2002 Year in Review As I look back over the past year, I have grown so much, moreso than any other time in my Christian walk. I think it has been this year that I have gotten really serious about my relationship with the Lord. This came about somewhat progressively. As I look back, I can see how things I have learned, done, and studied are interwoven and have helped cement my relationship with the Lord. Last January I decided to read through the bible in a year. I am proud to say, I have kept at it and am now almost finished! I wrote out Christian Goals for the year….as I look at them, I got side tracked on a couple-— didn't memorize 4 verses a month like I wanted to but, I did memorize some. I didn’t keep up my prayer journal as much as I wished I would. I did read around 16 Christian books, my goal was 10. Another goal I had written was to “realize my position in Christ so I can resist the devil and his schemes”. I didn’t realize how hard this goal would be but, I can say I finally have attained this goal….more on that later. Starting in Jan. or Feb. the Jehovah’s witnesses started coming to my house. They kept telling me the world was going to end and I needed to join their organization so I could live in “ paradise on earth”. I kept telling them “no thanks” and they kept returning. Finally, after the 3rd “no thanks” the Lord basically told me “Daphne, they are trying to be missionaries to you, YOU be missionaries to them”. Wow, okay Lord, but how….Then, he started preparing me and the process is still on going. At this point, I came to you all for prayer, suggestions, support. I cannot believe the love and support on this board. Not only did I get support but made some new friends in the process. I can’t say thank you enough for the resources some of you gave me and the blanket of prayer you guys covered me in. I ended up inviting them in and that was the end of the story….or so I thought. One day, I had asked for prayer on this board that I would be obedient to the Lord. I also asked for the same prayer at Bible Study, no longer than I wrote this….maybe 15 minutes later, the Mormon’s were at my door. I really wanted to tell them “no thanks” but, I knew the Lord placed them there and I needed to be Obedient. I talked with them for awhile. I feel bad, I think I made them nervous because they haven’t returned. I know my bible much better than the average person and I think this caught them off guard. During this whole year, I have had this great Burden on my heart for one of the JW’s that came to my door. I pray for her almost daily, I have never had a burden for any person like I feel for her. Praise the Lord, she returned (after 7 months) in Nov. to tell me that something I had said to her way back in April had really been bothering her all this time. I wanted to yell PTL, but I didn’t – didn’t want to scare her away. I haven’t seen her since but I know the Lord will bring her back in my life when the timing is right. With all this going on, I was studying the scriptures more and more so I could defend my faith. What happened was so much more than I could ever ask for. I fell in love with the Lord like I can’t describe, I have a personal relationship with Him like never before. The Lord showed me that I believe in Him but I didn’t believe Him—meaning, I didn’t believe what he said was true— things like I am God’s child, I belong to God, I am chosen by God and adopted as His child, I am complete in Christ, I am free from condemnation, I have been established annointed and sealed by God, I am born of God and evil can’t touch me, I am seated with Christ in the heavenly realm, I can approach God with freedom and confidence, etc. I always thought these things were for other people but not me…I wasn’t good enough. Praise the Lord, He has shown me he loves me Just how I am. In Sept. I went to a woman’s conference that was a turning point in my life. The Lord exposed to me my bitter roots so I could deal with them. One of my bitter roots was anger and I have had to deal with this prayerfully and continue to deal with it. Now, as we are about ready to start the New Year my question to the Lord is the ‘What good works has Christ planned in advance for me to do?” I can’t wait for this next year!