Thirty-One Blessings

I recently turned 31.
And yes, I'm okay with this.
Yes I am 31 and single and have ADD when it comes to where I live and where I work.
I am learning to embrace this.

But upon my birthday I realized that it was time to stop and think through this past year and be thankful for what God has given me. From days and events to people and objects. So, here are 31 blessings that He gave me this past year. (Written in no particular order.)

1.)The ability to run a 5k (Technically this was the day before my 30th birthday: but I'm counting that anyways.)
2.)A part time job in an ESL classroom with Kindergarteners.
3.)A company that wanted to hire me but His quiet and yet forceful Spirit urged me to say no. (So that I could...)
4.)Accept a full-time 1:1 job with a Kindergarten boy.
5.)Health Insurance. (Great insurance in fact!)
6.)Dental Insurance
7.)A day of Jeeping. (Refer to my October 1, 2012 post)
8.)Amazing friends to live with.
9.)The desire to create a disciplined spiritual life.
10.) The ability to buy and make coffee. (Okay, so can I just write that for every day of my life?)
11.)Journals.
12.) A life in which I have filled 5-6 journals this past year.
13.) Steady pay checks.
14.) Friends whom I consider family.
15.) An incredible, loving church family.
16.) The opportunity to lead worship. (And the chances to even when I don't want.)
17.) Seeing the answers to prayers.
18.) The ability to cry (Okay, so only women will understand this one!)
19.) The ability to laugh (I should say "at myself", but let's face it: it's fun to laugh at others sometimes!)
20.) EMT's. (Not for me.. but a man who had a grand mal seizure)
21.) Parent's who still love me despite my never [rarely] calling.
22.) A God who whispers to people to pray for me.
23.) People who pray for me!
24.) Feeling my heart heal.
25.) Seeds of hope.
26.) The opportunity to go to my camp up in Maine.
27.) Meeting new people who instantly change your life.
28.) Forgiveness.
29.) Friends and family who love me too much to let me stay where I am.
30.) A God who loves me too much to let me stay where I am.
31.) Grace.

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32.) A boss who wanted me to back in the Fall.
33.) "Gratitude" by Nancy DeMoss
34.) "When I Don't Desire God: How to Fight For Joy" by John Piper
35.) "Radical" by David Platt
36.) "The Heavenly Man" by Brother Yun
37.) Godly, older women in my life
38.) Inspiring younger women in my life
39.) Hugs
40.) Letters and notes of encouragement

Okay... so I went above and beyond. But I could not help it! 40 blessings does not even begin to number the ways that God has blessed me this past year. The sunrises, sunsets, weddings, conversations I have seen this year do not even begin to capture how God has begun to capture my heart and mind.

So, here's to turning 31 and the God who continues to surprise, bless and walk beside me. My prayer is that you will see Him at work in your life this year at thirty-one ways.