Anyone ready for 2021? I know I am! There were so many curve balls thrown in 2020, at some point I found myself surviving by the minute because things changed so fast I held on for life.

Yet, my verse for 2020 comes from Luke 2:19

“But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.”

At the end of 2019, I remember the Lord pressing this verse on my heart to treasure up all 2020 had to offer, obviously oblivious to what was to come. I remember the hope I felt at the end of 2019 and the excitement of treasuring all God would do. 

Now here we are, at the end of 2020 and I don’t think I’m the only one anxiously awaiting 2021 because we so desperately want to be out of 2020. However, I think it’s still possible to treasure up all these things the Lord has done. Even in the midst of all the tragedy, loss, pandemic, division, politics–God is still at work! 

What I want to do before moving on to 2021 is look back and treasure! I would challenge you to do the same thing. I know you’re probably busy planning your goals for 2021, but what happened in 2020 that you can treasure? It’s vital to our faith, even in the midst of hardship and suffering, to remember the works of the Lord.

Psalm 143:5 says, “I remember the days of old; I meditate on all that you have done; I ponder the work of your hands.”

It’s a biblical principle to look at the works of God, and I would even challenge you to share what God has done in your life this year! Let people see the goodness of God in your life! 

JANUARY

Highlights: 
Ice Skating, Home Improvement Projects, Flu B, Wedding Registry, Winter Jam

Treasure:
God used people to remind me of His generosity. When I got the flu, Alec went into nurse mode and checked up on me, my mom picked up my medicine and dropped off soup, and my co-workers checked in on my students. None of these people had to do any of this, but they gave of their time to help me! The same is true with God, He is generous when I don’t deserve it–He gave His Son to give me life!

FEBRUARY 

Highlights: 
Bridal Expo, Uncle Gary’s Funeral, IF:Gathering, Sweetheart Prom, Reception Food Taste Test, Allison and Mitchel Got Engaged

Treasure:
The hope of the Gospel is real–eternal life. I remember sitting at my Uncle Gary’s funeral reminded of God’s promise of eternal life after death; it provides hope in the midst of dark pain and suffering! It was sad to say goodbye to Uncle Gary, but knowing he’s spending all eternity with God made it easier to say “see you later” instead of “goodbye.” I was reminded the promise of eternal life wasn’t just for Uncle Gary, but for everyone–including myself–who puts their faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. It produced this deep desire to share the hope, the gospel, the gift because death is real, but Jesus is alive! 

MARCH

Highlights: 
Surprise Birthdays, March 13, Instagram Gospel, Virtual World, Global Pandemic

Treasure:
I learned more of how finite I am!

“The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps”

Proverbs 16:9

This verse came true so many times this month and really for the rest of the year! I think of surprise birthday parties as an example. The person the surprise is for thinks one thing, but something is happening they don’t know about! Surprise Birthdays are fun, but sometimes surprises are a not so fun thing. Kind of like March 13, it wasn’t a surprise birthday party, it was a Global Pandemic. I fully anticipated after March 13 I would see my students again IN PERSON, but that didn’t happen until they went through an end of the year drop-off and graduation drive thru. I had my own plans of how March and really the rest of the year were going to look, but God knows how everything plays out. What I’m treasuring is in the midst of things turning out the opposite of expected is a reminder that God is never surprised. I’m thankful that He’s not! I’m thankful He’s constant and that He never changes! I’m thankful He is the one establishing my steps, because it provides rest for me! I don’t have to be the one in control because God has this! 

APRIL

Highlights: 
New Roof, Powerwash the House, Dying Easter Eggs, Sugar Cookies, Easter Service in the Mall Parking Lot, Alec’s Birthday, Internet Attack on Secret Church, Finding Toilet Paper

Treasure: 
Looking back I’m reminded of how many times in April we heard a number of days we would be in lock down followed by an extension, and another extension, and then another extension. I found myself struggling to find hope because the extensions of the “Stay At Home Order” kept coming. Then it hit me, my hope is not in human words but in God’s words. He is faithful to do what He says. He does not lie. He only tells the truth. He knows all things. He holds the whole world in His hands. I clung to these promises more than anyone’s words because only God knows. I found myself thinking other people or (even worse) myself knows better. But the truth is, I don’t know anything. I needed to press into the promises of God in order to find hope! 

