Year 55… you tried to break me. You came with your storms, your confusion, and your relentless tests. You brought seasons that felt unfamiliar and moments that left me disoriented. Yet in the middle of it all, God whispered a word over my life—resilience. And that word became my anchor, my banner, and my testimony.

Resilience didn’t mean the pain wasn’t real or the challenges weren’t crushing at times. It meant I stood back up, again and again, because God was my constant. When the ground shifted beneath me, He steadied me. When familiar faces and rhythms exited my life, He was faithful to usher in the new. When I questioned if I could keep moving forward, He reminded me that He had already equipped me.

This past year did more than test me—it redefined me. It stretched me in ways I didn’t choose but in ways that grew me. I learned that empowerment often comes disguised as trial, and growth sometimes blooms in the soil of loss. Looking back, I can see it now: God wasn’t just allowing me to survive; He was preparing me to thrive.

And thrive I did. My camera roll tells the story—photos filled with laughter, joy, and faces of people who carried me, celebrated with me, and reminded me that love still abounds. My calendar tells the story too—gatherings, adventures, and sacred moments that became bright threads woven into this year’s tapestry. Though 55 came with its ache, it also came with abundance.

Now, I step into 56 not as the same woman who entered 55. I step forward refined, more grounded, more courageous, and yes, more resilient. I step forward with gratitude for every lesson, for every new beginning, and for every evidence of God’s hand guiding me.

Year 56, I welcome you. I welcome the unknown because I know Who holds me. I welcome the new because I trust the One who goes before me. And I welcome the beauty that is sure to come, because if 55 taught me anything, it’s this: nothing can break me when I am rooted in the unshakable love of God.

Here’s to resilience. Here’s to growth. Here’s to joy that keeps breaking through.
Here’s to 56.