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At this stage of the year I always like to review what has gone on in the past twelve months, and highlight some of my posts from the last year. Regular readers of my blog will be aware of the challenges I have faced on a personal level with regard to my sickness this year, so I won’t reiterate them here. As a result, however, I have posted so infrequently I will share all this years articles below. Many of them have been on suffering as a Christian (inspired by my own experiences), and so I will separate the posts I share below into two lists below.

I wouldn’t want to leave the impression that 2017 has been all bad. That would be far from the truth. There has been much to be grateful for including: precious times with family and friends, a job that has been challenging and enjoyable as well as understanding of my health, a renewed sense of closeness to God, success for two of my children in exams, joy at seeing my children progress in their education, and more importantly their walk with God, and just great joy at coming out the other side of hospital admissions and experiencing recovery. I could go on and on!

Indeed, as I look at 2018, I am full of hope. I am now able to walk (with my Nordic Poles) for around an hour: which I haven’t been able to for the previous eight months. The joy of walking in Epping Forest once more has been much savoured. I am confident that 2018 will be a much better year than 2017, and I trust God as I enter into it that he will be with me always and in all circumstances