Last year at this time most of us were happy that 2020 was in our rearview mirror and 2021 was on the horizon. But 2021 turned out to have more than its share of challenges, as well. COVID variants, politics, rising inflation, crime and for many of us, personal circumstances have all played a part. If we merely look at the circumstances around us, it would be easy to lose hope. Yet, as believers in Christ, we can choose to see life differently. One thing that can help is being part of a faithful Christian community.

A Look Back at 2021 & the Blessings of Christian Community

2021 actually proved to be more challenging than 2020 for Mike and me personally. My mother’s health was deteriorating and her care kept me close to home much of the time. The physical effort her care required was made more difficult by our concerns for her spiritual well-being. She died on September 2nd. Toward the end, she made some comments that gave us hope that she might have opened her heart to the gospel but the truth is, we have no real assurance. Our trust is in our good and gracious God alone.

I had surgery myself on December 3rd and there were some complications. Consequently, I am still recovering. I will have surgery again on January 19th and yet again 6 or 8 months down the road, God willing. 

In the 10 or 12 years that I have been blogging, I have rarely shared details about the things going on in my personal life. One exception was in January of 2019 when Mike was hospitalized with MRSA. But I have come to realize more acutely than ever just how important Christian community is and how much we need each other. That point has been driven home by our church family which is such a living example of true Christian community.

We have been the recipients of so many blessings during my mom’s illness, her death, and my own surgery. There has been much prayer, lots of calls and cards, and many meals and precious visits.

But the blessings didn’t just come from our church family, they came from friends, our biological family, and brothers and sisters-in-Christ in another ministry where we served for many years.

We have so much for which to be thankful! 

But you are part of my Christian community, as well. It’s always a blessing when you leave me a comment or send me a message about one of my posts and how it impacted you. It’s a privilege when you share a prayer request with me or ask for counsel about a difficult situation. I hope we can be more a part of one another’s lives in those ways in the future and I look forward to your comments, questions, and prayer requests.

Now on to other things …

Other Things:

What I’m Reading:

Besides going through the Bible in a year, I’m reading Trusting God by Jerry Bridges. With so much going on in my life, it’s been a timely read.

Blogging About:

I have started another new year of blogging through the Bible. In the Old Testament, we will be going through the book of Genesis, one of my favorites. Tomorrow we’ll read about that first really bad choice. In the coming days, we will read about Cain and Abel, Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebekah, Jacob and Rachel, Esau, and Joseph, just to name a few. We’ll witness sibling rivalry, murder, favoritism, idolatry, deception, manipulation, and revenge. But through it all, we’ll see God’s sovereignty and grace and find hope for the messes we make of our lives.

In the New Testament, we’ll be talking about the difference between regret and repentance, about fighting temptation with the sword of the Spirit, about radical surgery and look at Jesus’ outline for prayer, among other things.

And here are links to a few of my recent posts:

“A Fresh Start through the Bible” January 1

“10 Important Goals & Priorities for Believers”

“The Most Important Goal for 2022”

Why It Is So Important to Read through the Bible in 2022

Things for Which I’m Thankful:

I’m so thankful to God for my wonderful, godly husband, Mike, a good church, faithful pastors, family, friends, opportunities to counsel and teach, my readers, 4 new great-grandbabies in 2021, and His mercy and grace which I constantly need.

Praying for:

Like many of you, we have friends and family members who are dealing with sickness and disease. We heard about another situation this morning that brought us before the throne of grace. 

I’m praying for unsaved family, those we know who are struggling with relationships and other difficulties, as well as sickness. Also, for our nation, our pastors, and you. I’m especially praying for those I know, to grow in the grace and knowlege of God and become more like Christ in the coming year.

In fact, I’m making a fresh commitment to pray for you, for our church family, and for others in our lives. I hope you will pray for us and our family, as well. Please let me know how I can pray more specifically.

Happy New Year to each one of you. 

Blessings in 2022 & beyond,
Donna