Today I looked in the mirror and wondered at the woman looking out at me. I barely recognized her yet she was very familiar. I thought back to my birthday last year... it was so much simpler last year. The worries of finding a bigger apartment and the questions surrounding a broken relationship seem so insignificant now.

This last year was a year that saw the greatest spiritual growth in my lifetime. The woman in the mirror has an assurance and a confidence that comes only from a year of the hottest fires imaginable. Trials I never dreamed I could survive...let alone grow and even rejoice over.

I don't cringe at the imperfections in her physical body quite as much... oh they are still there and I don't love them...but they do not define who she is, no matter who tries to make them.

And sometimes she has a bad hair day or the make-up isn't quite right... but her smile comes from her very depths. Her smile isn't quite as carefree as it used to be...but it is genuine and true.

She is a warrior in her own right, and she carries scars and a few wounds from her battle...but she stands strong and victorious.

I think she is stunning as she reflects the love of her Savior. My prayer is to see her everyday until I someday see Jesus face to face. That she will continue to carry the glow of her special and constant encounters with God Almighty.

Thank you Lord, for the last year. I don't think I could have ever imagined gratitude at the start...