So much to be grateful for

As Christmas is approaching the end of this week and the New Year next week, and I've had some time to relax, I find myself reflecting on this past year. This last year has been probably the best year of my life, but the hardest year of my life all at once. The best because I have learned so much about myself and I have had some pretty amazing experiences along the way. The hardest because I have had to face some of the hardest challenges of my life so far. With the help of my savior I have healed. I am still healing and probably will still be healing for a long time but I am grateful for the understanding that my savior has a plan for me. If there is anything that I have had to learn more than the fact that the lord is mindful of my prayers and if I have faith that he has a plan for me and I trust in that, everything will work out. Throughout this year and the many experiences I have had, I have learned that God really does know what's best for us, because he did in fact create us and he knows us better than we know ourselves. I have found through this challenging time of life that it has been very difficult for me to look at the positive side. It's very easy to get down and to focus on the negative things. I am doing my best to try and forget myself and serve and to remember how blessed I am and I have honestly been better this past week, but it can be challenging. We have so much to be grateful for. Throughout this year I have come to be grateful for a variety of different things. Grateful for the knowledge that everything happens for the reason, and that there is a plan for me and for each of us. I'm grateful for the support of so many great friends and for a couple of my sisters. I'm grateful for the fact that waking up every morning, it is a new day. I'm grateful that I can communicate with my father in heaven whenever, wherever and however much I want, and he WILL listen. In fact, he is the best listener I can think of. I have been blessed and I'm grateful. I know that someday this will all make sense but as for right now I just need to be patient. If there is anything the lord has tried to teach me this year, it has got to be patience. I know that there is a point in testing my patience and it has seemed to be the theme of my year so there must be a reason. I have faith that some day this will all make sense, and it may not be in this life but it will eventually make sense. Well those are my thoughts for now.

To be continued...