This life feels like the longest part

Even though eternity is ours

And on our way to streets of gold 
Let’s savor every mile of this road

We’re not where we’re going
And we’re not lost where we are

Taking the long way home
Just taking the long way home

There’s beauty on the backroads
Even when this journey’s hard

Taking the long way home
Just taking the long way home

Celebrate what we have now
Living life like every moment counts

Here on earth with Kingdom eyes
Treasuring the gift of borrowed time

We’re not where we’re going
And we’re not lost where we are

Taking the long way home
Just taking the long way home

There’s beauty on the backroads
Even when this journey’s hard

Taking the long way home
Just taking the long way home

No we won’t miss the view while we’re on this climb

Oh, the stories we’ll take to the other side

No we won’t miss the view while we’re on this ride

Oh, the stories we’ll take to the other side

The other side

We’re not where we’re going
And we’re not lost where we are

Taking the long way home
Just taking the long way home

There’s beauty on the backroads
Even when this journey’s hard

Taking the long way home
Just taking the long way home

No we won’t miss the view while we’re on this climb

Oh, the stories we’ll take to the other side

No we won’t miss the view while we’re on this ride

Oh, the stories we’ll take to the other side.

– The Long Way Home (feat. David Dunn) by Neon Feather.

The pictures got a lot better later in the year once I was able to get up and down without pain to actually take some. 😀

I know all these photos make NO SENSE to literally anyone but me, but basically, it’s a lyric photoshoot-ish/photo-recap-set-to-music of 2019, starting with photos from January to December, mostly in order.

Again, this is my super crazy personal blog, it doesn’t have to make sense to anyone but me. XD Sorry to the 70 of you who somehow wanted to follow but thanks for sticking around. 😀 <3

(Before you ask UM WHY IS SHE POSTING ALL THESE SELFIES OF HERSELF WOW SO CONCEITED it’s because I take selfies every day to document my life. A wealth of memories and nostalgia and feelings are associated with each photo. It’s not to randomly flaunt how I look [although I do think God thinks I’m fearfully and wonderfully made]. They’re just for memories’ sake.)

So… 2019 was the worst year of my life. You would not believe the health challenges (and more) I have been through, and the ones I’m still going through.

Some of these photos were taken at 3 AM in the ER, in the hospital before undergoing anesthesia, when I was bedridden for a month and a half, on days I was feeling the worst emotional and some of the most physical pain I’ve ever felt in my life, and when it took everything in me to force a smile.

And it was still a relatively good year. (You know God is good when the worst year of your life is still good!)

But you know what? I’ve realized it’s all part of a journey. And this song helped me to realize that.

I’m not going to try to start a theological debate with all the self-righteous people who can’t stand reading something they even slightly disagree with (SERIOUSLY WHY IS EVERYONE ON A POWER TRIP), but I just want to say I don’t believe God put any of the hard times this year on me.

In fact, God told my parents that my Hard Time™ was just a “blip on the radar” in His eyes and compared to my glorious destiny.

Time spent fighting your battles is never wasted when you live your life for God. Everything you do, all the battles you fight, bring you to where you are.

You might be taking the long way home, but delayed doesn’t mean denied, and God can make up lost time just by twitching His pinky finger. (See Joel 2:25.)

So while this year hurt me so bad I’m crying out for God to heal my heart from my lost dreams and traumatizing experiences, I know this time isn’t wasted.

Oh, the stories we’ll take to the other side.

I know my testimony will help a lot of people once I’m on the other side.

2020 is my year!

I want to give a thank-you to some very special people who were a great encouragement to me during this year:

I love you guys. Thank you for being my friends, being the sweetest encouragement ever, for talking to me, and again for just being my friends! ♥

I’m not kidding when I say you guys were an answer to prayer when my heart was hurting from the worst friendship experiences of my life, when I was lonely and in pain and confined to my house and unable to see my IRL friends, and when I just needed encouragement. Has anyone told you today that you rock? ♥

And thank you to everyone who follows this blog. Not just saying that. The notification I got when you hit the follow button made me smile.

If you’re having to take the long way to get to where you want to be… you’re going to make it. It’s a journey.

And if you’re consecrating 2020 to God, then here’s to better days. ♥