Three years ago I made the bold decision to follow God. I chose to die to myself and live renewed in the Spirit. November 10 is my spirthday – spiritual birthday. It’s the day that I participated in the burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ who died for my sins.

I was baptized in the spirit and proclaimed Jesus is Lord of my life. Three years ago, I made this decision fully knowing that life may not get easier but I was allowing myself to be held to a higher standard. I was making the decision to live like Christ and not myself.

As I reflect on my third spiritual year as a disciple of Jesus, I remember a lot more mountains than valleys. I can remember struggling emotionally to live like Christ and not give into my selfish mentality. I fought to vanquish envy and hate and replace them with grace and love. I struggled to see the path that God was building before me. I felt desperate in my career, praying for God to give me the answer of where He wanted me to be.

But my year wasn’t just filled with many, many, many teaching moments. It was also filled with an abundance of blessings. God blessed with an amazing new job in the non-profit world where I can connect my love for the community and animals. He blessed me with my own home. He blessed me with a furry new addition to my family as well as the news of my pregnancy. I was able to meet another nephew and a great-nephew.

Day one to-day 365 wasn’t a cake walk in any way. God challenged me to live like Christ in every area of my life. He pushed me to get down on my knees and pray to allow Him to work. He reminded me what life looks like without Him and why I chose this difficult journey. But most of all, He reassured me that He is always in control.

When I try to manage my own life apart from God, I create a disaster. When I choose to glorify myself instead of Him, I fail. As I sit back and try to remeber what is was like to be 22 and fresh out of the water, it’s hard to imagine how I waited so many years to say yes to God.

No matter what the world throws at me, God’s got my back. And when the people around me are being hateful, God’s love is unconditional. And when I fail over and over, God says, “It’s okay. Let’s try it again.” He’s never given up on for one second. He’s shown me grace every time I didn’t deserve it.

I don’t know all that year four entails. I know there will be some trails but I pray for even more blessings. I’m excited for where God wants to lead me and the amazing things He wants to use me for. I hold tight to the scripture I wrote on my heart three years ago at my baptism.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make nyour paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6