And here it is at last, the final day of 2020.

As I sit here reflecting on this past year, it feels like so many are eager to dismiss this year as bad…but I feel like there is always something good we can take away. Even from a challenging year like 2020 was for all of us. In the midst of the challenges I realize there are so many blessings to be thankful for as well.

I am grateful for the lessons 2020 taught me and I feel strengthened by the tears it brought. I know that we each suffered a great deal in so many different ways and that we all grew from the challenges and fears that we had to overcome.

2020 brought to my life a cleansing that I didn’t even realize was necessary…or I did, but life was too busy to stop and really reflect on what was good and what was not so good. The forced slowing down brought with it an opportunity to put into perspective what truly matters in life.

When you are suddenly met with not being able to do certain things that you took for granted before, like eating inside a restaurant, sitting in a crowded theatre, seeing the entire beautiful face of a stranger or loved one, watching your kids run off to their classroom and picking them up at the end of the day from school, participating in all your extracurricular activities, go to work for those deemed “essential”, and just a countless amount of other ordinary things… you realize what an abundant life we lived. How incredibly blessed we are, especially when you think of how much we have access to in comparison to so many others around the world. And yet, many times we squandered it and simply wanted more and more, not for the sake of enjoying each thing fully but just for the sake of accumulating more. This year became one of less of everything. It challenged our beliefs and our relationships and our mental and emotional health. Yet even in the midst of all the uncertainty, there was hope. There was God. He was my constant, always the same, no matter what new things were thrown our way. And that hope lead me every day to get up and adapt and be flexible.

In 2020 I realized that for new doors and possibilities to open, it meant change became necessary. Finding new ways of connecting with our loved ones despite not being able to see everyone in person or when we wanted. It meant cultivating deeper friendships and relationships and appreciating those in our lives. I am incredibly thankful for the family and friends that gave us their time, love, support and encouragement.

Tonight, as the hour gets closer to midnight here in this little corner of CA, I pray that we all walk into 2021 with hope and a strong conviction that in believing and trusting in God, He will provide the courage and strength we need to overcome whatever comes our way. I pray that we each open our eyes and hearts to 2021 with intention, knowing that we have been made stronger and that we were made for such times as this and we can and will endure.