Fellowship Memphis

Before I share about gratitude, I have to summarize the past 11 or so months. What an amazing year 2011 has been so far. It kicked off full of transition, surprises, changes, tough decisions, sacrifices, triumphs, tragedies, discoveries… and that was January! This roller coaster has carried on throughout the year.

Relationships, family matters, school, employment and, most intricately, I have truly been on the Potter’s wheel this year. If I had to choose a word to summarize 2011, it would be “refining.” I’m learning my own character, value, flaws, pleasantries and well… UNpleasantries (if that’s a word). These are things that I’ve only had the opportunity to explore since becoming acutely aware that I am fully loved and accepted by God through Jesus Christ and not by works of my own, otherwise known as grace.

That being said, during one of the toughest times this year, God brought Philippians 3:10, regarding knowing Christ in the fellowship of His suffering. While my ‘suffering’ hasn’t matched other brothers and sisters in Christ around the world living in unappealing conditions, I have been out of my comfort zone since day one of 2011. It has been a rewarding, convicting, difficult, adventurous year.

So what am I grateful for? I am grateful for the faith to jump out and try things I’d only dreamt of, for being overtaken by God’s amazing grace and mercy, for experiencing genuine vertical and horizontal love, for becoming transparent and being accepted, for building community with amazing friends, for the motivation to lose 50 pounds, for solidifying my gift of counseling by completing my Master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy, for expanding my photography business. And I’m immensely grateful for God spontaneously providing for my needs…just to name a few.

I am simultaneously grateful for the seemingly insurmountable challenges associated with completing the degree, the disappointment of doors shutting that I thought were divinely designed for me, failed relationships, difficult counseling clients, not receiving support (of any kind) from those I thought I could depend on, being misunderstood, rejection, naysayers, the loss of loved ones, looking for a job and having more month than money… also just to name a few. 

All of these things have built character, shown me who I am in the face of untraveled terrain and, most importantly, shown me how AMAZING God is and always has been and the depth of His grace, love and faithfulness!

(To read more about Tracy's year, visit www.transparencee.wordpress.com.)