My 2016 was hijacked – I’m taking it back!

On New Years Day 2016 I took a quiet moment to sit on the deck of our holiday rental in Tewantin on the Sunshine Coast and think and pray for the year ahead.  It was a beautiful day  and I had a great feeling of expectation and excitement gurgling away in the pit of my stomach.  I believed it would be the year of acceleration with many awe moments awaiting us.  Moments of seeing God do something spectacular in our lives.  I was certain of it.

Now as I sit on the precipice of 2017 having just barely scrapped through the finishing line of 2016, I can honestly say:

“The reality didn’t meet the expectation”.

Somewhere along the way my year got hijacked and my plans sabotaged.  The awe moments soon became ooh moments and the acceleration became more of an uphill slog.

I was sabotaged by the distractions of misunderstandings, unreached expectations, challenging relationships, poor decisions, holdups and setbacks, firefighting, the loss of loved ones and steep learning curves.

“This was not part of my plan, this was not supposed to happen”.

This curve ball year, doesn’t seem to be isolated to just me either.  Everywhere I go I hear of many people who are seemingly having the same experience.  The discussion is frequently raised that 2016 has been an unusually difficult year for so many.

Even our world news is reporting on “The Curse of 2016” reflecting on the unprecedented number of well known stars that have passed away suddenly.

For many waving goodbye to 2016 is a welcomed sight but as I sit here and reflect on the ashes of what could be a disappointing year, a defiance stirs within me.  How dare my year be hijacked and sabotaged by so many unnecessary distractions.  It is time that I took back what was meant to be a great year and poke 2016 in the eye and say “I will have the last say thank you very much”.

So I am taking back 2016 by not waving it goodbye with regret but with thanksgiving.

I am taking back 2016 by not looking at all the loved ones we’ve lost this year but instead thanking God for their part in our lives.  I will take back this year by not focusing on the people who walked out of my life but the people that walked in.  Yes I am taking back 2016 by understanding that each trial was to bring the right change.

I will not regret the opportunities missed but be thankful for the many opportunities gained and I will no longer say my year was full of pauses, distractions and setbacks but instead simply say 2016 was about setting the right pace to be in alignment with the purpose and promise of God.

So I salute you 2016 and say thank you.

Thank you for being unexpected and throwing in some surprises.  Thank you for walking me through a journey that has made me stronger, wiser, more alert, more determined and more equipped to face 2017 with the same faith, belief and excitement that I had for the start of this year.

So now as I arrive at the final day of the year I can look down the barrel of 2017 and declare with faith that “2017 you will be a ‘gamechanger’ and one of the greatest yet”

Bring it on, I am ready!

My wish for you is that you too find the fruit in the ashes and face the new year with a renewed hope for a game changing 2017.

HAPPY NEW YEAR x