A Wonderful Year With The Faithful One

     It's 11:15 PM as I write this, and 2011 is almost over. The date marker on my watch is half-way through shifting forward from "31" to "1". I'm sitting in my living room with my roomate Paulman and our friends Angie, Tim, Jacky and Alana, looking over photos of the year gone past and wondering what to do to as the year comes to a close. Paulman has suggested singing some songs, and taken up his guitar. It's been almost two weeks since I wrote my last post, and it has not been for lack of events and thoughts to write about. I will confess to my own tardiness and indiscipline in this matter.

    In any event, I did not want 2011 to end without a concluding post to bring what has been one of the most eventful years of my life to a close. There is so much that has happened over the last 12 months in my personal life and the world around me, in almost rapid-fire succesion. Albert Mohler wrote a wonderful article highlighting the former in a most well-written post, titled "The Year In Review", covering some of the major news stories of 2011 - The Arab Spring; the tsunami and earthquake of Japan; the Libyan uprising and fall of Moammar Gaddafi; the Occupy Movement, and others. I thought of writing a bit about my own significant milestones of the last year.

• January: Yeswanth, my friend from undergrad and second year dorm roommate, died on his way to work in Bangalore, India an accident with a cement mixer truck and transit bus. He had just turned 27. The shock hit me hard. At the end of the month, I began work at my first full-time job out of grad school, working at a job that I love, for a wonderful company that God in His providence led me to. It came at the end of 7 months of hard job hunting, punctuated by moments of elation, despair, hope, piles of resumes and unsuccessful interviews. It will be almost a year that I will have worked there, and I am looking forward to another great year of work :)

• February: Became a member at Willingdon Church. Began leading a Willingdon Entry Level small group for young adults a week or so later. At the end of the month, I went on my first solo long-distance trip for a week on work, to Victoria on Vancouver Island. Since I did not have a car, it was an almost 5 hour trip  each way over Skytrain, bus and ferry. It was very memorable!

• March: Went to a shooting range and fired a gun for the first time in my life. Also bought "Boaz", my first car!

• June: Willingdon Church turned 50 years old and celebrated by holding a major service at the Pacific Coliseum, with almost 5,000 people in attendance.

• July: Turned the major milestone of 30

• August: Went camping with friends for the very first time in my life!

• June - August: Went downtown on my first solo forays in engaging people in conversation and sharing the Gospel

• October: Went to Toronto to visit my parents, and got to see a close cousin I hadn't seen for almost 6 years, and his wife whom I had never met!

• November: Was sworn in as a Canadian Citizen. Around the middle of the month, I got to spend a wonderful week with RZIM as they were in town for a series of speaking engagements at Trinity Western University, SFU, UBC and other venues. 

• December: I passed my Class 5 road test and was finally able to drive my car on my own!

     It has been a very fast paced, eventful, fulfilling and challenging year. As I bring this post to a close, I am reminded of one of the most beautiful conclusions to be found in the Bible, the final verses of the book of Jude:

    "Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of His glory with great joy, to the only God, our Saviour, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen." - Jude 1:24-25 , ESV

     This is my hope for the coming year, which is already well into its first hour as I finish this post. Though I have stumbled, faltered and been unfaithful many times, He has been faithful. Though I have been uncaring and ungracious, His kindness has been unceasing and His blessings have been new every morning. Though I have been unlovable, He has loved me nonetheless. Though I have been wretched in my sin, He has been gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in mercy. Though all around me has been in flux and life has seemed like an emotional rollercoaster, His Cross has been there, solid as a rock and unwavering in its power as an anchor for life. Though my strength and will have failed time and again, His Spirit has lifted me to my feet and given me the resolve to make it through another day.

    I am happy to be alive as one year ends and another begins, that I may faithfully pour my life out and serve my Master and Lord in this new year that he has allowed me to see. To Him be the glory, majesty, dominion and authority now and for all time. May I give my utmost for the sake of The Name that is above every other name.

    Grace and peace to you.

- The Wisdom Seeker