2020 is a year many want to forget but one we will probably always remember. This was a year of tension, loss, and unmet expectations. It was also a year of shifting and adapting to new rhythms.

One of the most common things I’ve heard and read is the longing for 2021. These messages subtly suggest that the turning of the calendar page might bring about change, as if 2020 is some being doling out bad news after bad news. The Christian, however, knows Who is in control and that both the good and bad events are not only permitted by God but directed for His children’s good and His glory (Rom. 8:28).

Although 2020 did not go how I expected, I can honestly say that this is a year I do not want to forget for I found it to be filled with unexpected blessings. The darkness provided a backdrop for Jesus’ light to shine all the more brightly. The heaviness forced me to turn to the one who carries our burdens. Rather than cling to what is normal, I learned to cling to what is Good, True, and Trustworthy.

Here are three distinct themes I noticed in 2020:

1. It was a year of pruning.

I signed my book contract for “A Holy Pursuit: How the Gospel Frees Us to Follow and Lay Down Our Dreams” in the Fall of 2018. It published in March of 2020. A few weeks prior to its publication date, a devastating tornado hit the town of my Publisher. Shortly after, our country shut down. Following that, an entire organizational shift occurred as our country transitioned into remote work. Our book launch team of hundreds of women quickly dwindled as they tended to their own family-dynamic changes. To add to the list, Amazon deemed books non-essential and stopped shipping any reading materials. Any expectation of what a normal launch should look like went out the window. I wrestled with launching a book into the world at such a chaotic time, but the message of pursuing, pressing pause on, or surrendering a dream was actually quite timely on so many levels. I had the head knowledge that the Lord wasn’t surprised at these events. I even wrote about it:

There is a reason for everything. And Christians know what that reason is. We know that God has written one grand story and we can remain confident and hopeful because we already know the end. . . .When we harden our hearts during these difficult and stressful times, we fail to see our lives in relation to God’s faithful character. We also blind our eyes from seeing God at work. He uses our weakness as a means of displaying His great power and proving that his grace is sufficient, just as He has many men and women of the past. . . .Our end goal is not the here and the now; it is the salvation of our souls and the future we have with Jesus in the resurrection. He has given us new birth, a living hope, and inheritance that is impersiahble, undefiled, and unfading! We a guarded by God’s power for a salvation to be revealed in the last days. We can rejoice in trials not just to prove our faith but refine us, sanctify us, and grow us in holiness.

(from “A Holy Pursuit” Pages 101-102)

But as I’ve told many others: Just because you write it, doesn’t mean you always grasp it.

Prior to signing that book contract, I asked the Lord to guard my heart against anything that would make me become prideful or trust in myself. I had no idea that He would use a global pandemic to answer that prayer and keep me wholly dependent on Him.

This was a year of cutting out any of my hopes or expectations that didn’t fall in line with His will. It was an uprooting any bad seeds and a (sometimes painful) trimming of dead branches to make room for more fruit. My journey as a first-time author would look so different than most, but He used these “unusual” circumstances to remind me that my identity is not in what I do but in what He has done for me…that my “success” or lack of “success” doesn’t matter in His economy. When we walk by faith and in obedience to him, both success or failure can still be for His glory. I had to die to myself over and over again that week, but when I finally let go of my expectations, I was free to trust Him whole-heartedly. Publishing a book was an incredible milestone, but in reality, it was just another small step of obedience that would prepare me for what was next.

2. It was a year of OPPORTUNITY.

As a military family, we tried our best to serve in the various local churches we attended but our parachurch ministry, Deeply Rooted, was something we took with us wherever we moved. Whether running Deeply Rooted Magazine or writing the book, my heart has always been in serving and equipping women to love the Lord with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength.

Ethan received his call to the ministry years ago but we had no idea when his calling would become a reality. And then a door opened this past August when he accepted the position as the College and Young Professionals Director for Olive Baptist Church. He stepped out of the military to step into the ministry; he moved from fighting physical warfare to engaging in spiritual warfare. However, we began serving in this capacity months before the position and it was here I would encounter countless opportunities to minister to these amazing young women in person. God took my love for the global church and placed us in a capacity to serve the local church. It has brought us so much joy that our family is able to serve together. He’s deepened our love for the local church, surrounded us with an incredible community of people, and has grown our family through it.

