Looking Back @ 2019

Today marks the end of decade. A decade. To be honest, I've never really thought about what it is like to finish out a decade. It's probably because I'm 24 and 14 year old Cody wasn't thinking about what year we were in, ha! The last month has been different for me, and I've been recalling and thinking a lot about this past year. A lot has happened in the last 365 days.

December of 2018 was a whirlwind. We had a 1 year old, and we were preparing for our sweet little Avalynn to arrive in the coming months. It was also the month that I found out my current church family was hiring my current role. It was literally a year ago when my friend and co-worker and I started chatting about this job and that we would catch up in the new year. There were a lot of questions, thoughts, fears, and exciting possibilities taking up residence in my head. 

Mid January I decided I would submit my application, and we had a phone call, then my family and I drove 3 1/2 hours unannounced one February evening to check out the church and service for ourselves. I remember thinking how nervous and excited I was. We fell in love instantly. Such a warm environment, not too big to where you are unseen, and not too small where you feel like everyone knows every little thing about you. It felt good. There was confirmation in my heart, and as we drove back that night I felt like I was leaving home. A big "YES" was filling my spirit, but I didn't even know if I would get the job. 

Fast forward, and I get an offer and say yes. Next thing I know is that I'm telling my boss, coworkers, and team that we are leaving. It was a hard day. It was hard in general. I wasn't happy leaving people that I had grown to love, but I was trusting in a God who calls us deeper and further that we could ever imagine. 

We had our sweet Avalynn in March and moved after Easter to our new home in Greenwood. The first few months were wild with having a 1.5 year old, a new born, and new job in a new community, but we were ready for the ride. The move has been good. There have been some hard times, it isn't cheap to move, and it isn't cheap to live in an apartment with a single income family of 4, but still...so many times I've looked back this year and have honestly been in awe of where I get to carry my call and the people I get to serve with weekly. There is so much God has been doing behind the scenes. Even though it's been in front of us all along; we just haven't been looking hard enough. 

Here we are, another New Year's Eve night where I'm looking at 2020, and all I see is potential and better days to come. I'm thankful for my family, Jesus, and my church. May God grant you peace as we enter this new year.