Lifting My Eyes.: Happy New Year!

Happy New Year everyone! Wow, we made it to 2012!
It's funny. The start of a New Year to me is one of the best times. We all get a fresh start. New chances to start over. The hope of "doing better", and of making more of ourselves than we did last year. Kind of like we get to bid all our imperfections and failures goodbye, and nothing but hope and fresh beginnings are on the horizon. I love and disagree with this all at the same time. I love new beginnings, don't get me wrong. Yet I also would encourage any of you who read this blog to remember something...
God's grace doesn't "restart" with the change of a year. His grace is always there. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. It's a new year, a new season, but the same Jesus. Just a little tidbit I found encouraging. :)

So, have you come up with your lists for the New Year? I have. I don't know why I do it, I mean I honestly make up stuff to stick to for the year just to say I did. Hahah anybody feeling me right now?

But no, my thoughts for the New Year have been very encouraging actually. I don't have many things that I am trying to accomplish that I haven't already started (except for reading through the Bible in a year...I did start that.) But rather, I have been doing alot of reflecting. Just thinking about my life and where it's going. This Christmas Break was one of the best of my life, and one of the most encouraging. I was able to receive alot of encouragement from people I love so much, and I have been so filled with hope regarding what the Lord might have for my future. So many plans. So many dreams. So many hopes. I don't ever want to lose the fire and drive that I am feeling right now. I have no idea what God has in store for me this year, but that's okay. I don't want to. Okay that's a lie. I would love to know God's plans. But I don't. So I gotta just keep trusting. Keep walking. Keep living.

My goal for this year is simple, and I wrapped it up into 4 simple yet profound words that I know the Lord gave me...
Love. Laugh. Listen. Live.

4 things. Those are my goals. I want to love God and people like never before this year. I want my life to reflect the beautiful love of Jesus that He daily and graciously bestows on me. I want to laugh more this year. There is so much joy to be found in life. Joy in the simple things. Life is too short not to laugh. The joy of the Lord is my strength! i want to listen to the voice of the Lord this year. I am so tempted to get caught up in all the noise and distractions of this life, that i often shut out God's still, small, encouraging voice. But no more. I commit to listen this year, and the rest of my life. His voice is a voice I can trust. I can depend on. I can always count on. I want that voice to guide me always. And finally, I want to simply live. Live each day to the fullest. One day at a time. Not always looking ahead, but focusing on what the Lord has set directly before me.

"Our main business is not to see what dimly lies ahead but to do what directly lies at hand." -Thomas Carlile

That is what I plan to do. Will you join me? Just live.

On another note...
Christmas this year was just amazing. We reconnected with our oldest friends, and had the best Christmas. It was by far my favorite. Words cannot describe how much our families love each other, and it was just so timely that we reconnected with them this year. My family and I have been very lonely, and it has been a very hard year. God was SO kind to bring our dear friends back into out lives. I got to reconnect with my lifelong friend, Pierce, and it was so wonderful getting to spend time with him, and the rest of his family. I love them all so much. The plan is for me to go to Arkansas on my Spring Break to visit....I CANNOT WAIT :) God is so good!!

Have a wonderful year friends! Go in the grace of our God and don't be afraid to love more, laugh more, listen more, and live more! Just lift your eyes to Him!