Saturday, January 1, 2011

Looking Back and Setting Goals

Happy New Years!

2011 is going to be a pivotal year in my life.  I'll be graduating high school, saying goodbye to friends, making new friends, moving out, starting college...  There will be so many changes and new beginnings that I am going to have to face.  To be honest, it's a little frightening.  I don't deal with change well.  Someone reorganizes the bottles on my bathroom counter and I can't bear the change.  How me in a green jpgwill I handle moving to a new city in a far away place, away from my bedroom and my friends and my family?  I know that my faith in the Lord will get me through a lot of trials and change I know is to come.

2011 will be new, exciting, joyful... it will be an adventure.

This past year, 2010, has been amazing.  I've grown up and changed in so many ways.  There are so many experiences and highlights I remember when I think back on the last twelve months.  I've become a senior in high school.  I've interned at an inner city ministry called City Church.  I've learned things from both children and adults.  My best friend has lived with me for part of the year.  The 30 Days of Kindness taught me so much.  I've learned how to be a missionary without traveling overseas.  I've written a 65k word novel.  I've made top five on inkpop in August and received a review from a HarperCollins editor.  I've made a few friends.  I've grown closer to my family, especially to my mom.  I got a new puppy.  I've thrown two surprise birthday parties for my friends.  I turned eighteen.  I've gotten the opportunity to be a "big sister" to a few amazing younger girls.  I've conquered some fears.  I've made friends on this blog. :)

I'm not a big fan of making crazy New Year's resolutions, mostly because I think we should constantly be striving to improve ourselves.  However, I do believe that the new year can serve as a beginning of sorts where we can start anew.  Because of that, I have made two "resolutions" for myself that I will try to fulfill this year.

1. I want to read through the Bible again.  I love to read the Bible, to be honest.  I like to read in general, so the stories and pieces of information always fascinate me rather than put me to sleep.  I've read the entire thing about four or five times and then I've read some sections over and over, but I know there is still much left for me to learn.  This year, I'm going to be using a schedule for the first time ever.  The Bible I'll be reading is the NIV Quest Study Bible, which you can check out here if you want to read along with me.  I'll try to share what I'm learning throughout the year, although I probably won't post something about my daily Bible readings every single day.  We'll see.  :)

2. I want to put more effort into ending poverty.  I want to be more self-sacrificing, and I plan to give more of myself to help others.  If you're a regular reader of my blog, then you've probably seen a lot of posts about Africa and poverty and helping the poor.  Over the last few months, I've slacked off a little, and I'm not satisfied with that.  I want to do more to help end world poverty, including the kids who are hungry in my own community.  You will most definitely see some more blog entries about helping the needy, so be prepared for that.  I also want to encourage my readers to stand up against hunger and poverty... and I have some plans in the workings already, so keep an eye out.

Those are the goals I've set for the new year.  Be my accountability.  Don't let me forget them.  What are your resolutions?

1 comment:

  1. I hope that you can go to a wonderful college and meet your goal! happy 2011!

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