Christmas 2013

This year marks the tenth anniversary of my Christmas Letter tradition.  I started my Christmas Letter as a way to find meaning in Christmas during a particularly difficult time in my life.  It is amazing to me that something that started out of a place of pain and a little bit of faith has become a tradition and something I am told is meaningful to many.  As I reflect on this year, I would say the theme would be how much God has done with my little faith.

At this time last year I was really struggling with my health.  As I started to feel better, I also realized how much progress I had lost in fitness.  I was barely able to walk for 20 minutes.  I had gained a lot of weight and my joints were feeling the effects of carrying the weight.  I was overwhelmed with the thought of getting back to where I was.  So I prayed to God that I would show up on the journey but I didn’t know how to get healthy on my own.  I needed help.

One day I was on Facebook and Courtney Crozier (one of the contestants on season 11 of The Biggest Loser) plugged a Faith and Fitness camp in May.  It was less than $1000 for a week.  All I had to do was get the time off and get to Dallas.  Amazingly I was able to obtain time off and I registered right away.  In the meantime, I worked with a personal trainer in Winnipeg to design a program to help me start my journey until I got to the retreat.

The retreat was life changing.  Suddenly I had confidence in my ability to make this change.  I came back and signed up at a local fitness studio called Boom Bodyshaping Studio.  Between them and RetroFit Ministries I saw major life change.  I got stronger.  I started seeking God daily for His will.  People said they not only saw my size change but my countenance as well. 

In the summer an opportunity came up to lead the women’s ministry at Soul Sanctuary.  I became the leader of Soul Women.  It has been such an honour to lead them and be among them.  They are amazing and I am blessed to have them as my friends.

When October came I started to assume that enough good had happened and that it was time for something bad to happen.  I sensed that God was telling me He was bigger than that but to be honest I had a hard time believing any further good would come.  I began to imagine some of the worst things that could happen to me.  Then, out of nowhere, an amazing job opportunity dropped in my lap.

I was very happy in my position at Cargill.  I believed it fitted my skills almost perfectly.  I felt appreciated and like I was effective.  I was not looking for other opportunities at all.  Then at the very end of October I was approached by an HR Sourcing Firm (I was being HEADHUNTED!).  Within two weeks I had accepted a new position at Parrish and Heimbecker.  So far it is amazing.

The thing is that just when I thought things couldn’t get any better THEY DID!  I am overwhelmed by God’s provision in my life.  More than His provision…  his abundant blessing.

So this year I am believing that my story is about more than being able to overcome darkness.  My life is about living abundantly.  I am just beginning to learn what that means.

May this year be full of happy beginnings for you and your family,

Love,

Misty