From 2013 to 2014 ~ A New Adventure!

I cannot believe that it's already 2014.  It seems like I was just writing a new year's post for 2013 a few months ago!  What happened?  Has time sped up or am I getting old?!  ;)

Last year I laid out some things that I wanted to do/work on this year.  This is what I wrote:

And in 2013, I hope to....

• Read my Bible and/or devotional every day
• Memorize more Scripture and KEEP it in my head
• Be a better sister
• Be a better daughter
• Be more responsible 
• Be more patient
• Keep raising money for a trip back to China
• Keep advocating
• Learn Chinese more fluently
• Finish reading through the Bible with my family
• Learn how to do the splits
• Keep practicing pointe
• Keep writing and working on stories
• Continue journaling often
• Keep practicing photography

Some of these were things that I had not been able to do or keep up with in 2012, and some were things that I had done in 2012, and wanted to keep doing.  I'm happy to say that I learned how to do the splits, I memorized more Scripture, and I read my devotional every day (and later on in the year, I read my Bible almost every morning).

Do I still have things to work on throughout 2014?  Have I made mistakes?  Do I have regrets?  Of course!  But I choose to look beyond those things.  I'm thankful that Jesus paid the price so that I can leave those things behind without worry and look forward with hope to the new year.  I'm thankful for this wonderful, hopeful, fresh start.  I'm thankful that I have a new year to look forward to.  I'm thankful for God's mercy and protection throughout this year and for his mercies and protection that are promised to us for this coming year, whatever it will bring.

  Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,

    for his compassions never fail.

23 

They are new every morning;

    great is your faithfulness.

24 

I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion;

    therefore I will wait for him.”

-Lamentations 3:22-24

Throughout 2013, I have....

• Grown closer to God, definitely.  He's taught me a lot and grown me a lot in Him this year, and it hasn't always been easy, but He's brought me through it all, and He's strengthening me through it.  :)
• Gotten into the Bible more.
• Learned a lot about things in general--life, family, friends, growing up.
• Grown closer to family.
• Met new many friends, who I'm really thankful for, and grown closer to other friends.  
• Gone to Disney World for the first time and met Peter Pan!  :)
• Fell in love with Rend Collective and their music, and got to see them in concert/meet them.
• Been able to reach out and be Jesus' hands and feet to people.  <3 li="">
• Got a banjo!
• Turned 14 and moved up into 9th grade.  Had a Captain America birthday cake.  :)
• Seen Iron Man 3 and Thor 2--the Marvel superhero movies of this year!
• Went into the hospital three times again (like last year), but God was still good to me.  :)  
• Began working through a huge journal.  :) 
• Got a new, very exciting story idea and began work on it--then lost everything!  Still holding onto the idea, though.
• Learned more Chinese language and dance.
• Learned a few Irish words.  :)
• Began volunteering at our local library 1-2 days a week.
• Read some good books.  :)

On New Year's Eve, most people (including myself) make up a specific list of things they want to do throughout the next year.  This year, yes, there are things that I want to do.  I want to keep reading my Bible and devotional every day, and journal every other day and see certain movies (like Frozen and Captain America 2)!  I want to keep volunteering at the library, visit our friends at the nursing home and at the hospital.  I want to read more good books.  I want to blog regularly.  I want to write more stories.  I want to learn to play banjo and guitar well.  I want to learn more instruments.  I want to go to another Rend Collective concert.  I want to be a better follower of Jesus.  I want to grow and learn in God.  I want to grow closer to family and become a better daughter and sister.  I want to be a better friend to all my friends.  

But most of all, I want to do more of what truly, really matters in life and less of what doesn't.  I want to spend more time doing fun stuff with my little brother than I do on the internet.  I want to be more responsible and patient, instead of procrastinating and getting easily annoyed.  Most of all, I want to grow in my walk and relationship with Jesus, because I never know how many new years I'll see, and I want to make sure I put the most importance on what matters the absolute most in life.  

And I can't do these things on my own.  Not at all.  Above all, I want to give this year to Jesus.  I want Him to teach me and lead me and guide me through this year.  Because then I know that it'll be amazing.  :)

So, my resolution, hope, prayer--whatever you may call it--for this year, for 2014, is that it would be led by Jesus, in a close, intimate walk with Him.  :)

God bless you guys, and Happy New Year!  

Joy :)