Sitting in front of a warm fire on New Year’s Day 2018, gazing out the window at the afternoon sun, with temperatures below zero throughout the midwest.  I find myself contemplating the events of 2017.  Saying goodbye to the previous year, I am filled with a wide array of emotions!  Over the past year, I lived a full and wonderful life, complete with countless moments of joy, happiness, & peace!  Sadly, 2017 also consisted of abundant grief, sorrow, and pain!  The turmoil surrounding my life included, my mother’s diagnosis & treatment of cancer, my stepfather’s death a month after being diagnosed with cancer throughout his body, my grandmother’s transfer from home to a nursing facility, and my sister’s death.  Throughout the tribulation in my life over the past year, I found solace in my Savior, Jesus Christ!

As I ponder 2017 … One particular hymn resonates with my soul.  The hymn…

{It Is Well With My Soul}.

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say,
It is well, it is well with my soul.

Refrain:
It is well with my soul,
It is well, it is well with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ hath regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

My sin—oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!—
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

But, Lord, ’tis for Thee, for Thy coming we wait,
The sky, not the grave, is our goal;
Oh, trump of the angel! Oh, voice of the Lord!
Blessed hope, blessed rest of my soul!

And Lord, haste the day when the faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.

In the midst of the pain, grief, and hardships of 2017…

I was continually reminded that…

1. I can have peace and joy even when my heart is aching.
2. I can be content in the midst of sorrow & grief.
3. I am never alone!  God is always an {ever present help in times of trouble}.
4. Although Satan may tempt me, I am victorious through Christ’s blood shed for me.
5. There are always blessings abounding, which help offset the trials & tribulation.  
6. There is always something to be thankful for!  

One of my very favorite versions of “It is Well With My Soul” is from Audrey Assad… Here’s the link… As you listen ponder the words in your heart and thank God for the good times & the hardships of 2017!  The Christian life requires tribulation for spiritual growth and character building!  The hardships remind us of our desperate need for the Savior!

Romans 5:1-5 “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we^[ have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;perseverance, character; and character, hope.  And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.”

2017 was… Well with my soul.

2018 will be… Well with my soul.

It is my prayer that whatever comes my way in 2018… that God would continue building my dependence on Him and His word!  In addition, I pray I will recognize more of the blessings along the way, live more intentionally, and continually give thanks for the goodness in my life!

Thankful for another year to love, learn, & grow…

Blessings, Crystal Ridlon