2014 has been quite the exiting year. At the end of each year, I like to make it a practice to spend some time looking back at all that’s happened, and really thanking God for the abundant amount of blessings He’s bestowed (James 1:17). If you look back at my past years’ wrap ups, you’ll notice all of the blessings and opportunities that have been ever-present in my life. This year, though, I wanted to do something a little differently, mostly because a lot of my blessings this year have come in the form of people.

So please bear with me as I thank God this year for the ways He’s looked out and provided for me, especially in the form of some very special people.

JANUARY:

In January, just before Robert and I drove to Charleston for the first time, my mom was put into the hospital with renal failure. This has been a very trying, emotional year for our family, as my mom is now permanently on dialysis and had to quit her teaching job. It was at this point that I realized just how a part of my family the East Hill family had become. Every service, someone asked about my mom and told me they were praying for her. This continued on until we moved, and has continued on even since. Words cannot express how thankful I am for all of those who’ve offered prayers on my family’s behalf.

FEBRUARY:

In February, my new podcast Wifey Wednesdays released. I was terrified!! However, that podcast has become such a huge blessing in my life, because of all of the people I’ve had the privilege of talking to and learning from throughout this year. The last couple of episodes I’ve had Renita Archey and Denise Skelton on, and I have been so encouraged! I know that if I’m given 2015, and the opportunity to keep interviewing amazing women, I know God will continue to bless my life and my home through these remarkable women.

MARCH:

So March came and brought more health issues in my family. This time it was my dad: a nodule was found on his lung and surgery was required. Praise be to God that it wasn’t cancer, and praise be to all of my Facebook friends and church family across the globe who rallied together and prayed for my family. I am so blessed to know and interact with so many Christians on a regular basis. Truly God blessed us by giving us the church.

APRIL:

The end of April brought the whirlwind! On Good Friday, the North Charleston elders flew to Pulaski with a job offer. Obviously you know the rest, but that day changed our lives. Every day since, we have been beyond blessed by the remarkable, godly men that we serve under at North Charleston.

MAY:

May was the month that brought all of the announcing and packing. Our families were the shining stars of this month, because they were supportive from the moment we told them we were moving. We couldn’t have done any of this: moving in two months or having the courage to do it at all without them.

JUNE:

The real superhero of our packing adventure was my good friend Glen Garner. He supplied me with endless boxes and Diet Cokes, making me an unstoppable packing machine for a good 6 weeks. Not only that, though, but he was my go-to fellowship meal friend and constant encourager.

JULY:

July was a crazy month, living out of suitcases and then moving 500 miles. By the time the move actually came, we were exhausted and nervous. Fortunately, our new church family embraced us and made us feel immediately like a part of the family. Those feelings have only multiplied over the last 6 months, making me realize more and more how blessed we were to meet and love even more of our brothers and sisters on this side of heaven.

AUGUST:

August brought some old friends back into our lives. PTP means reuniting with dozens of people, and we were blessed to be able to stay with the Clevengers and Skeltons in a cabin for the week. I learn so much from these families every time I am around them, and I only wish we could be around them more. Maybe 2015 will bring a few more opportunities for time together.

SEPTEMBER:

In September, we were blessed with our first visitors in Charleston, our great friends Brad and Brooke McNutt. These hilarious, spiritually-minded people are absolutely a blessing from God. They help me so very much, they help my husband so very much, and they introduced me to the food at Steak and Shake so that’s a win =)

OCTOBER:

October was a very exciting month!! We sold our house!! But really, we didn’t sell it at all. Our amazing friend and brother in Christ Robert Brindley sold our house, and he did so much behind the scenes work for us while we were away from the property. Buying and selling houses is supposed to be a stressful process, but he helped us so very much, and we will be forever indebted to his kindness and hard work.

NOVEMBER:

I can’t have a list of people who’ve blessed my life without including my amazing husband, and November is a perfect month for that. He always comes up with a “Birthday Weekend Extravaganza” to completely spoil me, and this year was no different. And, what better place to celebrate than downtown Charleston! Unfortunately, most of his goodness toward me in November came in the form of putting up with my sickness, but of course he did that amazingly well. He is always so very good to me, and I am thankful that I get to walk through this life helping the most generous, thoughtful man in the world.

DECEMBER:

This month, we have been blessed yet again to be a part of the North Charleston family. From white elephant parties to White Christmas showings, it has been holiday celebration after another every single week. I have gotten to spend so much time with the young adults and the ladies of the congregation, and it has helped me so very much. It is so wonderful to have Christian friends. God has truly blessed me by sending me to North Charleston. My prayer is that I can spend 2015 blessing others and showing them the blessings found in Christ.

Thank you so everyone who made my year so special. Those of you who listen to my podcasts, you bless me every single week with your kind words and constructive advice. Those of you who read my blog regularly, you encourage me to no end, and you help me in my journey toward being the best child of God I can be. Those of you who pray every time I ask, who pray even when I don’t ask, you are rockstars. I wouldn’t have nearly as many blessings without your petitions to our Almighty God.

2014 has been an exciting and life-changing year for our family, mostly because of the wonderful and life-enriching people we come in contact with every day. Thank you for being a blessing.