New.

At the beginning of every year everyone makes resolutions. Making these usually results in a one month gym membership used only for two weeks, a "eating healthy" plan that lasts one grocery run, or something along those lines. So of course, that is what this blog is about. Although it isn't necessarily a "new year" resolution I AM going to spend more wisely this coming year; documenting everything on an excel spreadsheet and keeping all receipts. This was decided mid December and it just seemed smart to wait until the beginning of January since bank statements are done monthly.

My REAL new years resolutions are not however, something I can buy. Today was the first day in months that I opened my bible. This time period starting mid-semester and lasting two or so months was the farthest I have been from God since I started my real relationship with him almost three years ago. Why did I not open my bible? Well, that whole time period I temporarily misplaced it because of the mess I let pile up in my car, pushing my bible way back in the depths of abu's (my car) seats. This is NO excuse to not spend time with God, but I barely did. Now, having found my bible (Credit: Nick Whiteside) I decided to open it up today. Today was supposed to mark the first day of classes for the semester but due to the snowmaggedon and I was alone at my apartment bored and upset at the actual fact of being alone. The first thing I pulled out was a list of verses I had written down from one of the College Life training days. First Passage:

³ His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. ⁴ Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

⁵ For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; ⁶ and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; ⁷ and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. ⁸ For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁹ But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins.

¹⁰ Therefore, my brothers and sisters,^[a] make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, ¹¹ and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

After reading this I spent some time with the Lord. At this moment is when I decided what I wanted out of my year. First I want to learn how to pray with the Lord. With being key word. I don't just want to spend time praying TO him but with him.. friend to friend... father to daughter... mentor to peer... teacher to student. I want to be able to set all distractions aside, sit in peacefulness, and be content in being alone with the Lord; basking in His glory.

Second: I want to truly embrace joy. To live in joy at all times and to understand on a whole different level the meaning of having joy. I want to apply all the things in the passage above to my faith and experience joy how the Lord meant for it to be experienced. I want to apply it towards my classes, to track, to friends and family, to my amazing boyfriend, to Young Life, to the internship in Estonia I am still awaiting the final decision on, to my roommates, and to everything else that takes place this year.

2011. Bring it.