What a year it has been! When I think about the ups, the downs, and the in-betweens, there’s been this overwhelming theme throughout it all — the Lord has worked and been so very present. I’m so thankful in that what has been a tough year in some ways has also been an opportunity to experience God’s faithfulness. He is so good.

And I’m so thankful for you! Each one of you. Thank you for joining me for Java every week. It feels like we are truly on this journey together, and I couldn’t ask for a better group of sisters to join me. So, as the year winds down, I figured I would feature the blogs you liked the best from this past year! Let’s just sample a few sips of Java from 2016 together — maybe they will be sweeter the second time, and if you’re new to this great bunch of coffee buddies, pour yourself a tall something that is warm and refreshing, pull up a chair and enjoy a cup of inspiration… five cups, to be exact!

If something you read inspires or encourages you, pass it on to someone who else who may need it. Simply click on the title to read each post.

5. Overwhelmed? 3 Things to Leave Off Your To-Do List

Let’s face it — despite our best efforts, life can still be crazy. Laundry piles up, work deadlines loom, the unanswered texts and emails are out of control, your loved ones need you… it’s just too much!

In this post, I share three things to leave OFF your to-do list when you’re overwhelmed. That’s a nice change, right? Before you know it, you’ll be breathing easier and more at peace.

4. What to Do When You Can’t Stand It But You Can’t Change It

We all have things in our lives that we wish we didn’t have to deal with, and although they may have varying degrees of difficulty, we still just want them to go away. We just don’t think we can stand it for another minute.

In this post I share how I deal with my blindness, and how the Lord has taught me to stand in spite of the discouragement I feel. No matter what you are dealing with, this will help you too!

3. 6 Ways to Overcome Sadness

Sadness is just part of our human experience, but God has a hope and a future for all of us, and it is a future full of joy.

When sadness hits, we can hit back with these six strategies, trusting God with our sadness because He not only prescribes, He IS the best medicine!

2.  3 Scriptures to Pray When You Just Don’t Know What to Do

We are bombarded with decisions — should I take this job? Should I quit this job?! We have endless choices — is this the college for me? Is this the guy for me? Is this the church where God wants me to be? And, sometimes, we just flat-out have no idea what to do, what to choose, how to make the best decision.

In this blog post I give you three scriptures to pray when you just don’t know what to do. See how praying God’s Word can provide the Light you need to illuminate the path you should take.

1. How to 4:8 Your Thoughts

It’s inevitable that we’ll find ourselves in less-than-pleasant situations, right? Stuck on a delayed airplane, stuck in traffic, waiting and waiting in a doctor’s office, dealing with a difficult work or school situation… it happens to all of us. But when we apply the 4:8 standard to our thoughts, it changes our whole perspective!

Okay, there they are! Thank you again for joining me this year for Java… I’m excited about what 2017 will bring! Blessings in the new year, dear sisters.

What was one thing you learned this year? Share it with us in the comments below.