Christmas is just round the corner from us again, and we’ve been in lockdown for most of the year now. Who would have thought that 2020 would be full of twists and turns? I know there is a lot of people out there that are probably in the same predicament as me. Sort of jobless with the only thing seeing me through is the odd hours here and there as a mental health support worker.

What has 2020 brought me?

I met a lovely person in mid-December 2019. What a special person I have met and how blessed I am. We’ve gone through our ups and downs but we are going strong. We are happy, and we’ve made a commitment to one another. We also made the decision to keep God at the centre of all that we do. Praying has been important to our relationship, it has brought us through difficulties and good times. The times my lovely partner was ill made me realise how much I love him and care for him. It’s also the realisation that I want to take away his suffering. But I know that I can’t and all that I can do is give it to our Lord Jesus who takes away our suffering, and can heal us. Love conquers all fear. Love does not condemn. It finds no fault. It helps

Jobs have interchanged quite a few times this year. Financially it’s been tough. But learning to be more and more dependent on the Lord. Giving my worries on a daily basis to the Lord rather than letting it bring me down. Anxiety is sometimes nearby but it is not my portion to carry.

The Lord takes us on a journey and we don’t always understand His reasons or why we are going through certain things. Maybe God is teaching us some lessons so that we can help others in similar situations. I have learned that no matter how hard life is God sees us through the mini crisis in our lives and the LARGE crisis in our lives. Jesus says come to me all you who are weary and burdened and I shall give you rest. I am learning to rely on the source of life to get me through what I am going through.

And now what does 2021 hold for me? I don’t know. I pray that I will be blessed with a job. I pray that I will be blessed with a husband and children of our own. Another lesson I learnt is that it is not my time. But the Lord’s timing. I don’t need to control time because I can’t control time. Only God can do this. So, I’ve had to learn to surrender what I want to happen quickly for the Lord to take over and let it happen when He believes that I am ready for it.

Drawing near to God has been really special for me. Drawing alongside Him with my other half has been wonderful and special. It’s been rewarding to share my faith with someone and to be able to encourage one another. Praising the Lord helps.