As it’s been pretty much a year since my last blog entry, and at the request of both close friends and a deep need to begin writing again, here I sit, filled with thoughts of how to begin 2009 on a literary note.

2008 brought with it some incredible moments, National Highlights include:

• The sudden passing of Heath Ledger, a man who depicted the most realistic and frightening performance of pure evil on the big screen as The Joker in Christopher Nolan’s “The Dark Knight.”

• The election of our first African American President, Barack Obama, who many believe will be the saving grace this country needs in terms of change.

•The gradual to drastic downturn of our nation’s economy, which has turned Congress into “Daddy Warbucks” of sorts to major banks and auto dealerships around the country.

• And of course the SEC winning yet another national football championship. I will say that this year’s game was indeed one of the more entertaining to watch. Though my Fighting Tigers from LSU were not participants (they were busy beating the tar out of Georgia Tech), props to everyone involved.

Among the more personal moments, the biggest would have to be my marriage to my beautiful bride. We exchanged vows on August 2nd, 2008 and almost six months later things are still wonderful. The wedding and the reception were a lot of fun, albeit on the hottest day of the year, but everything really went smoothly and I think everyone had a great time. We spent our honeymoon in the bustling city of Chicago, being very touristy and whatnot. It was really a blast pending time with the woman I love more than anything in the city that I fell in love with six years ago. There are days when I really can’t believe I’m actually married, but I can honestly say that the transition to married life has been one of the easiest for me. It just makes sense.

Another moment came in the form of a text message I got back in July from a guy I hadn’t seen or talked to in 10 years, telling me he and his family were moving up north from the West Coast as part of a job transition. Over the next several weeks and months, he and I began to walk through his reconciliation with Christ in the midst of some really difficult marital problems going on in his life. Through those conversations and filling in the gaps of the last decade, our friendship has grown a lot closer and I have seen the manifestation of grace and hope in him. In spite of divorce being in the near future, (and its getting tougher the closer she gets to leaving with the kids) he has, as much as he knows how, allowed Christ to be the anchor by which he holds onto, as well as let me to be a part of the journey he’s on. I’m really encouraged by that.

So what does 2009 hold? Africa is on the horizon this summer, an experience I will get to enjoy for the first time with my beloved by my side. I am also in the final stretch of a 2 year project which ends in October, so occupationally there are some question marks. But in the midst of all of this, with the economy, job losses, marital struggles and uncertainty across the board, I have seen God be everything to His people. I have seen my relationship with him transition into one where I can confidently call myself one of His sons, and approach His throne, not with my head hanging and overwhelmed by guilt, but to just sit and play at His feet, to smile knowing that, as Psalm 73:28 says, His nearness is my good. There’s more in my mind and on my heart that I want to put out there, just need to get it all organized. But for now, I’m out.