It’s been a while since I’ve written. I could blame the busyness of life, but in reality, it’s harder for lessons and observations to emerge in the middle of the battle, having to trust the Lord a day at a time. The best battle accounts and letters home come after the battle, not in the middle of the fight.

But as the dust begins to clear, I look back and see the Lord’s faithful hand guiding me through it all. This year I’ve seen God answer life-long prayers while bringing me through seasons I’ve had to learn to lean into his promises like never before. Through it all — and I’ve certainly cried many tears from both the joy of surprise and the anxiety of waiting — I’m learning the immense rest that comes from seeing the Lord’s hand in all the details.

I’ll be more specific. My family announced early this year they would be packing up and moving to South Carolina. Through much prayer, and considering some other circumstances (more on that in future posts : ) I made the choice to stay behind in Colorado. The stress of fixing up a house, selling all the furniture, and getting them ready to move cross country was hard. But when my family drove off early the morning of September 8^th, I realized figuring out life without them would be even more difficult. In the first months, when I had to move again at the last minute and it seemed everything I held close hung in the balance, the Lord started opening my eyes to daily, little ways his hand was guiding me.

It was the Lord who provided friend to alter my dress for my brother’s wedding. Or a well-timed ladies’ retreat on contentment. Or long walks with an older lady who took me under her wing and prayed faithfully for me. I saw his hand when the school district I substitute for suddenly decided to double our rates, right when I was wondering whether I would need to find another job. I saw him answer direct prayer, when my pastor—one of the busiest people I know — called me on a hard day and breathed new hope into my situation. It was the Lord who opened the door for me to go out and visit my family, providing us with a sweet time together as well as the confirmation that I am still called to my life in Colorado.

There is so much joy in seeing all of life through the lens of God’s providential hand, for he makes no mistakes in anything, even the events that seem frustrating and meaningless. I may not yet be able to explain why I had to get a sinus infection during Thanksgiving break with my family, or why my car’s catalytic converter was stolen while I was gone. But the more I learn about the faithfulness of our God, the more those things don’t matter as much. In fact, those frustrations are often the very circumstances that serve as catalysts so see him provide in even greater ways. Waiting, praying, and hoping make God’s answers all the sweeter.

I don’t know what 2021 has looked like for you, but I imagine, like mine, it has been filled with its share of ups and downs. In the middle of it, don’t lose sight of God’s hand in your life. He is providing, tenderly shepherding, filling your life with unexplained mercies even in the trials. How have you seen the Lord’s hand in your life this year? Please encourage us and comment below!