Looking back to look foward

With the New Year approaching I started thinking about this past year: all my accomplishments, failures and what I want to accomplish with the upcoming year.

Around this time last year, I had the thought that I would begin going to church to become a "better" person and I will accept Christ (as if He needs the accepting, I am the one who needed Him - of course I didn't realize this than). However, glory to God for opening my eyes and changing my heart of stone to a heart of flesh. That I was able to see how wicked of a person I was - and still am - according to His standards. My lifestyle was completely hostile towards Him and with the guidance of the Holy Spirit He picked me up and turned my life around.

I hit two of the greatest milestones of my life this year..

The Lord granted me my salvation, I believe this is the greatest milestone of all and pray that I continue to grow (as my pastor would say just as it is unnatural for a child not to grow physically it is unnatural for a Christian not to grow spiritually). Knowing now, there was nothing I could have done to ever become saved. God drew me to Him; my decision to start coming to church was planted by Him. He is sovereign in everything He does.

The Lord also gave me a wonderful man of God to marry, to be my provider, leader, teacher and my partner in this life. I am truly blessed to be able to find my soul mate and have the true understanding of what a marriage is especially at my age and at this time in the world.

Furthermore, there are still things in my life - and in everyone's - for improvement. I created a list of goals I have for this upcoming year but I think it's best if we all keep the serenity prayer in our minds when making our "resolutions"

--Reinhold Niebuhr

My 2012 Goals:
1. Grow in my prayer and reading life by making a consistent schedule and sticking to it.
2. Improving my role as a godly wife by staying in the Word and prayer and being a wife before being a student.
3. Having better discernment picking movies/TV shows to watch by researching them using christiananswers.net or watching the trailers/reading the summary.
4. Getting back into shape by joining the gym and create a schedule (I know so cliche... but unlike the cliche I will accomplish it because I have already started; I'm not waiting for the 1st because the day doesn't have magically powers to motivate people)

I hope you all have a safe and blessed New Year!!!

Verses for encouragement:)

And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.
Acts 4:12

And Peter said to them, Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Acts 2:38

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
Ephesians 2:8-9

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
Romans 12:2

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.
Proverbs 3:5-6

For who is God, but the Lord? And who is a rock, except our God? —the God who equipped me with strength and made my way blameless.
Proverbs 18:31-32

But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.
2 Peter 3:18