Some people tell stories through pictures and videos. I tell stories through words. Some people are posting highlight pictures and videos of their year. I want to share things I've learned this year and areas I've grown. It's hard for me to put my finger on exactly what happened during this last year, but there are a few things I can definitively point to.

The World Race is a big thing, because all of last year I knew I was going on it, and I knew there were certain things I'd have to grow in before I could go.

I had to learn to trust God with the almost impossible (like raising $17,000!). I had to learn what it meant to make my own decisions while I was in my house, so that when I was out I had prior experience to draw from. I had to learn how to function within certain boundaries my brain set for me, without allowing my world to become small. And I had to learn to be okay with saying goodbye, because if you miss someone, it's actually a blessing to have been that close with them.

This year I learned some things about myself that have changed the way I interact with the world. I know now how important it is for me to have routines and rules in place when I try something new. I know now it can be hard for me to connect with people, but that I can do it and have such strong relationships with them. And I know now how to pay better attention to my body when it tells me to step back and take a break.

I'm growing more confident in who I am, and learning to really love the person God has created me to be. I'm learning I have gifts I can use to help others, strengths not everyone has, and things I can bring to the body of Christ to bring glory to His name.

Even in the 4 months I've been on the Race, I've learned so much! I know how God speaks to me and I know how to act on it. I know how to set up boundaries but I know how to push them to make them work for me, and not the other way around. I know what it is to form deep friendships where the only thing in common is Christ and I know how to try new things to connect with more people. I know the discomfort of being in a foreign country with little familiarity, but I know Christ is my true comfort, and so I take it all in joy and gladness.

I've learned so much this year, but these are just the lessons that readily come to mind. I know there's more, and I believe if you could compare me to myself a year ago, you would hardly recognize her.

I usually don't set New Year's resolutions (last year was the first time, and I resolved to finish my book, which I did!), and I'm not going to this year, but I do think there should be growth that takes place from year to year, so I'm going to write down some areas I'd like to grow in.

I want to learn to love everyone, even random strangers on the street, with the love of Christ. Truly, I believe most bad things happen from a lack of love, and I want to walk more in the love that Christ said would grow in us. A love that would give up anything to help someone else.

I want to learn more about God, which sounds so simple, but I don't want to just learn facts about Him. I want to learn His character and His heart and how they should be actively changing the way I live and love. When we learn something about God, it should inspire us to grow and make changes to better live out what we've learned.

I want to learn to be content in every circumstance. Whether I'm on the Race or at home, whether I'm alone or surrounded by people, whether I'm rich or poor, whether I get to live out my dream job or settle to make ends meet, whether my plans work or change, I want to be the kind of person who can point to heaven and say "God is good" and mean it with every fiber of her being.