MAY

Highlights:
Postponed Bridal Shower, Cleaned Out My Classroom, Went Shopping in a Store, Drive Thru 8th Grade Graduation, HCHS Senior Drive Thru, Picking Up Wedding Dress

Treasure:
Saying “yes” to God is kinda like a book of life. With each turning page there comes character development, plot twists, new opportunities, and of course the ending of one chapter and the beginning of another. May was exactly this for me. It was the ending of one chapter and the beginning of another. Right after the pandemic began, I turned in my resignation at South Middle School because God opened a door for me to work at NorthWoods Church as their Women’s Director and Student Ministry Assistant. This new job opportunity was a dream come true (I think I wrote about back in 2017 in my dream guide). Now in 2020, that dream came true, but it meant saying See You Later to people who literally became family to me! I worked with the same co-workers for six years of my life, and not seeing them every day was going to be such a shift. I love SMS because of all the things God taught me there! I’m thankful for the people He placed in my life while there! I have some of the best friendships out of that building because we did life together. We celebrated, cried, worked hard, kicked butt on standardized testing, and made so many memories together. Looking back on May the treasuring point was ALL of my time at SMS! Learning that jobs are places we get to be light, but the thing I was consistently challenged by was this: Am I making the most of my time? It doesn’t matter what chapter of the book you’re reading, I hope and pray that God would allow me to make the most of my time whatever the job, whatever the chapter of life. 

JUNE

Highlights:
Bridal Shower, Bachelorette Party, Cancelled Honeymoon, Marriage License, Student Ministry Hangs, WEDDING, HONEYMOON

Treasure:
The biggest thing to treasure in this month is TRUST in God! I look at this month and I see how trusting in God’s plans and His ways really is the best way to live life. He has a way that is so much better than anything we could conjure up; He just wants us to fully rely on Him. For me, it’s apparent with Alec. Both of us trusting God in our relationship, making God the center, and doing whatever we could to make His name famous and not our own. The same was true for our wedding. Planning a wedding can be hard and stressful on its own, but planning a wedding during a global pandemic adds a whole different level of stress. But each step of the way, God provided. It felt like over and over again, God asked if we trusted Him and Alec and I kept saying yes. We ended up having the most perfect wedding, if weddings can even be perfect! I’ve heard my whole life the horror stories that weddings can become, but there isn’t one. The only story is this–God brought me and Alec together and we want our marriage to glorify Him and that started with our wedding ceremony. It’s crazy to look back on how perfectly timed our wedding was. Had we waited another week or two, things would have looked different. All the planning for our wedding started months prior to our actual wedding date–we laid our wedding at God’s feet. None of our guests had/contracted/exposed others while in attendance! We celebrated and danced hard! We took tons of pictures with all our guests! And we did our very best to soak in every moment. It hit me at the reception as we sat down to eat that none of this would be possible without God. I will never forget that moment, looking around the reception venue and feeling a tremendous amount of blessing. To know that God would allow all this to happen, I felt so undeserving yet so overwhelming loved all in one moment. Next to salvation, marrying Alec is the best gift from God I’ve received–and it started with TRUST!

JULY

Highlights:
Fourth of July Cake and Fireworks, Allison’s Bridal Shower and Bachelorette Party, New Office

Treasure: 
The new normal started to set in and I love it!! All the things that come with being married is even better than what they tell you! What I saw in the midst of this month was resting in God’s love. All the treasuring from June, carried over to July. I think about God’s goodness so often, and I pray that I never get over it. It’s not just because of the wedding. See Alec and I’s wedding sparked a new appreciation for the cross in. me. In July as we received our pictures from the day, we were able to relive our wedding. And what hits me so hard is God’s love. We were nothing but dirty, rotten, sinners and yet He sent Jesus to die for us! Consistently (and even now), I find myself captivated by God’s love! We are to treasure the cross. And as I never want to get over the gift and blessing our wedding was, I even more so never want to get over the cross–the best demonstration of God’s love there could ever be. 

