Happy New Year this 2019!

Happy New Year! From everyone I've talked to, we all seemed to have a really tough 2018, full of disappointment, distress, sometimes tragedy, illness, and disaster. I'm grateful that through the valley moments in my life, Christ the Good Shepherd does see me through all the time. If there is one thing to celebrate in 2018, it is His faithfulness.
    I have been thinking about a Bible verse which encapsulates 2018 and leads me into 2019. I've landed on John 3:30: "He must become greater, I must become less" (NIV). I think one of the reasons why 2018 was so hard was simply there was too much of me, too little of Jesus. As I repent about how let so many other things and circumstances shape me rather than the Lord, I'm praying that in 2019, there will much more of Christ and less of me. 
    2019 is the year of the pig, a symbol of festivity and joy. Let's hope that as Christ increases and we decrease, the fruit of walking with Christ and letting him form us will indeed lead to inexpressible joy. Blessings in the New Year! MJL