So Long, 2011

In an informal survey of friends, family and Wal-Mart cashiers 2011 was not an overly stellar year for most. Indeed many of the Christmas letters we received in cards this year included news of the death of a loved one, or financial burdens or health concerns. Any of those things are unfortunate aspects of life but whenever a friend spends a lot of time complaining or feels burdened by life, I ask, “Is there anything in your life you can be thankful for?”

There is a reason the Lord continually told the Israelites to remember his faithfulness. When times got tough (and they always do), remembering the goodness and blessing of the Lord will change our prospective and will help us to overcome. It gives us the “push” we need to remember that it’s not over until we see the promise.

This week, the Kingdom Bloggers will be doing exactly that – summarizing 2011 with our personal Top 5. We also have an extra special treat as we add Saturday for new posts. Please read all the way to the end of the week and welcome Kerry Luddy to our roster of writers. Jenna Silliman, who first wrote before Christmas, will continue to take the Wednesday slot for the next while.