Saturday, January 1, 2011

New Year, New Beginnings...

It is now 2011...

It's hard to believe we are at the beginning of another year, but here we are. As I reflect over the past year, there are some things that I regret--things I wish I could erase from my past. But at the same time, there are also many things this past year that have been good things--memories that I will treasure forever. And looking back, I can see how God has led in my life, even when I might not have made the right decisions. I praise God for how He has worked in my life this past year, and for how He has changed me so that I am not the same person I was just one year ago.

For the past few days, I have been privileged to be able to attend the 9th annual GYC (Generation of Youth for Christ) along with more than 5,000 other young people. I have been incredibly blessed and challenged by the messages I have heard here. It has been exactly what I have needed as we enter into this new year. I am leaving this conference with many commitments and goals that by God's grace I will fulfill in the coming year. God has used this conference to speak to my heart and show me several areas in which I need to grow. As a result of being here, I am determined to live my life by the theme of this year's conference--No Turning Back. I have decided to follow Jesus all the way, and by His grace, I will not turn back.

Last night, hundreds of young people here at GYC joined together in nearly two hours of praising the Lord through song, sharing testimonies of how God has worked in our lives, reading Scripture, and praying in the New Year. It was a powerful experience. As hundreds of voices united in pleading with God for forgiveness of sins, praising Him for what He has done, and imploring Him for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and for revival and reformation, we could all feel the presence of God with us. It is an experience I will not soon forget and was the very BEST way to bring in the New Year--on our knees.

One of the goals/commitments I have made is to start a blog to be able to share how God is working in my life and to hopefully inspire and encourage other young people to commit their lives wholly to Jesus. Hence my very first blog post ever... :) My hope is to update this blog as often as possible and share what God is doing in my life and what He is teaching me. And my earnest prayer is that those who take the time to read it may be challenged and blessed.

May we each draw closer to Jesus in this coming year. No matter what our past, let us choose to make this new year a year of new beginnings. May we choose to make Him first, best, and only in every area of our lives. My prayer is that we will allow God to use each of us in a powerful way in this coming year and that we will do our part to hasten His soon return.

Happy New Year!