AUGUST

Highlights:
Hello Fresh Meals, Women’s Ministry Kick Off, Allison and Mitchel’s Wedding, COVID

Treasure:
Going from teaching into ministry is a little bit of a shift. In order to teach; I graduated from college, passed some tests, and had six years of experience under my belt. But with ministry, I didn’t go to college or seminary, there wasn’t some big test to take, and my only experience is what I’ve done in college or through volunteering. It’s a whole new world. I’m learning a new reliance on God to lead me every step of the way. God’s put people in my life to point me in the right direction–both the co-workers and the team of women helping me! God equips us. Hebrews 13:21 sums it up best: “equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.” I find myself asking God to equip me to do His will for His glory.

SEPTEMBER

Highlights: 
Prayer Nights, Paint Night, First Responder Night, Day Trips, New Furniture

Treasure:
I think this may be the first month things started to feel somewhat normal. A mask mandate was put into effect, but I was more than willing to wear a mask if that meant community could be a part of life again. Pandemics are hard because isolation can set in so much faster, but my soul thrives on community and seeing people. I took for granted how a simple smile could bring so much life! Different events allowed me to see glimpses of community and I was reminded of what God said at the beginning of time, “It’s not good for man to be alone.” We need each other! This month, I spent treasuring up the moments of community to be together in fellowship!

OCTOBER

Highlights:
New Countertops, Pumpkins and Corn Mazes, Qdoba Night, Beach Trip to Florida

Treasure:
God is bigger! I feel like there’s a repeated theme (which is unintentional) about being reminded of God being God. He’s so much bigger than what we can see. Allison, Mitchel, Alec, and I went to the Goebel’s Corn Maze this year! The goal obviously is to find your way out! But it’s easier to know which way to go when you can see the whole picture. However, so often we’re left with just the obstacles we see in front of us. We see a choice of left or right, but we don’t get to see where that choice will lead us. We need a bigger view of the corn maze in order to determine our next step. This is true in our relationship with God. God is so big and He knows all things that we can trust His view of the maze of life rather than the obstacles in front of our limited view. If we’re listening to where He leads us, He will take us along the path (not necessarily the easy one) to accomplish the big picture–because He knows it. When I think about God’s infiniteness, it brings rest to my anxious heart! There’s less to worry about when I know God sees the picture I can’t. He’s bigger!

NOVEMBER

Highlights:
Worship Night, Presidential Election, Louisville Visit, Christmas Decorating, Surprise Visit from the Maglingers, Thanksgiving, Black Friday

Treasure:
When the going gets tough, it can be hard to be thankful. But yet, I’m reminded of 1 Thessalonians 5:18 that says we should give thanks in all circumstances. No matter what is thrown away–blessing or suffering–we are to give thanks through it all. The real treasure was thinking of all the things I’m thankful for. It’s so easy to get caught up in the ways of the world and be brought down, but there’s so much to be thankful for. What I found in the midst of the month is that the more thankful I became, the less negative I became as well! God works in paradoxes and it may be cliche to say November I was thankful, but it’s not just November. It’s in ALL.

DECEMBER

Highlights:
I love Christmas Movies, Mom’s Birthday, Fight Club Formal, (Sorta White) Christmas, December 31

Treasure: 
Here we are, now in the present. What am I treasuring right now? It’s this moment. It’s me sitting in my Red Chair, with the Christmas Tree still up and decorated, with “Not in a Hurry” coming on Spotify’s radio–and to be honest, that song couldn’t be more fitting. I’m treasuring this very moment, not trying to rush into the next one. To me, this is stillness before God. Looking and reflecting on what God has done and all that He’s taught me. It’s a way to see God at work. I didn’t even mention how I watched God save people this year, one of which I’ve prayed for YEARS would come to know Him. God’s done some massive work in my heart this year! I know He’s done work in other people’s lives as well because I’ve heard their stories! So here am I just ravishing in the work of God. I’m in awe and wonder of His work! He’s so good! He’s so trustworthy! We just need to press in to His still, quiet voice and listen.