In addition, God presented many Gospel-sharing opportunities within our neighborhood, community, and even across the interwebs. The heaviness of this year offered us countless opportunities to love our neighbors well. While the media streams bad news after bad news, both Ethan and I have been able to share the actual good news—the Gospel!— to people in restaurants, strangers at the beach, new neighbors, old neighbors, and more. The hurricanes we experienced allowed us to serve our physical neighbors in a visible way, but there were also many walking through painful trials who just needed someone to listen and pray for them. How easy it is to miss the opportunities when we’re distracted with demanding schedules and comforts galore, but God used the temporary loss of freedoms and comforts to open our eyes to those hurting around us.

3. It was a year of GRACE.

Not only can we miss out on ministry opportunities around us, if we aren’t careful we can miss out on the good gifts God has given us. He has given us His Word, the opportunity to pray, spiritual fruit to bear, love to give and receive, churches to serve in, and community to rely upon! We have the hope of the Gospel to reconcile us to Him, free us from fear, provide a context for true unity, and offer hope to our neighbor!

With a solid, Biblical worldview, the essentials of life became all the more clearer. Rather than clinging to comfort, I drank deeper from the Word, exercised the gift of prayer, and grew closer to our church community. These spiritual disciplines confirm the truth of Scripture that we can be free of anxious thought, find true rest in Him, and glorify Him in all things. The darkness of 2020 didn’t dull the grace He lavishes on us, it actually spotlighted it! And it’s truly His grace alone that I could ever see this year the way that I did.

In summary, 2020 was a year that tested us, offered us countless opportunities, and revealed grace upon grace all around us. It showed us that our hope isn’t in our comforts or circumstances, but in Jesus alone. This year was not a waste and wasn’t something to be wished away, but rather, provided us with a clearer vision to see what really matters. The reality that God is good all the time was made evident. These trials tested our faith, which, resulted in the inexpressible and glorious joy that only makes sense to those who have a reason for the hope within. Thank you, Jesus, for a year of unexpected blessing. You are indeed working all things for the good of those who love You have been called according to Your purpose (Rom. 8:28).

Here is a little re-cap of some of the blessings our family experienced this year!

FEBRUARY

Like so many of you, empty shelves became a new normal for us. This is the toilet paper section with limits on how many paper towels one could buy, ha!

The beaches were closed but having warm weather and boat made the lockdown more than bearable. We tried to get out on the water and away from everyone as much as we can.

In between remote learning lessons, I worked on the upcoming issue of Deeply Rooted and recorded a number of podcast interviews to promote my book. I even did a LIVE radio interview!

JULY

Issue 15: Disciple released in July! This is one of my favorite issues to date. Notice the cover photo from January? ;)

We celebrated two birthdays in July. :)

Ethan had the honor of doing a beach baptism for two amazing young adults. This was such another joyous occasion!

AUGUST

This image is from “Commission Sunday” when Ethan accepted a full-time position at Olive Baptist Church as the College and Young Professionals Director. Words cannot express what joy it has brought us to serve alongside our brothers and sisters in Christ at Olive.

Here’s a picture of Ethan teaching at Crossroads. This is such an amazing group of young adults. They are hungry to learn and passionate about their walk with Jesus.

SEPTEMBER

We flew to Wisconsin to attend my brother’s wedding! This is me with all my siblings. (And below is a pic. of me and my beautiful mom.) :)

OCTOBER

Hurricane Sally surprised us and we spent basically the entire month cleaning up debris and helping our neighbors. There are so many lessons that came from this season. 9 days without electricity can teach you a lot, haha!

We participated in our church’s drive-through communion. It was here my love for our church deepend even more and I saw a clear visual of what so many of us have realized this year: the local church is essential. We will show up even if that means taking communion in a parking lot.