel as though 2017 may not be any different. However, I do believe that 2017 will be a year of manifestation and results due to things that God planted within YOU in this year. Pastor Hannah’s message was not only a message for the beginning of 2016, but is a message of every year- the race has been set before us. This doesn’t mean that at each point of our race, we’ll feel amazing or like continuing to go on, but the question is, “Will you press on? Will you trust that the race is not meant for you to fail? And will you TRUST GOD for who he is?”

Join me on the 2017 race beloveds….I’m not promising you it will be “your year,” as in a year of 100% awesomeness, but I am promising you that God will be with us. On your marks….get set….let’s GO!