Hello 2017

Happy New Year, everybody! I hope you have had a great 2016! I always look forward to a new year. It is really exciting to have a fresh start!

The first half of 2016 was amazing. I had so many fun things happening, I started my senior year of highschool, I really grew closer to some amazing people, I turned 17, I got really involved in writing, my blog really started to grow, and life was great. Things couldn't have been better! 

The last few months have really been a difficult, but growing time. I went through a big personal struggle, I found out things about some of my friends who I thought were a certain way and ended up being completely the opposite, I missed my long-distance friends, we had to put our dog down, and I ended up being pretty sick. It was all really discouraging for me to look back at the year, because that was all that I was seeing. But I had a perspective change after realizing that there really were good things that happened in that time! Even the bad things that happened had their good parts. 

For instance, I found out that I am going to be an aunt (which is super exciting!!), and I have been able to talk and pray over Skype and email with a very close friend of mine from a long time ago about our struggles and life. Our bond is growing stronger, and I am so thankful for her! 
I discovered how awesome things like Skype, emails, and texting are, because my Ohio sister and I were able to have a Christmas party even though we were hundreds of miles apart! We have been able to communicate and keep our friendship strong, which is a huge blessing!
Through my spiritual struggles, I have really seen God's hand in my life and I have grown so much closer to Him through it. He has given me passion like I have never felt it before, and I am already able to look back on the last few months and see how much he has brought me through.
I am learning how to rest and that it is ok to take a break once in a while so that I can recover. I have learned to treasure the friendships that are genuine and deep, and I am learning thankfulness and joy in every circumstance.

When I think about the year that way, I see it in a completely different light! I am able to pick out the beautiful things, and be thankful for the lessons that the hard things taught me. A big thing that I have learned is that growing cannot happen without struggling. Those are the things that really push us and stretch us. To be honest, I am someone who likes to be comfortable. I don't like being out of my comfort zone, and the thought of doing it freaks me out! But I have realized that it is necessary for growing, and I really want to embrace change and new opportunities for growth this year. 

Something that I sort-of announced recently was that I am going to be changing my blog! I have really felt like God has placed it on my heart to do more of a devotional style of blogging, and I am going for it. I will be sticking with this blog, instead of doing a completely new one, but the content will be changing. I still have some things to iron out, such as figuring out the best posting schedule and such, so posting times will most likely be a little random for a while. Each Thursday, I am planning on doing a Thankfulness Thursday post, and I want to do a thoughtful/devotional post another day of the week. This is something completely new for me, but I am looking forward to it! Prayers would be appreciated as well, because this could not happen without God's guidance and grace! 

So...goodbye, 2016....hello, 2017! This year is going to be a big one, and I am looking forward to it! (I'm graduating and turning 18 Y'ALL HOW IS THIS HAPPENING?!?) I used to come up with big lists of aspirations and goals, but this year, I just want to really focus on my relationship with Christ and grow spiritually. I want to learn true faith and confidence in Him, because, as I realized this past year, that is the only place I will get it. I want to hide God's Word in my heart, because I have learned that it truly is the best and most powerful weapon there is, and I want to see God in everything and be thankful for everything, because everything is a gift from Him.

Thank you Lord for another year!! ♥ 

For God gave us a spirit not of fear, but of power and love and self-control. 

2 Timothy 1:7