Year 2016 Song

Warning: This will be a long post. xD Continue at your own risk.

Hello friends. 2016 is wrapping up. How was it? Was it good? Bad? Okay? Could've been better? Did we learn something or did we let it pass by so fast? Were there any regrets? Or was it happy? Satisfying? Did you like it?

Express your 2016 in a song(s).

[video=youtube;sQfFMQJfHt0]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQfFMQJfHt0[/video]

My 2016 song talks of Jesus' love that's sweeter than wine. I haven't tasted wine so I really don't understand that comparison. I have, however, tasted honey and I get the point. Anyway, this song perfectly defines my year. I have mentioned in another thread that this has been the best year of my life yet.

Before the earth’s creation
You knew me as I was
And even then You chose me to be Yours
I am captivated by Your unending love
Lord, my heart’s surrendered to Your grace

I have known about God since I was 15 and have believed that He existed since then. I was, however, fully aware of how incapable I am of becoming the person God called me to be. I have tried and tried for a decade but it only left me exhausted and frustrated, at myself and everyone else who tried to steer me back to a God that demands something I could not produce. I never understood why people kept trying. I was hopeless. I knew God is great, but I was not and was not worthy to even call upon His Name.

2015 was supposedly the worst year of my life, but towards the end of the year, Jesus' search for me in the jungle of doubt and confusion, became as clear as the morning sky. And He found me. He found the spot in my heart that was not yet penetrated by His Word, the area of my life that never understood, the eyes of my soul that were blind. He conquered and is victorious in setting me free.

For the first time, I understood what real grace is, the inspiration behind John Newton's penning of "Amazing Grace." How all my theology went down the drain and I understood what John 9:25 felt like: He answered, “Whether he is a sinner I do not know. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.”

Lord, I am Your treasure
The apple of Your eye
Forever I am precious in Your sight
Never will You leave me
I’m safe and secure
Forever in Your arms I will abide

This year, I have experienced Jesus, not just as a Saviour, but a personal Saviour. I spent the last few months of 2015 just letting everything sink in. It was at the start of this year that I started to really see with my wide-eyed wonder what it's like to be loved unconditionally and just how much Jesus cares for me more than my peanut brain can ever comprehend; more than my heart of flesh can ever want to be cared for.

The bridge and chorus perfectly capture all that was left for me to do in response to His - no other words can ever really describe - love - a very rich word, acceptance, protection, forgiveness, mercy, unconditional love, favour, joy unspeakable.

And I can’t help
But to lift my voice and say

Your love is better than life
Sweeter than wine
It’s more than I can ever imagine
Your love is all that I need
So Lord, I receive
Your lovingkindness and grace for me

Not so long ago, whenever I was under stressed or sad, or just affected by my circumstances, my evil attitude and really bad character would always leak out of me like toxic waste, poisoning myself and the people around me. After encountering Jesus as the King (Matthew), a servant (Mark), a man (Luke), the Son of God (John), I'm finding that my circumstances have become even harder, but it's becoming easier and easier to trust Him - knowing how fully capable He is - and keep on living and enjoying life as it passes me by, knowing that He is the captain of my soul, and taking care of the waves trying to come at me from all directions.

Of course, I'm still human and still have fears that I haven't overcome yet, but, somehow, I know it will be alright. To be honest, there's only one thing I have left to do before I'm ready to leave this world. That is to share the real Jesus to my family and to the people I love. I don't think Jesus will be able to reach all of them through me (alone), but God knows where I will be effective and He has it all planned out. Now that I think about it, I'm really only living to see God's goodness manifest in my life, for others to see and also encounter the real Saviour. Just thinking about it de-stresses me. xD

Gone are all the regrets of the past and the worries of tomorrow. The joy of today is here to stay.

Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Philippians 3:12

Rejoice is in the Lord, always!

**This was originally posted in my blog, sharing it here**

----

Your turn!

My 2016 song is "Oceans" by Hillsong United

Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders
Let me walk upon the waters
Wherever You would call me
Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander
And my faith will be made stronger
In the presence of my Savior

I will call upon Your Name
Keep my eyes above the waves
My soul will rest in Your embrace
I am Yours and You are mine



This year has been good and peaceful in general. No more regrets. No big issues, maybe because I have learned to trust God more that nothing can seem to bother me anymore, not even an illness. It's a year of reflections about life and yearning for God's revelation. Oceans is my chosen song because it talks about trusting God more, seeking for deeper connection with God and focusing on Jesus as we go through the stuggles in life. This year, God has helped me in the trust in Him department.

The Cubs won the World Series and gas is cheap, so I can't complain. I learned more about the right eating, as it pertains to working, so that's good.

Idk about a song, but I'll go with this:

[video=youtube;dyAfjUHlFSM]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dyAfjUHlFSM[/video]

This time last year, hubby couldn't get rid of an infection enough to get surgery to give him a new valve in his heart. And right about a year ago, I learned that the three days he was on dialysis was because his kidneys had shut down. (They kept telling me that he could urinate, so I figured they were only partially working. No big deal, until it was over.)

Well, he's the master of music -- his computer holds the Christmas music, he sets up the radio (and clock) in the car for the stations, and he picks the songs for our MP3 in the car. Sure enough, our speakers stopped working at home, so I couldn't even hear music, except on the radio in the car when visiting him. And, the car had needed work a bit before this, so he had only programmed two stations, figuring he had time to get the rest done later.

But, something of a minor miracle happened. Radio stations have 50% music and 50% advertisment. Every other month, but December last year, if one of those stations had a string of ads, so did the other. Thus, the miracle. For the entire month of December, when one station had ads, the other had Christmas music. (Truly a miracle, because it's not happening this year. lol)

And, one song played over and over again. Somewhere along the way it became my proclamation to God, (or his to me. Not good at telling which is which sometimes), that this Christmas I'd have my wish come true.

AND I got it last year. (His surgery was December 23rd last year, so he was finally out of the woods on Christmas Day.) And I am getting it this year.

My song to/about hubby and he's with me this year.
[video=youtube;bmIRzNfPsd4]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bmIRzNfPsd4[/video]

Nothing is ever over until God says it is [video=youtube;XmTmTMcdxOs]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmTmTMcdxOs[/video]