Here's To a New Year

Hello everyone,

Today is January 1st and I wanted to share with you my New Year's Commitments. 

1. I am going to read the Bible cover to cover. 
I committed my life to Christ when I was 12 years old and I have never honestly read the whole Bible. After many years of thinking about reading through my Bible daily, I am going to do it. Here is what I am using to read through the Bible in one year: http://www.oneyearbibleonline.com/january.asp?version=51&startmmdd=0101. :) I have done devotionals for my daily time with the Lord when I have kept up with Bible reading, but I've really been realizing how important it is to be able to form our own opinions about the Bible and not be swayed by others opinions. This year I want to be able to fully take my faith, form my own beliefs, and know more about the Bible than I have ever known.

2. I am going to start practicing self-love and becoming healthy.
Song of Solomon 4:7 says, "You are altogether beautiful my love; there is no flaw in you." This Bible verse is on a canvas on my dorm room wall and I love it. When I first heard it, it just painted this picture of Jesus looking at me and not seeing my acne, my stretch marks, my frizzy hair and all the other flaws I pick out about myself. This year I'm focusing on loving myself, flaws included. I've struggled with disordered eating habits since 7th grade and I want to finally be in control. I have a certain amount of weight I want to lose, however; that is not the end goal. It's not ending there, I want to start eating healthier and exercising more. I know that eating healthier and exercising more will lead to the weight loss, but it will also lead me to feeling healthier and not be so tired all the time. I am learning to be comfortable in my skin because I am not by any means perfect, but God created me in His image and because of that there is nothing I need to change about the way I look. I'm going to start putting up more Bible verses in my dorm room on my mirror and other places, as well as my work desk. It's going to be a long process to overcome the self-esteem issues I've had that have honestly been going on since 1st grade or so. It's time to l o v e myself, not just t o l e r a t e myself. 

3. I am going to live my faith out.
I've always struggled being open about my faith because I've never wanted to offend people and I want to get along with everyone. However, I'm starting to realize that people will be offended no matter what and that not everyone can get along. I want to be open about what the Lord is doing in my life and truly live out my faith. Honestly, it's hard being home with the majority of my friends being non-Christians and wanting to be able to feel accepted, but still share my faith. It's time for me to put my faith into action through loving others, less complaining, and more of a life of servitude. 


Here's to 2015, 2014 was one of the best years of my life. I got accepted to my top college, finished my 1st semester at Liberty University, decided I want to become a mental health social worker, and made some of the best friends ever. I have grown SO much in my faith and the Lord has just taken me from the girl in 2012 who had no hope for a future, with a future full of opportunities awaiting. God is so good to me, and I'm glad to say my depression no longer controls me and is barely prevalent. I still struggle with anxiety and panic attacks often, but the Lord has been so faithful to me and has been there for me when they occur. I can't wait to see what 2015 holds. Honestly, as long as I grow closer to the Lord, that's all that matters.

God Bless and Happy New Year,

Anna