Aprés 2022

Happy 2023 and all that a new year brings🥂 Before we dive into the year, let’s reflect on the year behind us, Aprés 2022!

The word for the year was JOY. I’m always amazed as to how God works through a specific word each year; changing my heart in ways I didn’t know were possible and giving me a deeper perspective!

Joy- a deep sense of delight & gratitude that cannot depend on our circumstances.
Happiness- a feeling or emotion that we experience when things are going well

These two are often used interchangeably but in order to experience genuine Joy we must put our trust in the Lord and choose to focus on who He is. I love Mary’s illustration of true Joy found in Luke 1. When Gabriel told her she would give birth to a son, Jesus; she was first confused and afraid but full of faith and surrendered to the Lord. She took joy in knowing she was fulfilling God’s will and not her own.
– The Wonder of Advent By: Lifeway Women

I am the Lord’s servant, and I am willing to do whatever He wants. May everything you said come true.

Luke 1:38

Mary desired to magnify the Lord (v. 46), to make Him bigger and the central focus of her heart. Joy comes when we surrender our will to Christ. When we cast our cares on Him, we are filled with His refreshing presence.
– The Wonder of Advent By: Lifeway Women

As I look back at 2022 I see that I questioned God with just about everything that transpired. It wasn’t an easy year! Why? Because I was not experiencing true joy and was being stripped of the things that I was finding circumstantial happiness in. {the home I loved, routine activities, travel, Grant’s job, etc.} I’m a work in progress and one thing I have come to know is that experiencing joy isn’t circumstantial–when all is stripped away, one thing remains. Jesus.

Aprés 2022
October-December

A few moments as we wrap up the year:
Arizona for a family wedding

Fall fun, living at the lake

Christmas Traditions

Christmas Open Houses

Festival of Trees

A few Holiday takes🎥

Christmas Baking

Children’s Christmas Special @ ECC

Hot Cocoa, Pajamas & Christmas Lights

Christmas Eve
Church service was cancelled and dinner reservations were changed-
gifts and early evening in!

Christmas Day
Stockings, brunch, and off to Nana’s house

Transitioning into 2023,
I love going into a new year with glitz, glam, resolutions and energy for a new beginning. But this year got off to an anti-climactic start for me–instead of the usual festivities, I laid in bed with the flu. In a way though, I’m grateful for this non-ideal start to the new year because despite circumstances not going my way, I was finding joy in Christ!

Even though the party didn’t happen,
here’s a look at the Aprés 2022 NYE Party theme.

A last minute Epiphany celebration
with a very non-traditional Kings Cake😂

That’s a wrap to a memorable year!
I wish you all JOY in 2023