New Year's Resolutions

With the ringing in of a new year people begin to think about their resolutions and what they want to change and who they want to be in the new year. I have been working on my resolutions for about a week now, "researching" and thinking about who I want to be, where I want to see myself in 2015 and the best route to becoming her. I am a huge Pinterest person, anyone who follows me knows I pin a gazillion things everyday. In the past week I have been pinning and pulling a bunch of different quotes and these quotes have helped compile my list of resolutions for 2015.I will not be fearful. Fear is the enemy of happiness, peace, and love. When you let fear seep in your joy begins to drain and its incredibly hard for you to feel peace. So this year I refuse to let fear seep in and ruin my happiness. I will not be fearful of failure, trying new things, of challenging myself, and change.[Joshua 1:9] I hereby command you: Be strong and courageous; do not be frightened or dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.[Psalm 46:1-6] God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change, though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea; though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble with its tumult.[Psalm 56:3-4] When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; i am not afraid; what can flesh do to me?You all know that I am the queen of worry. But the past few months I have really been working on looking at what makes me happy, trusting, and not worrying. So for 2015 I am going to be continuing the path of peace and will be trying to stop this anxiety and worry. It also helps that I have a boyfriend, friends, and family who will remind me not to worry, coaches are great to have, no one wants to do it alone! I am putting my trust in God and trust in the fact that it will all work out how it should--God's got this.[Philippians 4:6-7] Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of Go, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.I am going to trust. God's hand has been leading me throughout my whole life;I can look back and see the places and decisions God has led me to and I know that God will continue to lead me.[Psalm 40:4] Happy are those who make the Lord their trust, who do not turn to the proud, to those who go astray after false Gods.[Isaiah 46:4] Even to your old age I am he, even when you turn gray I will carry you. I have made, and I will bear; I will carry and will save. (That last sentence--God is with us no matter what and will carry us and protect us, we are God's children)[Isaiah 26:3-4] Those of Steadfast mind you keep in peace--in peace because they trust in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for in the Lord God you have an everlasting rock. (I love that--an everlasting rock. How can we be on shaky ground if we trust in the Lord, because God is our everlasting rock!)This next one is one I really struggle with. I am going to love myself--with exactly who I am. I feel that many of us have been told not to think too highly of ourselves because you do not want to come off as vain. However, if you take this advice too far the other way you could end up like me and think too low of yourself. Honestly, in the past few weeks I have started to see that I am special--I am unique, no one is exactly like me and special in the same ways I am. We are all special! We are God's children and have been given incredible gifts. 2015 is the year that I am going to start accepting that I am special. I am enough, I have value, and I am favored. But I also am realizing these gifts are not just mine to keep all for myself--no God wants me to use my special gifts to glorify God. And that is what my hope is--I hope that I can take these gifts and help someone else while also glorifying my incredible God.[Psalm 139:13-15] For it was you who formed my inward parts; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; that I know very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth.Along with loving myself, I am going to take myself out of competitions. You know those competitions humans by nature get into--who made the better grade, who got what for Christmas, who is busier ect. These competitions that tend to make us feel bad about ourselves and like failures. Well this year I am not participating. I am going to stop comparing myself to others and recognize that I am enough exactly how I am."Confidence isn't walking into a room with your nose in the air, and thinking you are better than everyone else, it's walking into a room and not having to compare yourself to anyone in the first place" (Anonymous--Found this quote on Pinterst)My main hope is that I can remain close to God, trying to walk the path that God has planned for me. 2015 is a time of incredible change for me, I am going to graduate college and move into the real world. It is a bitter sweet feeling but I know that I am well equipped to handle whatever life throws at me. I know that no matter where I go God will always be with me.May the Peace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you all! Happy New Year! Remember you are very special and precious.