Happy new year! I cannot believe that we're almost a week into 2026! 2025 was the fastest year yet, and I'm so excited to dive into the highs and lows that I walked through. There has been an immense amount of change and transition throughout the year, but in it all, God has been oh so faithful and immensely kind. In every fear, in every struggle, in every doubt, my God has come through above and beyond what I ever thought possible. The more time I spend looking back, the more thankful I am for all that He's done and grown in me. While this year wasn't all butterflies and rainbows, there was so much joy and there is so much to celebrate, even in the more difficult situations.

So, without further ado, let's jump right into the lows of this year!

1. The lows: the stresses and the struggles.

Praise the Lord, I did not struggle with mental health this year like I have in the past, but worry was definitely a reoccuring pattern that I had to wrestle with. When I'm not in control or facing the unknown, I fall back into worry and stressing myself out, which often sent me further into my own spiral rather than further into the presence of God. I know that this is a really common struggle, but it steals our joy, and I can remember many times where fear defined the moment instead of faith.

Community was another struggle for this year, and while there was so much provision (which I will dive into later in this post and in next weeks!) there was also a lot of time when I felt lonely and unsupported. There were times when I struggled to make friends and worried that I was "too much" for someone else, that I would never find my people or girlfriends to do life with. In the middle of my move to college, I felt alone on a big campus and intimiated by the idea of putting myself out there. Comparison ties so much into this, but I struggled to be content with my small circle and be vulnerable enough to get close to people.

All of these challenges honestly link back to one, and that's not relying on grace or being secure in my identity in Christ. It wasn't until closer to the end of 2025 when I realized how much I was living in an attitude of striving and earning God's love rather than His endless mercy. This contributed to my worry and anxiety that God was far and that He was mad at me, that I wasn't doing enough or that I had missed what He was telling me. It stole my contentment and gratitude for right where I was, and all that He had done. I didn't find my worth in Him alone and sought the validation of others and to feel loved by the people around me instead of resting assured that His love is the only love that truly, truly satisfies. And that was hard.

I want to note that I recognize how blessed I am and that in the grand scheme of things, there are so many people carrying so many heavier burdens than I am. I know that this has been a year where I have been priviledged to see the Lord move in ways I never expected, especially after years struggling with my mental health. But, these were still things that I had to walk with the Lord through (and still am), and that were really overwhelming and difficult at times, And that's okay! It's a gift to be able to recognize what was hard and keeping in perspective all the good from the year as well.

2. The highs: the blessings and how God moved!

Now, let's jump into the fun stuff: all the good things! This post may get a little long, but I'm so excited to celebrate and share some parts of my life that were really exciting to walk through.

Probably the biggest blessing of the year was that God provided a way for my entire college education to be covered by scholarships and financial aid. I spent many, many nights praying on my knees, worried about how I was going to be able to pay for college but trying to trust in His faithfulness. After what seemed to be rejection after rejection with scholarships, at just the right time (but when I felt like I was running out of time), I got a call that I had received two big reoccurring scholarships through the community foundation. God made a way when there seemed to be no way, and I have been rejoicing over that all year long.

God also provided a great job for me to start with at the very beginning of the school year. I wasn't even planning on getting a job until later in the semester, but God opened the door, and for that I am so thankful. I'm the after school teacher at a Christian school, and it is genuinely a blast. I love where I work, but even more, I love the kids I get to work with, and that's been such a joy.

Another major one was the fact that I've graduated and moved to college! The transition was honestly as smooth as I could have hoped for, and while my faith is challenged and refined in this season, God has been so present and so encouraging to me. We've had to peel away a lot of lies from the enemy, but it's revealed how kind and gracious my Father is. In college, He's teaching me to become even more reliant on Him, be intentional about looking for where He's moving, and how to be bold for Him (even when it's scary). All of those lessons truly are gifts, and I look back to see where God has brought me, and I'm simply amazed.

In college, God has begun surrounding me with people who are truly such sweet, genuine souls. I remind myself often that I may not have a lot of friends, but I have a few of the very best friends. I'm so thankful for not only the fun we get to have together, but also the ways that we encourage and pray over each other. I know that God has even more in store for me, and He's been so kind to give me glimpses of the community He's forming around me. I get to stay busy with Bible studies multiple times a week and meeting up with friends to chat about where we are in our faith, and that is one of the biggest blessings I could have asked for.

There are so many things, you guys! God has blessed Koa and I with so much growth in our relationship over long distance, and we genuinely feel closer than ever before. After so much praying and waiting, God opened the door for Koa to play football at Ottawa, less than an hour apart. And, Koa, Suvonia, and Lucas got baptized! My body (specifically my legs) are healthy and strong, and I've had no injuries this year. My family and I took a summer getaway to an indoor waterpark, and made long lasting memories zipping down waterslides. We had all the senior activities, including prom (the best night ever) and my graduation party, where so many loved ones gathered around to support me in such a big life change. The blog has begun growing, slowly but surely, and I launched Run the Race on Etsy!

God has been so good, and the more I reflect, the more emotional I get thinking about all the ways that He has provided and lavished me in so much abundance. I have so much excitement for all that He will continue to do in this next year, and I'm walking into 2026 with so much to praise Him for!

This post is always one of my favorites to write because it's so incredible to look back on the year and remember all that the Lord has done. Even in my hardest years, this post has been a reminder of God's faithfulness and graciousness to me, and every small thing is an intentional gesture of love from Him. I feel in awe of His generosity and provision over my life, and I'm challenged to meditate on that even more. Too often, it's too easy to forget all that He's done and all the prayers He's answered, but our God deserves all the glory and all the honor, all day every day, for all of our lives. We now get to reset for 2026 and carry that with us into the new year, and guys, that's so important.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you to everyone who has read, loved, and supported the blog throughout the year. Run the Race has been and still is a huge passion of mine, and it means the world to me that I get to share it with you all!

How has God moved in your life this past year? What trials has He brought you through that has strengthed your faith? Let me know down in the comments below so I can praise alongside you!