Anniversary by definition is a date that something took place on in a previous year.  Usually this is something we look forward with excitement- a business opening, a dating relationship, a marriage, an adoption day, etc.  But what about the anniversary days that aren’t celebratory?  The anniversary of a breakup, of losing a job, or worse yet, the anniversary of losing a close friend of loved one are the anniversaries that loom before us.  We dread them.  We anticipate the pain we will have to re-live. We don’t really want to talk about them.  These anniversaries bring back all the memories and torment us. Oh, there are days the memories are great.  The memories bring us back to moments of ‘before’. They remind us of all the good times- but then the anniversary day rears its ugly head and reminds us that memories are all we have…

But is that true?  It feels like it.  And the devil would certainly like us to think that.  However, as believers we have a confidence and a hope in our future.  I am so thankful that God loves me and promises to always be there for me.  On an anniversary day that brings so much grief to my soul, it would be very easy for me to retreat inside myself and listen to lies that the deceiver would like to plant in my brain.  But today I choose to acknowledge my grief while still moving forward.  I will turn on praise music and let God whisper promises in my ear.  I will spend time with friends and celebrate life together. As I crawl into bed tonight, I hope I can say that I survived a hard day- possibly not unscathed- but still in one piece because I focused on Jesus and His promises to me.