My 26th Birthday

I woke up this morning and I could describe my emotions in one work: GRATEFUL

I am grateful to be alive. I'm grateful that God has blessed me with another year on earth. I am grateful that it is not only my birthday but payday, and my day off. I am grateful that I have a job and roof over my head. I am grateful that tonight I get the chance to spend my birthday with my amazing small group.

I think back over the last year and I can't help but smile. For all the lessons, for all the tears, for all the memories. I have learned more about faith, grace, love, redemption, and the true meaning of life in this world in the last year than I think I've ever learned in my entire life.

I am so grateful for the love that the Lord has shown me, how he grabbed my attention last year, making me realize that this life is too short to hold onto worldly goods.

I think back to my 25th birthday, going to the coast with Denise. I remember waking up that morning and thinking wow! How can my life get anymore perfect? I've got a house, a job, friends, a car. All the things I've ever wanted. But I was missing the biggest piece: an intimate and loving relationship with our Creator.

Over the course of the last year I have lost my job, my house, put everything I own in storage, experienced God's goodness in Mexico, ministered to a crazy bunch of high school students, packed what I could into my car and moved my entire life to South Texas.

Here I am. 26 years old. Starting out again in South Texas. I've got a roof over my head, a job and a steady pay check, and an amazing group of friends, and a relationship with God that has become the only thing I can rely on. I feel blessed beyond measure for everything I've been given in the last year. God is good, life is good and all I can do is take each day for what it truly is: a gift.

Check out this video, it's my slogan for the year:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4XZ12nrz47U&feature=related