Reason #693

It’s hard to believe I graduated from college 5 years ago. Where has the time gone? I think back over the past 5 years, and I can’t believe the amount of changes I have gone through. Never would I have guessed or even expected half of them. I always considered myself an old soul, but the past 5 years have really caused me to grow up quickly. I poured responsibility in my lap, and it’s hard to get out of it if you change your mind. Not impossible, but hard. This month, I paid off my first big purchase. I am now driving around a FREE CAR! It only took me close to 4 years to get it paid off, but I did it. Thank goodness my lenders were very lenient and understanding. It sure will be nice to have that extra cash in my account each month. What a relief it is to finally have that behind me, too. It’s good to own your things rather than letting them own you.

 

Every year, around this time, I become reflective. I think back over not just the year, but back over my life. I have my little milestones that I use as references, and it’s amazing how much further away they keep getting. High school, college, marriage, Scout, buying a car, buying a house. All of these things gain another year, too. And sometimes it’s easy to look at life as another year “without.” Another year without a child. Another year without a spouse. Another year without a promotion. Another year without your dream job. Another year without owning that new home or driving that new car. It’s easy to look back and see all that we haven’t accomplished in life rather than all that we have. It’s the glass half empty mentality, you know. And so we start to feel bad about ourselves. About where we are in life, when in reality, we should be proud of what we’ve done. Maybe we didn’t exceed our expectations, but we probably didn’t consider the bumps along the way, either. And so I look back over this year, over the past 5 years, and I am really grateful for what God has done.

 

The truth is, without God, none of these things would have been possible. Without His provision, protection, guidance, forgiveness, grace, mercy, compassion, diving planning, justice, goodness, and faithfulness, I would be without. Without a home, without a job, without an incredible husband, without many sweet friends, without a supportive family, without a loyal dog, without hope, joy, peace, without food and clothes and a warm bed to sleep in at night. I would be without a reason to keep getting out of bed each morning. You see, that’s the key. It’s not what we’re doing without, it’s who we are doing life with. Because when we walk through life with Jesus, we find that we can do without a lot of things from this world.

 

Without Him I would be nothing

Without Him I’d sure fail

Without Him I would be drifting

Like a ship without a sail

 

Jesus, Oh, Jesus

Do you know him today?

Do not turn Him away

Jesus, Oh, Jesus

Without Him, how lost I would be

 

 

#693 - Because with Him, we are never without.

 

"In His unfailing love, my God will stand with me." - Psalm 59:10