2016, what a year...

Well, 2016 is nearly over, crazy right? It’s really crazy to see the places this year has taken me, the people it’s led me to, the people it’s drawn me away from. There were many good things that happened this year, and some challenges as well.

On social media I’ve seen the phrase, “2016 was a huge L for everyone” and for those who don’t know what a “huge L” means, it’s basically slang for this year sucked. In light of this being a pretty popular attitude, I wanted to talk about my year and why I don’t think I “took an L” in 2016.

Personally, my year started off with a bang! On January 9, 2016 I started dating my best friend. As I talked about in a previous blog, it was tough for the first few months of our relationship but anyone who knows Noah and I knows that we have a very healthy and loving relationship. The next month, I started a week long internship at the school my mom works at working one-on-one and observing special education students, at the end of that week I was accepted into my dream school on scholarship. In March, I went to Disney World with my best friends and my mom. Side note: Yes, it really is the happiest place on Earth. 10 out of 10, would recommend. In addition, the choir I was in for three years, Sirens, finally got their own show where I sang a full solo for the first time since the 8th grade where I forgot half the words on stage. In this month I was also accepted into my dream school’s music program with a scholarship. This was such a blessing because for months I had been questioning if I was even good enough to be able to major in music education. In April, I started something new in my journal. I started writing my prayer requests and praises before I began journaling. Over the year, I have watched the prayer requests shrink and the praises grow and grow. In April, VRHS Musical cast went to GAHSMTA and VRHS Choir competed in UIL and got straight 1’s. Noah also asked me to prom this month, and yes I do still cry watching this video. May rolls around and I went to prom with all of my friends and started preparing for graduation. June 4, 2016 I walked the stage of the Cedar Park Center and officially graduated VRHS! This deserves a small story to remind anyone who forgot.

At the graduation ceremony, VRHS Chorale sang a song and I was just grooving. Keep in mind, this is the Cedar Park Center, and there was a giant screen and as I was dancing the big screen caught me. No one else in the whole choir was dancing and my face immediately turned red and I stopped and the whole stadium laughed, and later our principal even called me out. Good times. Moving on.

I’ll skip over my summer, if you want to know what happened you can just check my instagram page. Moving on.

My first semester of college started and it was eventful to say the least. In October, I experienced a lot of loss. I had a friend from middle school and high school pass away and a few days before that, my great grandfather. This was a season that should have left me really bitter, but it didn’t. Instead it just left me hungry for God’s love and healing. Fast forward to this month. My brother was just told he would be stationed overseas starting in the beginning of January and he would be there for six months.

In 2016, I think it's fair to say I had my fair share of good and hard times. There was a lot of hurt felt and also lots of Joy but here's why I don’t think I “took and L” this year:

Through every single moment , whether I was rejoicing or crying my eyes out in pain, Jesus was there. This whole year we have had the same God. Through the election, when I went to Disney, when I went to California, when I experienced so much death, the same God held me in the palm of His hands. The same God was watching over me and protecting me and using me in His kingdom. I didn’t “take an L” because Jesus was still Jesus and will be forever.

So, a new year is approaching us. It’s easy to go into this year bitter about things that may have happened in 2016, but a word of advice if I may. Face 2017 head on, apologize, even when it’s hard. Lean on God in the bad times and don’t forget to praise him in the good times. Seek the good, there's enough negativity on this planet, don’t create more of it. Be bold in your faith, pray for others and give selflessly. When you pour into others, don’t expect for them to fill you up, let God fill you up. Most importantly, make Jesus your number one.

Merry Christmas and a blessed new year to all my readers, y’all are the best! Thank you for reading my blogs and I’ll see ya in the new year! ​