A bath, a soft bathrobe, sweet worship, and a cup of tea. It's amazing how fantastic these things really are. As much as I despise the "These are a few of my favorite things..." song from the sound of music, I think I would be tempted to sing a song about how much I love cozy bathrobes and tea cups of warm tetley and Noel Richards :)

This is a very strange time for me right now, definitely a test to tie off the year, and I want to have victory. My dad was reading from a devotional to me- yesterday? And there was a quote from Mother Teresa, whom I admire greatly. She said, "I do not pray for success. I pray for faithfulness." I am praying now for faithfulness. Pastor Norm was reviewing our year as a church for us this morning. Though the "highlights" sermon was packed of all the best of the year, one line especially struck me. He said that people should be able to take a bit out of our life and taste faithfulness. We are to steward truth- and to be deemed good stewards, faithful, we must be tested. I am certainly being tested, if ever I was. I understood newly today why all my relationships seem to be under such strange fire- it is the end of the year of Sovereign Joinings- is it really that strange that there would be a great test at the end to see where I stand- to measure my fruit from this year? But even in these last few minutes, I have gained a deeper understanding of what He is doing. Certainly, it is a time of inventory for me, as well as positioning for the coming year- who will it be critical for me to be linked up with to really gain victory in all God has for me next year, but even deeper and more critical and gracious and loving- He is in one final push joining me more sovereignly and intimately with Him.

I am 100% aware that today- I won't push past all these struggles in my mind, this pulling toward depression and being overwhelmed, unless I praise Him. It's a fierce resolve in me, and then it's a deep breath. Faithfulness. Right now, I feel full of selfishness and childishness- then I realize- it's because my focus is still on me.
When I was a child.....but I am no longer a child, today I fix my eyes on Him again, I tune my ear to hear His voice, and I step into a place where all things are made new...His presence.

Love you.