What a year! 2011 for me was a great year, in which I saw God do many things in and around me. If I had to sum up 2011 into one phrase it would be:

“God is Faithful!”

And I saw Him be faithful over and over again throughout the year.

HAITI – The year started with a growing desire to go to Haiti, they had just had the one year anniversary of the earthquake that devastated that country; and I found myself with a longing to go there, to do something there, didn’t know what or how to go about it, but I knew I had to go. Even got to the point where I told my Pastor, you need to find me a trip there; there has to be someone we know who is planning a trip to Haiti. So I just began to pray, pray that if it was Gods Will that He would show me a path and provide an opportunity. And apparently God Tweets! Because not long after starting the prayer, a pastor I follow on twitter tweeted out that his ministry was going to Haiti and if you wanted to go fill out the application. I filled it out, and continued to pray about it, and God in His Sovereignty worked out everything perfectly, and I got to go spend a week in Haiti working at an orphanage. One of the greatest weeks of my life. Every prayer request I had for the trip was answered, and there I met friends that will last a lifetime, as we gathered together not knowing each other and served a long side each other.

Philippians 1:27  This scripture absolutely rocked me week one of the year, and has stuck with me all year, where I continually think about it and dwell on it. The verse is this:

     Only let your manner of life be worthy of the Gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one Spirit, with one mind striving site by side for the faith of the Gospel.

Let your life be worthy of the Gospel, let your life equal the Gospel. Basically saying let your life match what you say you believe! This verse just hit me, I know yes we should live out what we say we believe, but Paul is saying here compare your life to the Gospel, and make it match that. So much more there than reciting a prayer and saying yes I a believer now. But no, now that you believe strive to have your life match the Gospel you proclaim. Theres a seriousness involved in being a believer, we no longer have a life to live for ourselves, but to live a life for Him, and one that lines up with, is equal to the Word of God we say we believe.

Answered Prayers  This year, I saw God answer some amazing prayers in my life, in ways, I hadn’t seen Him move that way before. From big request like Haiti, and let the group get along, to other small request like today can I have an opportunity to talk about you with someone. Some were answered after praying for a few months, and on several occasions prayers were answered within an hour or two. Just continually amazing me that God in Heaven hears me and answers me when I cry out to Him.

He is Faithful! 

He is Faithful, and has proven it over and over again in my life this past year. As I look forward to 2012, my prayer for people is you would seek Him this year, first! And that He may prove Himself Faithful in your life as well. My prayer for you is out of Colossians:

Colossians 1:9-14  And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all Spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. May you be strengthened with all power, according to His Glorious might for all endurance and patience and with joy, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the Saints in light. He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son. In whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

May your 2012 be incredible, and may He prove Himself strong in our lives!!