Happy New Year!

After reading something one of my friends wrote I was inspired to not make any "new year resolutions" but to instead make some New Year Commitments, thus implying that I am serious about these things and plan to follow through with them. With that said here I go...

2010 New Year Commitments

1. To develop and maintain a healthy and stronger relationship with my heavenly Father and to "Be like the moon and reflect the Son."

2. To put 100% into the things I do, because anything worth doing is worth doing well.

3. To be more encouraging and kind to others, to show the same grace and forgiveness to them that I wish to receive.

4. To not only work at the rec center but to get in shape and to be healthy.

5. To pursue my dreams and passions and not be fearful of anything "Fear not for I am with you, I am the Lord your God." -Isiah 41:10

God Lover

Inspiration: the act of inspiring; quality or state of being inspired.

Lately that is what I feel - inspired. I am not sure when it all came about but now that it has I can't shake it...not that I want to though. The thing is that I felt conviction about how last semester and how I handled it. I am a very driven person and have always been extremely conscious of my grades. So last semester that's what I was focusing on, and while grades are important and I should apply myself, they are not what is ultimately important. So you might wonder what is. What is my purpose in life. Many people ask themselves them and some never get the answer. My purpose in life: to glorify God.

So what does all that mean? Well it means that things are going to change next semester. I want them to change and am going to strive for that. I want to have my priorities in order: God FIRST. He will take care of everything else in my life. I trust that. I would love to have a sort of Bible study within my group of friends on campus. That we would all do a devotional series that has each of us daily in the word, spending time with God, and helping us grow. Then once a week would could all have lunch or dinner together and talk about where we are and what God is revealing to us individually in our lives, so, "as iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

To have a time of fellowship for "God lovers." This is a term that I have stolen from a series that completely changed my life and the way I think about God. The series I am referring to is on by Robin Jones Gunn, there is the Christy Miller Series, the Sierra Jensen Series, Christy and Tod: The College Years, and the Katie Weldon Series (they go in that order too.) If you have not read these PLEASE READ THEM! They will change your life! I recommend them to everyone they are geared more towards girls but they give a great example for guys of how to act too.

So I guess I am starting with my New Year's resolutions early, this being my biggest and most important one (not to mention the only one I have at this point - more to come on those later). God sent his ONLY son to die on a cross for my sins, if that isn't love then I don't know what is. He is the ultimate perfect example and what I long to imitate. I want to fall so in love with him that I just can't stand it. For him to be my everything.

A New Start

So the last time I was on here it was over a year ago. The weird thing was that my family and I were about to go to the beach and now as I am writing you we are on our way to the beach. We are going down to our house to spend the Christmas and New Years holidays.

Don't you love Christmas? Family getting together and catching up, everything seems so close to perfect. Even as we are driving down the interstate there is hardly any traffic which makes it seem pretty great.

Isn't it amazing how one minute your whole world can seem like it is falling apart and then the next God sends you an angel to help you hold on a little longer. Eventually things start to get better, it all looks better in the light of a new morning. God has been sending plenty of "angels" my way lately and they are greatly appreciated.

As Christmas is rapidly approaching (less than 24 hours now) I am reminded that during this time we are supposed to be remembering the birth of our Saviour not how much money we can spend or receive. People lose sight of what is important so easily. Now days you don't even hear anything but "Happy Holidays" and "Seasons Greetings," everyone is so worried about being 'politically correct' - I am tired of all that nonsense! We have forgotten the REAL meaning of this holiday we celebrate! JESUS CHRIST WAS BORN! It was a pretty big deal and it is about time that we recognize it for what it is and was. All I have left to say on the matter is MERRY CHRISTMAS!