TWENTY NINETEEN!

Today, I'm posting two letters. Sometimes I'm weird and I write letters to things that aren't people. It wouldn't feel right without doing something for the New Year, so I thought writing these letters would be a way to end last year and begin this year! I have also linked to some of my blog posts throughout 2018 that I want to keep alive. Also, at the end of this post, I am giving you some really important insider information about what's happening on Showers of Blessings in the new year! 

(So, if you are new to Showers of Blessings or even if you are not a new follower, feel free to check out the older blog posts linked below in context to what I'm saying in the letters. Also for new followers, one of my nicknames is "Ben" so just letting you know so you don't get confused...)

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Dear twenty eighteen, 

For a year that has gone by so fast, you have sure put a lot of changes in my path. Overall, you were a good year, you definitely had your ups and downs. This year was filled with many blessings, but also so many challenges. But through those rough patches, I am a better person for it, because I grew closer and closer to my Savior.               

This last year, one of the things that I am so thankful for is to have been given the opportunity to start a blog and join this amazing blogging community (aka the blogosphere), where there is just as many deep and heartfelt posts out there as there are fangirl confetti. I have "met" so many girls that share the same interests as I do and it is so awesome to see how God works through Showers of Blessings! I can't wait to see where He takes this blog in the new year. 

There were so many adventures I went on in 2018! I tried many new things and went on quite a few vacations. I went zip lining, parasailing, mud runs, and triathlons for the very first time in my life. I stepped out of my comfort zone and did things like shadowing future job options and taking my written driving test to get my temporary drivers license.

In this last year, I have also realized my dream for writing a book and becoming self-published! 

In 2018, I turned 18, which is a milestone! 

This past year, I have and still am learning about trusting God in the unknown, even when I don't know Why certain things happen. I am so grateful to have been given another year. 

Twenty eighteen, I will look back on you with fondness, because even through the tough times, I would like to think of those times as refining me. I don't mean to sound melancholy, but goodbye 2018. May I always remember the memories I made in this year! 

Love, 

Ben 

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Dear twenty nineteen, 

I have to admit, saying twenty nineteen does not have near as good a ring to it as it was saying twenty eighteen. You know, new year, I'm not scared of you like I probably should be.   Your just another 12 months, 52.143 weeks, 365 days, 8,760 hours, and 525,600 minutes. No, I didn't do all that math by myself! Ok, so you might be just a little bit intimidating, but... moving on! 

Twenty nineteen, you will no doubt have your many ups and downs, your joys and trials, but it is my hope that I will turn to God in those bad times as well as the good times. 

In this next year, I want to accomplish my goals, but also rely on His plan for this year. I want to be able to step out of my comfort zone more and be bold for God. I want to cultivate my writing and if it is in His will, I might just become a author and not just a writer. I want to love those around me and cherish the time I have with those who are with me through thick and thin. I want to be still and know that He is God. I want to watch Him paint my Brokenness into Masterpieces. I want to find my Special Mission.

I wish to Stay Awestruck of of my Creator and live more fully because of Him. I wish to be a witness through the words I write and also to the people I meet. I wish to strengthen my trust, knowing that I have a Trust Rope to hang on too when I'm falling. I wish to be more knowledgeable of the Bible. I wish to find True Joy and not just search for temporary happiness. I wish to be a better sister, daughter, and friend.

So many adventures await in the year of 2019, and it is my hope that I will be ready for all that this coming year brings.

In 2019, I will learn a abundance of new things, and in this next chapter, I will grow. I will grow stronger and closer to Jesus. Because He will never fail me. His love for me never fails. So, hello 2019, may I live this year with memories and not just dreams! 

Love,

Ben

"Spirit lead me where my trust is without boarders,

 let me walk upon the waters 

wherever You would call me. 

Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander

And my Faith will be made stronger 

in the presence of my Savior"

Happy New Year y'all! This time of year is not just for looking back on the last 12 months of our lives, but also looking forward to what the next chapter has in store of us! That is why I wrote these two letters and I thought I would share them with you. Maybe they can encourage you, because if you are anything like me, change can be hard. So, I am praying for you in this new year, may we all stand strong in Christ! 

I encourage you to write a letter to 2018 and 2019. You don't need to share it with anyone, you could hide it under your bed if you want! But it's good to acknowledge the good times and the difficult times over the year. 

I see a lot of girls around the blogosphere that are picking words for their years. I thought this was a really good idea and started thinking about my word all the way back in the early weeks of December. And I have to admit, it was so hard picking one word, there are so many words that I could pick! Words such as courage, joyful, simple, trusting, faithful, bold. All of these are so good, but the word I chose wasn't of that list. 

I chose a humbling word Unfinished. 

God is refining and molding me. I am not done yet. Although my Creator is perfect, I am still a work-in-progress. He is writing my story and He knows the paths I will take. I want to rely on His plans. I don't know exactly why I picked this word, or why it stood out to me. To me it's like describing a semicolon. "There is more to be said" it's unfinished. There is so much ahead of me, so many things to be discovered and opportunities to take, I have barely scratched the surface! :)

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New year blog changes: 

Don't worry, nothing big at all, because I am rather happy with my blog design! I'm not sure when I will get these changes up, but I would like too soon! I want to tell you all some of my ideas and give you a heads up as to whats going on. 

-I am going to put some quotes on my sidebar.

-Reorganize my Pages and add Pages.

-Maybe tweak the header.

-Figure out how to do a picture and About Me intro on the sidebar.

-Change my sign-off signature. 

-Maybe post a (life or writing or bookish or tag) post once a month on a day other than Wednesday?

Tell me your thoughts on these ideas! I want to hear what Showers of Blessings' readers like about my blog and how to make it more user friendly and better displayed. 

Posts to look forward too: 

January will be the usual posting schedule of posting every Wednesday trading off between a devotional and poem. The last Wednesday of January will have a wrap up post as usual.

For each Wednesday in the month of February, I am celebrating my one year blogging anniversary! That means that I will be doing some really fun posts and hosting a GIVEAWAY!!! Yes, your read that right! I am already starting to put the giveaway prize together and let me just say, I wish I could win it! (Ya, that sounded really bad, I know!) 

March will be another fun month because I have asked each of my immediate family members to take over my blog for every Wednesday and post whatever they would like too! They could talk about some of there interests, life on Winds of Faith, photo dumps, recipes, devotionals, interviews, whatever they would like to share! It's going to be a blast! 

***Because those two months are already planned, I am going to NOT be doing monthly wrap-up posts for February and March. I know you all really like reading my wrap-ups, so I am by no means stopping them, but I do not want to take away from the other things I have planned (plus I need that extra Wednesday!) Wrap-up posts will continue on after March.***

So tell me what you think of my ideas! 

Have you ever written your year a letter? What did you do to celebrate the New Year? Is there anything fun that you are looking forward to in 2019? Were you able to look over the older posts linked throughout the letters? What is your word for twenty nineteen? Do you have any changes you would like to see around Showers of Blessings? Comment below! :)

P.S. This is my 50th post!!!