Dear God,

2016 has been nothing short of exhausting. I have felt the highest of highs and lowest of lows; a rollercoaster with a million dips and turns. Out of the past 365 days, 525,600 minutes I am asking to take one more minute of your time. Thank you.

Thank you for giving me each and every one of my troubles. I shed many tears staring at the sky asking You Why me? Why is this happening? But without those moments I wouldn't have been able to see the beauty of those joyful moments in which You showed me the greatest gifts of all: hope, strength, and love.

You proved to me that each struggle had a greater purpose. Without them I wouldn't have been able to recognize the people who care about me the most - friends I no longer need and family who will stand by me to the end of time. The true face of love from the unlikely of sources has been unwavering. Strangers pushing me to the end of a race (literally and figuratively), coworkers who encouraged me out of my comfort zone cheering me on, and that only scratches the surface including friends and family standing behind me and beside me. It has been a type of love that has filled my heart to the brim with love. This is the type of love only You can hope for us to see no matter what this world throws our way.

I had to cry, question, and ask for help in order for me to see the strength You have provided each of us with once we ask. I was angry, I was hurt, and I was confused, but it taught me to embrace the situation just as I had to embrace myself. Thank you, Lord, for teaching me that life is never going to be easy but that is what makes this life so extravagant. We are each given troubles that make us stop and beg for help, but without them they don't allow us to grow or create our own stories - how would we be able to see the light without the darkness? That is the true strength You have provided.

Thank you for being patient with my doubts. I would be at my wit's end when You throw some ray of sunshine my way whether it shining as bright as day or a simple gesture to say, You got this it is always there. I think we forget to remember that you wouldn't give us hardships if we couldn't handle them and there is always something great to come out of the worse.

I think we tend to only come to You when we are in need of answers or to say a quick thank you for our blessings. Today I'm giving you my greatest gratitude for each and every one of my troubles. For without these circumstances I wouldn't be filled with the greatest gifts of all that You have given me this year: love, strength, and hope.

Here's to another 365 days. 525,600 minutes of the good, bad, and sometimes the ugly. But in those seconds I couldn't ask for a better life. Thank you.

Thank you for showing me my true potential.