2023: Rejoice

To be honest, I had to look back at my post from last year to see what I wrote – I hardly remember writing it.  2022 was such a difficult year for me, from start to finish, it was anything but FAST, but I held FAST to faith.  It’s taken me most of 2023 to feel like I was finally starting to come out of the deep hatred, hurt, and loss I experienced in 2022 and how to live in a healthy place with boundaries in place. On December 22, 2022 when I opened up an order of a couple of Christmas shirts that included a “mystery sweatshirt/hoodie” from one of my favorite places, I knew this was it. 

REJOICE

Some way, some how I was going to REJOICE in 2023.  The constant brimming tears were going to dry, my mind was going to settle, joy was going to be more present than grief, and I was determined to see God’s faithfulness through and to the other side.  

And, REJOICE I have done this year.  It hasn’t been without some valleys, but they weren’t quite as deep and the mountaintops have been such a gift this year. I’m holding onto this one, it’s been such a revival to my soul and I am so thankful for the answer to my prayers.

We celebrated our 3rd Anniversary at the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo and it was a really fun trip, one of the first times I really felt myself able to relax and enjoy. REJOICE!

The gift of community and the constant running “Supper Club” group text with sweet friends from our church community has been such a gift and one I felt really settle in this year after praying for community since we were married, I moved, and we found a church together.  REJOICE!

I love fresh flowers, I’ve kept them almost constantly since my 2015 New Year’s resolution of keeping fresh (grocery store) flowers in my home. These were a favorite this year and they got prettier day by day.  I’d never seen those white flowers in an arrangement before, they reminded me of bells, and as those flowers blossomed this spring, I thought of change and growth and blooming. I felt a little hint of it – a reason to REJOICE! 

In March we were an active family for adoption and saw our first case!!  I plan to write more about our adoption in 2024, we definitely want to help others who might  be pursuing adoption for their family.  We were so excited and definitely a reason to REJOICE!! 

My mom and I had a getaway this year to see The Painted Churches.  I keep meaning to blog about this – it was such a fun day trip; perfect weather, beautiful churches, good conversations, and my favorite gift – time.  I’m so thankful for my Mom and time together was certainly a memory I’ll cherish and time that I REJOICED! 

I spent a bit of time this spring alongside a college bestie with her husband at the hospital. It was such a joy for me to be able to make dinner at home and take her a plate to share, plus the gift of time to visit (that we don’t get on the regular due to distance) for almost a month on multiple evenings a week.  I definitely REJOICED when they left the hospital to go home and am so thankful for the gift of more days for their family together. 

In May and June I celebrated children’s milestones with besties. It was the sweetest gift to see the answer to prayers and to REJOICE together with decades long friends. 

 

Early in the year I was asked to be a speaker at our chruch’s Womens Bible Brunch.  I was so humbled to be asked and grateful to do one of my favorite things – teach scriptures.  I spoke again at a ladies Christmas Brunch and REJOICED for the double blessing of speaking twice this year. 

We planned a vacation to the mountains this year, with everything able to be cancelled and little did we know we’d need to cancel.  Our vacation location changed, became a little Texas getaway that included golf, pool time and meeting our birth mom – a “babymoon” if you will, and we certainly REJOICED! 

Our lives changed forever with the gift of our son’s arrival this summer. The most precious gift of being in the delivery room and being the first to speak over his new life. The highest mountaintop and we are still REJOICING! 

God’s promises are always faithful, and this tiny gift was definitely a reminder of the promises of God. We REJOICED in his faithfulness to bring a child into our family, after miscarriage, fertility, and pursuing adoption. 

I have a very generous parental leave and enjoyed weeks at home with our boy.  So many moments of those weeks I would catch myself REJOICING for the long answered prayer to be a Mama. I never knew it would take this many years, but I can’t imagine it any other way! 

We were so blessed by our friends and the gift of baby showers to celebrate with us. The generosity of others and blessing to our family is overwhelming. Sharing moments with friends and so many who have prayed for so long was the sweetest gifts. These are days I will long remember and moments to REJOICE. 

Watching God’s calling on my nephew has been such a highlight of this year for me. We were able to watch him teach at his weekly youth gathering and I certainly REJOICED at the answer to prayer for a church home and the influence of Godly men on his life.  

Speaking of church home, baby dedication at our church was in December and we were so grateful to stand before our church, in acknowledgment of our desire to raise our son in the church and according to the Bible, and the support of our family and friends alongside us. Another mountaintop to REJOICE over. 

Wrapping up the same week as dedication we were so thankful and excited to have our adoption finalized. A moment I can hardly describe, and a day I’ll never forget.  Oh what a story we have been part of and a gracious God to write it for us. I’ll certainly never stop REJOICING for this day! 

The holidays have been extra sweet this year with all of “baby’s firsts”.  I long dreamt of Christmas at home with my own family and this year that dream came true!  It was the sweetest of moments from an early morning rocker nap, to presents, and the gift of time together.  Most of all, we REJOICE for our Savior’s birth, he is Christ  the King! 

We ended the year at home, playing a game, the baby monitor nearby, and it was certainly a perfect way to wrap up this year. There will never be another one like it, the year I became a Mama. For 2023, I will always REJOICE! 

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

From our home to yours, I pray blessings upon your new year, that you find moments to REJOICE, and that Jesus would be near through all the days. The ones from valleys to mountaintops.  For I know He’s been faithful to me, and will do it again, and more than anything listed above, Jesus is my hope and my reason to REJOICE!  

Happy New Year!  
Blessings, 
Angie 

I begin each year with a word, but I don’t tell anyone my word. I remember the word through the year and how it weaves into the year. To read about my word from prior years, click below. 

2022: Fast
2021: Discipline
2020: Do
2019: Free
2018: Begin
2017: Grow
2016: Steadfast
2015: Believe
2014: Flourish